Natural Ethiopian Opal 3.16ct Oval Cabochon
€36.00 EURSKU: op411
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This is a broad, generously domed oval with a pale milk-white body that cools to a faint blue-gray where light passes through the thicker part of the dome. The play-of-color is fine and widely scattered, closer to pinfire than to broad flash: small green and turquoise sparks dominate, with orange and rose pink appearing along the lower left and right edges as the angle changes. A few minute dark pinpoints sit near the center, natural inclusions in keeping with the semi-transparent grade.
That shifting color is diffraction at work. Silica spheres in the stone are stacked in an orderly three-dimensional pattern, and light bouncing between those layers interferes with itself, canceling some wavelengths and reinforcing others. Move the stone and the geometry changes, so the color changes with it. Ethiopian opal covers a wide range from milky white through to fully transparent crystal, and this piece sits comfortably in the middle of that span. It is untreated. As a hydrophane opal it can absorb water, which temporarily clouds or clears the body, so keep it dry and away from ultrasonic cleaning. Opal is October's birthstone.
Natural Ethiopian opal, Welo, untreated, 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: 11.8 × 9.8 mm
Shown next to a €1 coin (23.25 mm) in the exact ratio, so you can picture the real size.
