At this point we will be opening communications with designers from around the world to gauge their views on jewelry design tofday and to establish there possible interest in the WJDA - World Jewelry Designers Association. It will cater to miners, cutters, wholesalers, importers, exporters and jewelers who conduct business either in Australia or in any part of the world. All participants in the Opal Industry have the need for an umbrella body to represent their interests and to promote globally, opal as a gemstone. People may well ask at this point, why is there a need for yet another association, another lot of fees and another certificate of membership when there are associations already fulfilling this function. The answer is that there is no organisation that soley represents opals internationally.
Many associations do promote opal, but in conjunction with other gemstones.
There is up till now, no one association that deals exclusively with opals internationally. A new member has found a lovely stone in a small parcel of black opal . I'm really pleased with it. It weighs about a half a carat.