Item Description Pictures Bidding History Comments

* Hint: Click on the thumbnails above to see the full sized version. Images are of the actual item unless otherwise indicated.

TO VIEW OUR ENTIRE SELECTION, PLEASE CLICK "View (number) other auctions from this seller" IN THE LISTING AREA (to the right of the price details).  PLEASE ASK US FOR DETAILS AND REMEMBER THAT IF YOU FEEL DISPLEASED WITH ANYTHING YOU BUY FROM US (ExoticOpal) WE WILL PAY FOR THE RETURN SHIPPING AND ISSUE YOU A PROMPT AND COURTEOUS REFUND. WE WILL EARN YOUR BUSINESS AND KEEP YOU COMING BACK FOR MORE.  Thanks...ExoticOpal

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ExoticOpal is proud to offer a selection of the many types of opal from all corners of the world.  We provide collector and cutter materials as well as commercial stones great for design and setting or commercial uses. Please ask if you have any questions about any sort of rare or unusual opal and we will be happy to help you learn about and enjoy any type of ExoticOpal.  Thanks

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 Refunds and Returns policy~ 

You will not find this quality of material anywhere else on the internet market. It is widely agreed that whenever buying opal, you should purchase the best quality you can afford as it will be the best investment and we could not agree more. As with all of our offerings, this material is absolutely the best value money can buy currently at unbeatable reasonable prices AND with a ***MONEY BACK GUARANTEE*** if you are dissatisfied. Simply contact us and we will give you instructions and further details on refunds*~ *all refunds require that the entire ordered product be returned unaltered and entirely (not cherrypicked or rubbed, for instance).  ***All non-paying bidders will be abducted, tortured with loud yodeling and bluegrass music, and then shot with water pistols repeatedly.*** THANKS!

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  Payment and financial agreements/expectations~ 

PLEASE READ THIS PART...If you are buying on this site, you know that the quality of material and service available here far exceeds that found anywhere else on any other auction site, period. With that assurance, we also ask that all bidders on our auctions understand that: Payment is expected to be completed or addressed within 24 hours of item(s) ending. If you do not feel that you can comply with this simple request, please contact us before bidding and we will discuss other options (we can even do a lay-away in some situations so just ask). DO NOT BID IF YOU DO NOT INTEND TO PAY FOR YOUR WINS! (***SEE NOTE BELOW***)  WE ALSO ONLY ACCEPT PAYPAL, CHECK OR MONEY ORDER OR WIRE TRANSFERS. WE DO NOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS DIRECTLY (JUST VIA PAYPAL) EMAIL US WITH ANY QUESTIONS.  We reserve the right to cancel any purchases not paid within 72 hours from auction ending and relist the item.  We do not charge any shipping or insurance fees as a concession to prevent the need for combining items and/or delaying payment. We will also consider a buy it now option for this piece (if it is currently listed only as an auction) and are highly motivated to sell right now, so give us a shout...we love hagglers! Of course, unlike most sellers online, we have a 100% satisfation guarantee on anything purchased from us (we even pay for the return shipping...NO other dealers would even consider that) and will replace or refund to ensure that all our customers are "tickled pink" with our products. We love to talk about opal so please feel free to email us...we are very friendly southern folks that just love opal! Buy it now is available...please inquire for details. Thanks!Thanks for being a part of the best and most elite marketplace of opal anywhere online. We truly appreciate your interest and business.

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About our photos, videos and imaging techniques~ 

Please note that we employ photography techniques that emphasize the beauty of the stones and that many microscopic elements NOT visible to the naked eye will sometimes show in the photographs...please disregard any lint, black gemcup fibers, dust, etc. that you may see in the photos.  We will always disclose any noticeable or consequential flaws or imperfections in our listings.  These unique characteristics add to the provenance of the stones and ensure your investment is in quality, 100% natural and untreated opal. This item has been photographed using  a variety of lighting sources and background materials to show the various appearances of the stone based on lighting conditions but the photos have NOT been edited or modified except for cropping (cutting to size). There will be variances in the temperature and color of lighting and/or background color/texture to best represent the item in differing settings. Please note that these variations in the photos are NOT from editing the photos to change their appearance (they have not been "pumped") but are from lighting and background changes only.  We STRONGLY urge you to familiarize yourself with the various lighting situations that best accentuate the colorplay in opals.  Bright outdoor sunlight or bright indoor "sunlight" lighting from high temperature color bulbs (Ott-lites, for example) will always be the best for getting the most color and beauty from opals.  We utilize the lighting conditions that best represents the color in opals for all our photos.  Taking photos of opals is a learning process and we take pride in ours and we digitally watermark them against unauthorized use elsewhere.  Our methods are considered proprietary and we appreciate understanding in that respect. Thanks...ExoticOpal 

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 Important information about Ethiopian opals in general~

 

 Here is a bit about our Ethiopian opal...Most currently known Ethiopian opal is mined in the Shewa district of Ethiopia...incredibly harsh and unforgiving conditions make even locating this material nearly impossible. This type of opal forms in volcanic rhyolite ash that has filled with opal eons ago. Only recently discovered, this variety is often called "mahogany" opal from the nice even brownish base color. It is also found much more rarely in porous, hydrophanic varieties in various base colors including crystal clear faceting material.  The crystal material and the so-called "gum" opal (from its highly porous nature that makes it "stick" to the tongue) are by far the most stable and least likely to crack or craze over time as it dries out.  Like most opal varieties, it comes in various hardnesses and transluscency from opaque to crystal clear. A skilled and patient, open-minded cutter may learn to fashion this opal into pieces worth lots of money and with great investment value. There is a beautiful flame pattern of brilliant metallic technicolor fire when most of this opal is moved...especially in bright sunlight. The high grade material exhibits many colors very rarely seen and represents the some of the highest grade available anywhere in terms of sheer beauty. We have a very unique arrangement with the government of Ethiopia that allows us to purchase the highest quality material with a chain of control that positively guarantees that this is not conflict or "squatted" material like most all of the Ethiopian opal found online elsewhere. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BUY MINERALS AND GEMSTONES FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES THAT INCLUDE PROOF THAT THE MATERIAL IS NOT BEING SOLD TO FINANCE CIVIL OR HUMANITARIAN UNREST. Each parcel we receive is sealed and signed by a representative of the Ethiopian Department of Minerals and Energy. WE HAVE LOTS OF VARIED TYPES OF THIS MATERIAL INCLUDING FINISHED STONES, FACETED CRYSTAL CLEAR STONES and UNIQUE OR UNUSUAL SPECIMENS and can supply this material safely and consistently for any interested individual. Kilos, 1/2 kilos and 1/4 kilos of this very high grade opal are available starting at only $695 (or less) including SH (contact us for further details)! This material is sometimes challenging to learn to cut because it cuts totally differently from most opal and often has cracks that need to be planned into any cutting activity.  LOTS of people that are not experienced opal cutters learn to cut this material very successfully and many experienced opal cutters NEVER learn to cut it because they dismiss it as being too unstable to cut and end up missing out on a rewarding challenge that can yield very nice results.  This material is as bright and colorful as Aussie black opal but at a mere fraction of the price; it can be a super buy for the money.   Because it is priced accordingly, the easiest way to buy it is in a bulk parcel and "dig in" to learn to cut it with the understanding that it is not similar to Australian opal at all and will not cut well using the techniques used to cut Aussie opal.  This is rhyolite opal more like Mexican opal and the success rates in cutting this material as well as the methods used are different because of the chance of overheating.  ALL opal will overheat and crack if not cut slowly and carefully because of the high water content.  Because of this, any opal cutter will tell you that they have overheated opal and caused it to crack during cutting sometimes and even the best cutters still have the occasional piece to crack during or shortly after cutting.  This is a part of cutting opal and one of the many reasons that make opal cutting rewarding.  Mastering techniques requires lots of practice and often, many mistakes.  Ethiopian opal is just one of the many varieties we are proud to offer to both the cutter and the collector and we are always happy to clarify any questions you may have about any variety of ExoticOpal.

 ExoticOpal does not oil, wax or otherwise treat any of our natural Ethiopian opal except when the customer asks us to treat a piece for specimen purposes, or when we treat a piece that is dry and seal it to give it a "wet" shine to best show the colorplay.  Some of the specimen and rough pieces we offer have a microns thick layer of our "special recipe" sealant that arrests crazing and adds a polished, shiny appearance.  Use of our sealant is always disclosed clearly in our listings and if a particular piece is not sealed but the buyer wishes we seal it, we will do so happily and at no cost.  Simply tell us after the auction ends and payment has been completed and we will seal the piece before shipping.  We can easily remove this coating for a buyer that prefers it be removed or it can simply be worn away if a piece is cut and polished.  Any treatment with oil, wax or other petroleum materials may destroy or alter the value of natural opal and should be avoided by any collector or cutter. Thanks

About this item specifically~ This piece of opal will BLOW your mind...seriously~

This is a small but spectacular piece of hydrophanic gum opal from Ethiopia's Shewa deposits.  This piece shows absolutely insane NEON 5/5 BRIGHT METALLIC FIRE in nearly any light and has to be one of the best specimen type pieces like this we have ever seen.  This little chunk of fire is roughly rubbed and roughly polished with our "special recipe" sealant on the face to preserve the incredible beauty and give the piece a shiny look.  There is a relatively thin layer of opal on the natural rocky matrix so it should be a great piece for a collector but could also be mounted possibly on a pendant.  These photos honestly do not do this piece justice~it is simply beyond belief in person.  The stone weighs about 8 carats and measures about 18mmx12mmx8mm  approx. and we are offering it here for just $1 to start with NO RESERVE~HURRY~

Thanks...ExoticOpal

 

By bidding on this item, you have read, understand and agree to the above terms and will finish the transaction in a prompt manner.  Thanks...ExoticOpal

 

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ExoticOpal, November 30, 2008:
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