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$63.00 USD
Price
4866
4

13.80Cts Rough Ethiopian Opal QOG664

SKU
Dimensions (mm)
20.000 x 16.000 x 11.000mm
Weight (cts)
13.800
Type
Rough
Colours

Stunning solid natural untreated welo crystal opal showing good display of solid opal thickness

Source Ethiopian

Opal size  20 X 16 X 11 mm

Opal offered as exact as per images

 

In the early 1990s a new type of opal surfaced in Mezezo Ethiopia Africa which was called Chocolate opal because of the chocolate colour inside the nodule. These opals are found in a round nodular form with in a 3 meter thick layer of welded volcanic ash. Only about 1% of these nodules contain colour. The colours are very striking with red being common and blue quite rare which is the opposite to Australian opals. It has some magnificent patterns and brilliant colours and is called Ethiopian fire opal.

Then a new discovered Ethiopian opal was found in Gondar which was at first called desert opal but it is from a plateau in the highlands. The main field which is creating a lot of excitement now is from a field called Welo.

This is found in a plateau 2500 to 3299 meters. Only the locals are allowed to mine this field and the government has even supplied basic tools. They work the horizontal level of these steep mountains and unfortunately there have been fatalities due to the rock top collapsing. This field produces a variety of crystals, brown base and even black material. A very small percentage is called gum opal as if you wet your hand the opal sticks to it like gum!

Opals from this field are known as Ethiopian opal from welo.

A large majority of this material is hydrophane as if it is soaked in water the base colour can become clear increasing the play of colour or it can sometimes vanish. When dry this material is very bright. If it gets wet it may take a few weeks to dry out but don’t hurry the process. This is why some cutters cut it dry to prevent this. Some of the black stones would rate a N1 on the body tone chart and are quite spectacular.

Good Ethiopian opals have diverse play of colours from Neon reds, oranges, green, blue, white, yellow, brown and contra luz fire.The are even colours that are not present in Australian opals like turquoise and indigos. Ethiopian fire opals are popular as they have striking pattern formations which make each opal so unique



Ethiopian Opals, from North Africa, have only begun to be mined recently. However, anthropologists report that around 4,000 years BC, early man used opals to make tools, which means that Africa mined opals before Australia.

Most Ethiopian Opals are Nobby-formed and have characteristically brown potch with bright red to green flashes of colour. These opals are not considered as stable as Australian opals because they may craze and have inclusions, but they are valued for their bright colours. Gondar is a new field only worked in the last few years and is more of a crystal formation than brown or dark-nodule Ethiopian Opals.


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Rest of the world
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Registered Shipping $9.00 / 7 days $16.00 / 21 days
Australia
Registered Shipping is discounted to $9.00 on orders with 2 or more items
Rest of the world
Registered Shipping is discounted to $16.00 on orders with 2 or more items

queen of gems
queen of gems
Queen Of Gems emerged onto the scene in the year 2000, as an internet-based haven of opal knowledge. Its journey began with a passion for opals at its core. Most of the opals featured by Queen Of Gems are Boulder Opals, accompanied by some Crystal Opals sourced from a retired miner. A remarkable aspect of the collection is that many of these opulent treasures have gracefully weathered over two decades, retaining their timeless allure. Queen Of Gems stands as a testament to its dedication to sharing the captivating world of opals with enthusiasts, offering a curated selection of these iridescent gems for all to enjoy.
Broadbeach, Australia
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  • starxm
    starxm
    Positive

    Super fast shipping. The Stone is just as pictured and described and absolutely perfect!

  • mygemconcierge
    mygemconcierge
    Positive

    Easy to order, beautiful parcel, shipping reasonable, looking forward to seeing them in person!

  • choper870
    choper870
    Positive

    Thanks, recieved. Like on the pics and video

  • jlaw
    jlaw
    Positive

    Beautiful gyms perfect for what I need

  • sjames
    sjames
    Positive

    Great item and an easy transaction- thanks

10.00%
Coupon code QUEENSDEALS
Valid Until
7th Nov 2024

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Shipping Details

Shipping:
$16.00 21 days via Registered Shipping
Ships from:
Australia

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Overview

Listing Type : Standard
Product ID : 267594
Starts : 24th October 2024 12:00 am PDT
* All prices are in USD