Natural Ethiopian Opal 3.356ct Oval Cabochon
€36.00 EURSKU: op401
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Blue leads in this large oval cabochon, which sets it apart from most white Ethiopian opal. The body is a pale gray-white, and across it sit broad patches of turquoise and electric blue, strongest in the upper right and again along the bottom edge, with rose pink and soft green filling the spaces between. The color arrives in flat, wide areas rather than pinpoints, so the stone reads as calm and cool overall. A tiny dark speck near the center is natural to the material.
Opal's color is produced by structure rather than by any coloring element. Light diffracts through a regular array of silica microspheres, and smaller spheres return the blues and violets while larger ones give the reds, so a blue-dominant stone like this one tells you something about the scale of its internal architecture. From the Welo fields of Ethiopia, untreated. Welo material is hydrophane and takes up water readily, so keep it away from soaking, oils and ultrasonic cleaners. At 13.5x10.2mm it has real presence for a pendant, and its 5 to 6.5 hardness asks for a setting that shields the girdle. Opal is the October birthstone.
Natural Ethiopian opal, blue-dominant play-of-color, 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: 13.5 × 10.2 mm
Shown next to a €1 coin (23.25 mm) in the exact ratio, so you can picture the real size.
