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Australia has been the dominant force in the opal market for over 100 years. During that time as much as 95% of the worldwide opal production has been mined in Australia. Today, Ethiopia is on its way to becoming the second heavyweight in the opal market.
Ethiopia is now producing beautiful precious opal, fire opal, and black opal with spectacular play-of-color in a variety of patterns and body colors
Ethiopian opals are not only beautiful, but they generally cost less than similar-quality opal from Australia.
The surge of public awareness for the Ethiopian Opals has developed in just a few years without a major mining company or jewelry brand spending millions of dollars to promote them. This popularity is being driven by the beauty of Ethiopian opal and their current attractive prices.
These opals ‘ transparent inner flame has characteristics that create the flame feel 3D. In most opals, this 3-dimensional color element is uncommon. It appears to have caught flames within the opal
Opal occurs in volcanic rocks in the Menz Gishe district of Shewa Province, Ethiopia. The opal field, still in the early stages of exploration, extends over several square kilometers.
Opals from Shewa Province have near-colorless to white, yellow, orange, gray, or brown body colors; some show face-up play-of-color, and many have contra luz play-of-color.
The gemological properties are consistent with those of other natural opals, and small particles are common inclusions. Preliminary stability tests indicate that much of the material absorbs water and some crazes when exposed to light and heat.
The most important opal discovery in Ethiopia to date was made in 2008 near the town of Wegel Tena in the Wollo Province in the northern part of the country. This opal can have vivid play-of-color flashing from a body color of clear, white, yellow, orange, or brown. It is more stable than the North Shewa opal. This material quickly became known in the trade as “welo opal,” but the names “wollo” and “wello” are also encountered.Much of the welo opal is produced from a single area of stratified volcanic rocks. The main vein is an opalized rhyolitic ignimbrite up to one meter thick that overlies a base of clay. The opal likely formed as silica-bearing waters accumulated on top of the impermeable clay. Silica gel precipitated in the pore spaces of the ignimbrite and was later transformed into opal.
Ethipoian Opal vs Australian Opal?
Ethiopian opal is hydrophane which prevents crazing which in Australian is caused by drying out of the water content which creates hairline cracks.
Ethiopian opal is more available and generally has a wider variety of color especially reds.
Ethiopian Prices are lower and the sizes are much larger than Australian.
Ethiopian opal is more durable resisting breakage better than all other opal including Australian.
Ethiopian Opal Price Per Carat?
The price per carat of Ethiopian opal ranges from 10$-250$ per carat based on the intensity, variety and patterns of color.
There is a large quantity of Ethiopian opal available which has kept the price low. Like most gems the top quality material is quite rare and commands a high price. The intensity of the color is what makes this opal valuable as the best Ethiopian opal have colors that are described as unreal looking like colored L.E.D. lights.
How to do you care for Ethiopian Opal?
Ethiopian opal once cut is highly stable. Being hydrophane it is absorbent and chemicals including hair products, dyes, oils and lotions should be avoided.
Some of the opal produced from the Wollo Province has an orange, yellow or reddish body color along with play-of-color. The orange, yellow or reddish body color meets the definition of a fire opal, and the play-of-color meets the definition of a precious opal. Meeting both of these criteria, these opals could be called "precious fire opals."
Many of the opals mined in Ethiopia, especially from the Welo deposits, are hydrophane opals. "Hydrophane" is a name used for a porous opal that has the ability to absorb water. A change in color or transparency often accompanies the water absorption. These opals typically have a lower specific gravity than other types of opal because of their porosity. Some of these opals can absorb enough water to produce a weight gain of up to 15%.The hydrophane property of Ethiopian opals sometimes causes durability issues. The absorption of water can result in cracking. Because of that, owners of hydrophane opal should avoid immersing it in water.
They do not absorb water instantly. It may take several hours for the opal to absorb a significant amount of water. Hydrophane opal will dewater if allowed to dry, and the dewatering can occur in a few days to a few weeks. After dewatering, the opal will have the same appearance and properties as before the water was absorbed.
Hydrophane opals, like those found in Ethiopia, are easy to dye because their porosity naturally absorbs liquids. People who know opal can identify dyed opal on-sight when an outrageous color is used. However, the practice of slightly enhancing an opal’s body color with dye can be much less obvious. In these cases, dye treatments can often be detected with microscopic examination or by cutting into the opal to see if the color is concentrated near the surface.
Many Ethiopian opals are sold in their natural state, and some are treated. Their porosity makes them good candidates for dye, smoke, and sugar/acid treatments. All of these treatments, when disclosed, reduce the price of the opal to much less than natural opal with the same appearance. When undisclosed they can deceive inexperienced buyers and sometimes even experienced buyers.
Smoke is a suspension of very fine particles in air or gas. Fine smoke particles can enter the pore spaces of opal and change its body color. The smoke treatment can be done by wrapping the opal in paper and heating the paper to a temperature that produces smoldering. The smoldering paper releases fine particles of black soot that enter the pores of the opal and darken its body color. The darker body color contrasts with the opal’s play-of-color, making it appear stronger and more obvious.
The sugar/acid treatment is done by soaking opal for a few days in a warm solution of sugar water, then submerging the opal in sulfuric acid. The acid oxidizes the sugar in the pore spaces of the opal, producing dark-colored carbon particles and stains. This imparts or darkens a gray, black, or brown body color in the opal. Like smoke treatment, these can often be detected by microscopic examination or by laboratory tests for carbon.
