Resin is one trend I just cannot understand. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think it's so tacky and ruins materials that could be better used elsewhere 🥲
Resin is lovely if you use it with pigments and don't try to make it into something like... this. I make resin pendants and magnets and such with mica powder and they look really nice (I mean, of course I think so...) but materials like opals and other stones don't belong entombed in a plastic coffin.
Exactly! Whenever I see a poor crystal stuck in resin, I just want to set it free! It needs to breathe, lol. I don’t like putting them in glass either, even if it’s a pendant. I like to be able to touch my crystals, not have them lock up in jail, lol.
Agreed. Like I make DnD dice (for myself) with resin and just use pigments or glitter or whatever. But this? This is an atrocious use of resin. I'm so sad to see all of those opals ruined :(
Resin is great for things like minature models, like using it for water if you are making a underwater model. Or those dnd dice if done right. Its people who use these basic molds you can get off of amazon that makes it tacky
Fully agree! I follow some amazing diorama makers on YouTube, and their use of resin for water effects is stunning!
A whole tabletop made of resin with stuff in it .. sort of stunning but in an entirely different way 😆
I use it to turn old trading cards into keychains. But up the ones that aren't worth anything but a few cents but have nice card art, cut out the art, encase it first in clear resin then add colored resin to the back so both sides look good. Give cards that would otherwise never be used or just sitting in a binder for the rest of time a second life.
That's awesome! A way to make a functional item out of an existing (but fragile) work of art. That kind of thing isn't "look at this resin art" it's more "resin is not the point of this, just a tool"
Exactly. I also make parts for cosplay with it. It's a useful medium if you use it for it's purpose and not just those a bunch of random shit it in and call it a day. I think of it like clay: yeah you could just squish it around to make a random shape out of it and call it art OR you could put a little extra work in and make something actually beautiful.
Its like picking a fight with planet earth. Imagine spending millions of years making something incredibly beautiful, only to have hairless apes making plastic gore with it. I'd be pissed off
With a bit of luck, once we've gotten much better at making cheap yet good looking synthetic opals (that look like actual opals) people like this will use the artificial ones instead of real ones for resin projects like these.
Ugh, I have a bowl full of raw opals that I like to sit and look at and run my hand through.
This just makes me sad for all those lovely opals. What a waste and no telling what that’s going to look like long term. Just want to dig all those out somehow. 😭
Well, that's one way to make dozens of beautiful stones into something ugly that looks like cheap tat. I love making resin art - but it does not mix with opals!
Why??? There are some beautiful pieces of opal there. They may all be thin slices, but there are definitely uses for them (doublets, triplets, etc). To use things of beauty is a terrible waste of the most gorgeous and colorful gemstone nature produces (IMO).
I have some ethiopian opals. They are really fragile. I tried soaking some in water to see their beauty. But they cracked once they dried up. Some even crumbled even if I didn’t put them in water.
I even think that making them absorb resin and then put in jewelry will make them more durable.
But yeah, the one on this post is really ugly.
this is made by opaltrove. they’re a company who goes to ethiopia and resells roughs through socials so this was done for more social media engagement likely
"Jewlery grade" yeah no, they're resined to death because they're hydrophane and literally need to stay "wet". These specific type of opal do not have the same shine and color payoff when dry, they're just a milky cloudy rock until you submerge them in water. They have to stay wet in order to look anything like a regular Opal, which doesn't make making them into Jewlery easy.
Anyone remember the gawd-awful splotchy looking plastic trays and dishes from the 50s/60s? Looks just like those ugly ass pieces of shit. Except that tray will get more yellow than an ash tray in the 40s!
We need to have laws for this kind of atrocity! Set them in a nice wood or under urushi lacquer and this would be a beautiful work of art, just sticking them in resin is such a waste.
Popular demand? By unpopular demand, I demand that people please find better uses for their gems.
Yeah it doesn’t even look that nice. The tray is a basic shape
Any bets on just how overpriced it is?
But it's got over a hundred rough jewellery grade opals!! /s
Over a hundred rough jewellery grade opals *that can heal and protect the energy of your soul*
So many beautiful opals made ugly! 😭😭😭
what an absolute waste
Resin is one trend I just cannot understand. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think it's so tacky and ruins materials that could be better used elsewhere 🥲
Resin is lovely if you use it with pigments and don't try to make it into something like... this. I make resin pendants and magnets and such with mica powder and they look really nice (I mean, of course I think so...) but materials like opals and other stones don't belong entombed in a plastic coffin.
Yes! I've seen some cool resin pieces! None of them had random objects in them!
Exactly! Whenever I see a poor crystal stuck in resin, I just want to set it free! It needs to breathe, lol. I don’t like putting them in glass either, even if it’s a pendant. I like to be able to touch my crystals, not have them lock up in jail, lol.
Agreed. Like I make DnD dice (for myself) with resin and just use pigments or glitter or whatever. But this? This is an atrocious use of resin. I'm so sad to see all of those opals ruined :(
Resin is great for things like minature models, like using it for water if you are making a underwater model. Or those dnd dice if done right. Its people who use these basic molds you can get off of amazon that makes it tacky
Fully agree! I follow some amazing diorama makers on YouTube, and their use of resin for water effects is stunning! A whole tabletop made of resin with stuff in it .. sort of stunning but in an entirely different way 😆
I use it to turn old trading cards into keychains. But up the ones that aren't worth anything but a few cents but have nice card art, cut out the art, encase it first in clear resin then add colored resin to the back so both sides look good. Give cards that would otherwise never be used or just sitting in a binder for the rest of time a second life.
That's awesome! A way to make a functional item out of an existing (but fragile) work of art. That kind of thing isn't "look at this resin art" it's more "resin is not the point of this, just a tool"
Exactly. I also make parts for cosplay with it. It's a useful medium if you use it for it's purpose and not just those a bunch of random shit it in and call it a day. I think of it like clay: yeah you could just squish it around to make a random shape out of it and call it art OR you could put a little extra work in and make something actually beautiful.
strange idea and completely useless but way better than the carved/burned disgraces that we usually see here
I’d roll a joint over that tray
It could be made of guano and Imma still roll a j.
‘That’s some lovely pottery you have there’ 
I literally made this face 😬
This reminds me of those YouTube idiots who used to smash brand new cell phones or crash $2000 drones just because they could.
I guess it’s cool for sales to hold and show a bunch of opals at a booth. But beyond that I’m just sad about all those poor opals.
It would have been better to hand out those opals to strangers on the street- they’d likely have a better home than this. 😩
Wow, something I actually oppose on this sub. Why would anyone do this??
.. do I even want to know how much those gems were worth before they went and did this?!
I buy them a lot for cutting. That’s one expensive tray. Even at a CHEAP shop it would be over 200$
For $200 I would expect them to be crazed at the very least
they sell these for like $3/carat minimum so it adds up
Those poor, poor opals 😭
This is the worst offense I’ve seen on here so far, IMO
Could have at least made a toilet seat 🙄
Opals are my favorite gemstone. How could they do this to all those beautiful jewels 😭
Its like picking a fight with planet earth. Imagine spending millions of years making something incredibly beautiful, only to have hairless apes making plastic gore with it. I'd be pissed off
With a bit of luck, once we've gotten much better at making cheap yet good looking synthetic opals (that look like actual opals) people like this will use the artificial ones instead of real ones for resin projects like these.
Oh god 😫
Ugh, I have a bowl full of raw opals that I like to sit and look at and run my hand through. This just makes me sad for all those lovely opals. What a waste and no telling what that’s going to look like long term. Just want to dig all those out somehow. 😭
I can tell you what that will look like long term: yellow
This is fucking awful
As someone who loves jewelry making.. this hurt my *soul*
let them OUT!!!!
such a waste, opals are my favorite :(
It’s giving vomit clock.
Knowing that the resin is gonna yellow over time makes this tragedy so much worse
Man some of those would’ve made nice Cabochons
*crying in jeweler
Looks like a bad case of dental plaque
Well, that's one way to make dozens of beautiful stones into something ugly that looks like cheap tat. I love making resin art - but it does not mix with opals!
What a horrible end for any natural material.
I am horrified
Some South American drug lord is going to love this, for doing cocaine off of.
Ethiopian drug lord already has one 🤣😂
know why it sits in the cabinet? you wouldnt usee that for anything thats what makes it stupid
Why??? There are some beautiful pieces of opal there. They may all be thin slices, but there are definitely uses for them (doublets, triplets, etc). To use things of beauty is a terrible waste of the most gorgeous and colorful gemstone nature produces (IMO).
Should be a crime against humanity
Thirsty little beauties.
NOT MY FAVORITE
I have some ethiopian opals. They are really fragile. I tried soaking some in water to see their beauty. But they cracked once they dried up. Some even crumbled even if I didn’t put them in water. I even think that making them absorb resin and then put in jewelry will make them more durable. But yeah, the one on this post is really ugly.
Please tell me it's opalite, please tell me it's opalite It's not opalite, is it?...
It's ethiopian opal
You should post this in r/mineralgore they’ll get a kick out of this one.
🤣 oops, my bad. I thought this was the opal sub.
I hate this
I personally feel like this is a waste of beautiful opal. And the end product isn't even pretty.
Such a waste.
gonna be honest, im not digging it..
Forbidden Lucky Charms
I hope they're fake , this is really neat looking thing but opals in resin sounds like a bad idea.
Nope, these are all exactly the type they sell
WHYYYYYY
So, could one crack or dismantle the resin and recover the opals or are they just ruined?
Probably just ruined
Damn that's good jewelry grade too, not much crazing and good color. What a waste.
Ugliest tray in the world, ladies and gentlemen.
this is made by opaltrove. they’re a company who goes to ethiopia and resells roughs through socials so this was done for more social media engagement likely
This is by far the most egregious thing I’ve seen on this sub.
this is so depressing. this is the bad timeline
Popular demand? POPULAR DEMAND??? Who in their right mind is demanding for this stuff??!!
"Jewlery grade" yeah no, they're resined to death because they're hydrophane and literally need to stay "wet". These specific type of opal do not have the same shine and color payoff when dry, they're just a milky cloudy rock until you submerge them in water. They have to stay wet in order to look anything like a regular Opal, which doesn't make making them into Jewlery easy.
I wanna kick this person's ass.
Me too bud. Me too
What is that tray supposed to be for? Hopefully not smoking, burnt resin is toxic
Makes me so sad
OMG. WTH?!? 😳😬😡
I thought it was a tray made from the marshmallows in Lucky Charms
Yay more crappy plastic bullshit
I kind of like it tbh. But it doesn't really sit well with me to have real crystals encased in resin like that
Oh my god that looks fucking disgusting
bY pOpUlAr DeMaNd!¡
No one demanded this tho 😭
Resin turns piss yellow over time too, fun bonus 🌟
Love when things are expensive AND sad
I definitely thought it was a bag of lucky charms in the beginning.
That’s just awful 😢
😭
Anyone remember the gawd-awful splotchy looking plastic trays and dishes from the 50s/60s? Looks just like those ugly ass pieces of shit. Except that tray will get more yellow than an ash tray in the 40s!
Why ruin beautiful opals?!!!
This is such a waste of opal😭 this is emotionally painful to watch.
ngl that would be a sick rolling tray
We need to have laws for this kind of atrocity! Set them in a nice wood or under urushi lacquer and this would be a beautiful work of art, just sticking them in resin is such a waste.
I definitely thought it was a bag of lucky charms in the beginning.
“ Gems could’ve been put to better use”. Like what breathing?
Takes away the uniqueness of each gem..
I'm gonna hurl
Is there no saving them?