REO/ 92

Gem Type: Genuine Rough Natural Opal

Origin: Welo, Ethiopia

Carat Weight: 16.84 *

Size: 20.00 x 16.50 x 13.80 mm

 Shape : Rough

    Colors : MULTI COLORS

 opal has been a gemstone that lots of people love and some adore with a passion. I fit into the second category, probably because opal is about the only gemstone that can have such a diverse brilliance of colour that encompasses the whole of the colour spectrum. Because of this I find it such an uplifting and beautiful stone.

The opals are found in a nodular form within a continuous layer of welded volcanic ash (tuff, similar to obsidian in character), about 3 metres thick, that lies between weathered rhyolite layers. The nodules are very numerous though in my opinion the percentage of gem precious opal is quite small. Out of 10 kilos of un-opened nodules I acquired I found only one with good precious opal, around 20 with some colour play and the rest were either empty, filled with common opal or quartz. Figures in 1995 estimated that around 15% of the opal recovered was gem quality, and around 1% shows distinct play of colour.

Good Ethiopian opals are quite diverse and ever since I first acquired them have shown a variety of base colours, including red, orange, clear, white, grey, black, yellow, blue, brown and green. The play of colour shows in the usual way or as a contra-luz, when held against a light. The best pieces show vivid play of colour usually with the full colour spectrum as well as turquoises and indigos, as seen below. These two opals have been around the most unusual and beautiful that I have obtained from this region. The second example did  not show any evidence of the usual rhyolite matrix around it.

You can see from the photos that this material can be polished. However it should be noted that a lot of the opals do in fact show internal fractures and crazing that in my opinion do not detract from their beauty. In fact I wear a polished slice showing fractures which I made into a pendant, and it is always admired. I also have some opals that have been cut and show no fractures at all.There Will be up and running in next few days.    
It is still relatively early days in the exploration of these opals and We are finding new techniques and ways to bring these beautiful opals to the market.

The photographs will never do these opals justice, so if you are interested you need to find the real things to discover just how amazing they are.

To see more opals click on my other items