Ethiopian Crystal Opal For Sale: Welo Opal Gem, Precious Opal Gemstone, Raw Opal Crystal
This gorgeous Ethiopian Opal Gemstone weighing 5.33 grams and measuring 2.5cm long is a unique Crystal Opal from Ethiopia, and a stunning iridescent precious opal gem which flashes with a rainbow of opalescent colour across its semi-translucent and semi-transparent clear and milky white opal body.
This rare opal type is also known as a Crystal Opal Stone, Welo Opal, Ethiopian Welo Opal Gem, and an Opal Crystal, amongst other names.
A Crystal Opal is a striking type of precious opal that displays a translucent, transparent, or semi-translucent/semi-transparent opal body when the opal stone is held up to the light, allowing you to partially see through the opal crystal.
Crystal Opals showcase vibrantly colourful opalescence and are spectacular iridescent gemstones.
The Crystal Opal body colour is traditionally clear or white, whilst the opalescent play of colour dances and flashes across the crystal opal stone mesmerisingly in an array of rainbow-coloured hues; usually in shades of red, green, yellow, and orange that creates an iridescent effect akin to the flash of Iridescent Ammonites (which are also known as Opalescent Ammonites).
This stunning Ethiopian Crystal Opal comes complete in a black plastic gemstone display case which is lined with a black velvet-type fabric base upon which the opal is displayed.
The opal display case measures 6.5cm long, 6cm wide, and 5cm deep, and contains an LED light to illuminate the opalescent colours and flash of the opal gemstone.
Both our Crystal Opals and Shewa Opals are stable opals which do not need to be kept in water.
Our precious opals, including Ethiopian Crystal Opals/ Welo Opal Gems, are dry opals and not hydrophane opals.
What Is Opal?
An opal is a gemstone similar to moonstone, and precious opals are popular precious stones used as gems.
Precious opals are gem opals defined by their opalescence, a unique iridescent shimmer and play of colour across the opal gemstone.
What Is Opal Made Of?
An opal is primarily composed of silica/silicon dioxide and water, and therefore an opal stone is a hydrated silica with an amorphous crystal structure.
Usually, an opal stone's structure is 6-10% water.
All opals are silicates: other silicates include Quartz minerals and Feldspar minerals such as Labradorite.
Is Opal A Mineral?
Technically, opal is not a true mineral as it does not form a stable crystal structure shape: instead, opal is considered to be a mineraloid.
Types Of Opals
There are many different types of opals, which vary significantly in colour, opalescent properties, value, and location in which they are found, amongst other differentiating factors.
What Is The Difference Between Precious Opals And Common Opals?
Precious opals like Ethiopian Crystal Opal/ Welo Opal and Shewa Opal/ Chocolate Brown Opal display opalescence and play of colour in iridescent flash, whilst common opals like Green Opal and Pink Opal do not display opalescence/ play of colour.
Precious opals tend to range in opacity from translucent to semi-translucent and transparent, whilst common opals tend to be opaque and display blocks of deep, rich colour.
Precious opals are precious stones and valuable gemstones.
What Is Ethiopian Opal?
Ethiopian Opal is a type of precious opal only found in Ethiopia, in contrast to Australian Opal, which is only found in Australia.
Ethiopian Opal comes in many varieties, including Ethiopian Crystal Opal (also known as Welo Opal Gem) as in this piece, and Ethiopian Shewa Opal (also known as Ethiopian Chocolate Opal).
What Is Crystal Opal?
Crystal Opal is a unique type of Opal Crystal that displays a transparent, translucent, or semi-transparent/ semi-transparent opal body, typically clear or white in colour, as well as opalescent play of colour, which tends to flash in reds, greens, oranges, and yellows.
Ethiopian Crystal Opal is the name for crystal opals found in Ethiopia.
What Is Welo Opal?
Welo Opal, also known as Ethiopian Welo Opal Stone, is a type of Ethiopian Crystal Opal with many special properties.
Welo Opal goes by many similar names, including Wollo Opal and Wello Opal: these names derive from the name of the historical Wollo Province, an old name for the geographical area in Northern Ethiopia in which the Welo Opals were found.
Welo Opal Gems display the stunning clarity of crystal opal, and can display a range of opal body colours, ranging from dark body opals such as reddish-orange opals (resulting in a similar hue to fire opals), to milky white opals and clear opals.
As precious opals, Welo Opal Gemstones display a rainbow of iridescent flash in a vibrant play of colour that dances across the Welo Opal Gem in a stunning show of opalescence.
Where Is Opal Found?
Opals can be found around the world, but most precious opals come from Australia and Ethiopia, meaning that Australian Opals and Ethiopian Opals are the most famous opal stones in the world.
Where Is Crystal Opal Found?
Crystal Opal is predominantly found in Australia, or a specific region of Northern Ethiopia that was formerly known as Wollo Province.
Ethiopia is one of the leading sources globally for high-grade opal gemstones.
Where Is Welo Opal Found?
Welo Opal is the name for Crystal Opal found in areas of Northern Ethiopia that were formerly covered under the historical province "Wollo Province".
Most Welo Opal Gems are found in mines surrounding the town of Wegeltena or Wegel Tena, the main town in the modern day district of Delanta (known as Delanta woreda), which is located in the South Wollo Zone of the Amhara Region of Northern Ethiopia.
What Birthstone Is Opal?
The month for opal birthstone is October, and therefore the October Birthstone is Opal.
An opal birthstone is a great gift for a loved one born in October.
Opals For Sale At Madagascan Direct
Shop a range of opals for sale online, including precious opal gemstones for sale such as Ethiopian Opals like Crystal Opal/ Welo Opal and Shewa Opal/ Chocolate Brown Opal, as well as common opals for sale such as Green Opal and Pink Opal.
Shop Opals For Sale Online at Madagascan Direct.
Product Reference Number: 19633
