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Natural Ethiopian Opal 0.82ct 9x7mm Oval Cabochon #1
€12.80 EURSKU: op414-3
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A crystal-type Ethiopian opal, transparent enough that the dark background shows straight through the stone and lends it a deep blue-gray appearance. Against that clear body the play-of-color is concentrated rather than spread: a single bright patch of yellow-green and gold sits in the upper left of the dome, sharp-edged and vivid, with a few smaller green and orange sparks trailing below it. The rest of the stone stays clean and glassy, which makes the one lit area read all the more strongly.
Play-of-color depends on the internal order of the opal. Where silica spheres have settled into a regular array, light diffracts and color appears; where they have not, the material stays transparent and colorless. This stone shows both states clearly within a single dome. From Ethiopia, untreated, and hydrophane, so it may briefly shift in transparency if it takes up water and should be kept away from soaking and ultrasonic cleaners. The 9x7mm calibrated oval sets easily, keeping opal's 5 to 6.5 hardness in mind. Opal is the birthstone for October.
Natural Ethiopian crystal opal, 9x7mm oval, sold loose.
We ship worldwide from Sofia, Bulgaria. Every order is packed in a protective box with bubble wrap. Orders within Bulgaria are dispatched within 1-2 business days and international orders within 2-3 business days. Free shipping is applied automatically at checkout, and the threshold applies to the order value after any discounts.
Delivery within Bulgaria
- Delivered by Speedy, Econt or Box Now, to a courier office, a locker or your address.
- Fixed prices: Box Now locker €1.60 (free on orders from €25), Speedy office €3.20, Econt office or locker €4.00, Speedy to your address €4.50.
- Free shipping on orders over €50, with any courier and at any weight.
- Cash on delivery is available.
- Delivery normally takes 1-2 business days after dispatch.
- Hardness
- 5-6.5
- Cleavage
- None
- Durability
- Poor
- Soapy water
- Damp cloth
- Ultrasonic
- Avoid
- Steam
- Avoid
About opal
Opal is amorphous: unlike most gems, it has no crystal structure. It is made of silica and water, and in precious opal the play of color comes from microscopic spheres stacked in neat rows that split light. It is 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and sensitive to knocks, heat and sudden temperature changes. Ethiopian opal is usually hydrophane: it can soak up water and turn temporarily cloudy or lose its play of color, which returns as it slowly dries.
Cleaning
Wipe it with a soft cloth dampened in lukewarm water and dry it at once. Do not soak it or leave it in water. Skip ultrasonic and steam cleaners: opal contains water and can crack (craze) with vibration or heat. Never use oil on it.
Wear and storage
Below 7 on the Mohs scale, it can be scratched even by household dust, which contains quartz. It suits pendants, earrings and brooches better than rings worn every day. Store it on its own in a soft pouch, away from harder stones.
For your jeweler
This opal is untreated. Opal should be kept away from the torch flame, acid pickle and the ultrasonic bath. A bezel or another protective setting suits it best.
Scale
True to scale: 8.9 × 6.9 mm
Shown next to a €1 coin (23.25 mm) in the exact ratio, so you can picture the real size.
