Ethiopian Opal Oval Cabochon

The play of color of this oval Ethiopian opal cabochon pairs well against every metal color and looks good with a variety of other gemstones. Opal is the birthstone for October. From relatively new sources in Ethiopia, this hydrophane gemstone features the signature vivid translucence and play of color typical of high-quality white opal. While the more common Australian opal comes from sedimentary deposits, this opal (like that of Brazil or Mexico) comes from volcanic deposits. Unlike other volcanic opal, these have proven to be comparable to the Australian variety. (In testing conducted by Gem & Gemology, gemstones dropped from one meter onto a concrete floor sustained no damage—even when examined under a microscope. Repetition of the test on five oval cabochons produced no sign of damage.)

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Gemstone type: Opal
Stone shape: Oval
Stone size: 7 x 5mm, 9 x 7mm, 10 x 8mm, 8 x 6mm
Stone type: Natural
Color: Vividly multi-color
Birthstone: October
Enhancement: None (N)
Mohs hardness: 5–6.5
Brand: AGTA
Cutting center: India