It is very exciting to see Boulder Opal get the recognition it deserves in the United States. It has long been appreciated in places such as Germany, Japan, and Switzerland, resulting in much of the best boulder opal going to these countries. I'd like to introduce you to Bill Kasso, one of the principle players responsible in bringing gem grade boulder opal into the USA. As writer Susan Haverland of Rock and Gem Magazine, puts it; "Some would say it's a long jump from molecular biology to Wall Street, but when the move is to become a corporate bond trader for a firm specializing in high-tech underwriting, it seems more likely. It's the leap from Wall Street to the Australian Outback that baffles the mind. Sure, a bond trader has a sense of adventure and the nerve to gamble on unknowns, but it's hard to picture Brooks Brothers meets Paul Hogan. Yet, that's just what opal miner/cutter/dealer Bill Kasso, M.S. Molecular Bi

I have been buying boulder opal from Bill for nearly 20 years, so my collectors have been well aware of this unique gem stone & it's incredible beauty. Boulder opal is my favorite gem stone because of it's spectrum of color, stability, (unlike white opal) and the variety of pattern composition in the matrix. The rarity of boulder opal is best explained this way. There was approximately 9 million dollars worth of boulder opal produced in one year, where according to Kimberley Process, the value of global diamond production in 2011 was 14.41 billion. Diamonds are not rare, boulder opal is.

Since Boulder Opal hit the "Red Carpet" last year one can see this beauty of a gem showing up in many cutting edge designs.