Down To Earth Opals (DTEO) has over 50 years of combined experience in the world of opals.
Vicki Bokros is the “Rock Boss” and has personally experienced all aspects of the opal industry including mining, processing, wholesaling, buying, designing, and displaying the beautifully crafted opals and opal jewellery in the state-of-the-art showroom in Lightning Ridge, Australia – and now taking this knowledge and experience to the world. This is how a Lightning Ridge powerhouse and dynasty started ….
Andrew Kemeny is a highly skilled opal cutter and award-winning opal carver and has developed his craft over 15 years. Andrew carved the famous 34.90ct "Fire and Ice" double-sided black opal, which is the most expensive single stone ever mined in the history of the acclaimed Discovery television series Outback Opal Hunters. Andrew has taught opal carving for the Australian Opal Centre in Lightning Ridge for 8 consecutive years prior to handing over to a former student as new tutor commencing 2025.
Brett Kemeny represents the next younger generation succession of DTEO and is also an accomplished opal cutter and carver. Brett is the full-time cutter for the business and has also accumulated significant knowledge on Lightning Ridge opal. Brett is now a Tucson regular attendee and looks forward to his annual "burgerfest" on each visit.
The DTEO inventory today includes over 12,000 loose Lightning Ridge cut and carved opals. The business is internationally renowned for the highest quality Lightning Ridge opal with likely the largest output over 30 years of top quality carved Lightning Ridge opals anywhere; and today supplies everything from opal rubs, opal specimens, and cut and carved stones to bespoke handmade opal jewellery.
Vicki is a gifted jewellery designer and sits often for many hours to design one item of jewellery, then she engages one of three jewellers to create the spectacular pieces that are on display in the store and on this website. Every item of Lightning Ridge solid opal jewellery on sale in the showroom is 100% Australian mined, cut, designed and set.
The DTEO gallery exhibits not only Australian opal with the majority focus on Lightning Ridge of course, but also unique jewellery and collectables from around the world, complemented by stunning and distinctive Aboriginal artworks from the Utopia region of Australia, and also accompanied by a hand stitched textiles featuring Aboriginal designs under a cross-cultural project between Australia and Kashmir.
DTEO celebrated 25 years as a Tucson gem show attendee in 2024.
