PUBLIC PROGRAM:
FROM THE OUTBACK TO A FINE JEWEL

A fine jewellery boutique, situated in heart of Sydney’s historic The Rocks precinct lies at the intersections of many journeys. It is a wonder-filled connecting station between Jundah-Opalville, a remote opal mine, and the destination for opal lovers around the world. The connecting thread of these journeys is weaved by the duo of an opal miner John Bernard, and his jewellery designer wife, Renata Bernard. We introduced Opal Minded’s directors to a PolArt Sydney 2022 festival audience to hear their intriguing stories from harsh Australian outback through to how a statement piece of jewellery is created. 

Opal Minded

Hosts John & Renata Bernard

Dr Renata Bernard is a jewellery designer, gemmologist, and registered valuer at Opal Minded. She is also a wife, mother, Polish migrant, author and an academic turned creative. Many of Renata’s designs start with a rough opal from the Australian outback, which she turns into a one-of-a-kind high limited edition opal jewellery. She designed more than 15K Australian opal pieces worn around the world. Bespoke and pret-a-porter.

An acknowledged opal visionary, John Bernard is an opal miner, opal cutter, and treasury seeker. The son of an opal explorer father, John Benny Wojciechowski and a master opal cutter mother, John grew up in opal fields. He believes in sustainable mining, masterful opal cutting, and polishing, and non-negotiable opal treatment disclosure is reflected in both his mining and business practices. A true opal hunter, with precious opals in his veins, John is passionate about the environment and the Earth’s future, his time in between the opal digs is spent on reinventing the world order as we know it.

5 January 2023