Are Ethiopian opals worth anything?

Are Ethiopian opals worth anything?

Contrary to Australian opal, Ethiopian’s opal price is generally lower, making it a more affordable gemstone, because of the steady supply, however, high quality Ethiopian opal is still difficult to obtain and can be expensive. Ethiopian opal’s value varies based on its variety, color intensity and patterns.

How are Ethiopian opals formed?

Ethiopian opals, however, are hydrophane opals, created as a result of volcanic activity, forming in nodules within the volcanic ash in stratum between rhyolite layers. “Hydrophane” comes from the Greek words meaning “water-loving,” and describes how these opals tend to absorb water.

How can you tell if Ethiopian opals are real?

Turn the Opal on it’s side and look for straight columns of color running vertically. This is the sign of a fake Opal. Look at the shape of the Opal, even a polished natural Opal will not be perfectly round or oval. Many times fake Opal will be perfectly round in shape.

Why does Ethiopian Opal turned yellow?

Hydrophane opals have the ability to absorb water or liquids, similar to a sponge, resulting in a change of color that may turn the opal translucent yellow or brown and the play-of-color to disappear temporarily. The color will return once the opal is fully and naturally air-dried.

Will Ethiopian opals increase in value?

About 30 years ago, Australian opals were the only thing one could buy. Now, that’s not the case. Ethiopian opals have gained quite a lot of visibility in the gemstone industry since they were first discovered in 1994. Therefore, it’s not improbable to see Ethiopian opals rise in value over the coming years.

Are Ethiopian opals rare?

Ethiopian opals are some of the rarest gems in the world. Not coincidentally, they are also some of the most in-demand gemstones on the market. When you first hear that a particular gemstone is in-demand, you might think one geographic region exclusively supplies the product.

Which Opal is best Australian or Ethiopian?

Whereas Australian opal is mined from deep beneath the ground, Ethiopian opal grows in large volcanic deposits high up in the hills. What makes this variety so appealing is its stunning play of color, one of the most desirable attributes of opal.

What is the difference between opal and Ethiopian Opal?

Whereas Australian opal is mined from deep beneath the ground, Ethiopian opal grows in large volcanic deposits high up in the hills. The most notable variance of Ethiopian opal is that it is hydrophane, which means that when the opal is immersed into water, its colors, transparency, light and even size alters.

Are Ethiopian Opals good quality?

The quality is finer than any I have purchased from Australia, up until now considered to be the finest opal source. This Ethiopian opal is top crystal material, meaning it has high transparency, generally considered to be the finest quality opal.

What is an Ethiopian fire opal?

Ethiopian Welo opal is popular as the crystal Opals from Welo Ethiopian is very bright and spectacular Opal. The colors 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 colors and is called Ethiopian fire Opal.

What is Ethiopian Welo Opal?

Ethiopian Welo opal is a new type of opal found in 2008 in the Welo region of Ethiopia. It is considered to be the most stable kind of opal found in Africa so far. Opal has previously been found in other regions of Ethiopia, but it has been known to be unstable or prone to cracking or crazing, developing a network of fine cracks on the surface.

What are Welo Opals?

The Welo opal is found in the same type of geological formations as the Australian opal. Welo opal is the most stable opal find in Ethiopia to date. Ethiopian Opals are region specific in character traits just like Australian opals.