A 1.9 carat Ethiopian opal — 2.09 ratti — at Rs. 4,750, about Rs. 2,500 per carat.

The size that suits fine settings

Under two carats an opal fits the pieces that larger stones overwhelm: a pair of studs, a slim pendant, a narrow ring that sits flat against the finger. It is also the size at which opal's softness is least of a problem — a small stone set low in a bezel sits below the knuckle line and meets far less than a big cabochon does.

If earrings are the plan, buy both stones together. Opal varies enormously in the colour and distribution of its flashes, and matching a second stone afterwards from a different parcel is genuinely difficult. We can compare the small stones in this collection side by side and tell you honestly how well any two of them pair.

Not a fire opal

This stone was previously listed as a fire opal, and it is worth correcting because the two are quite different materials. Fire opal is transparent to translucent with a warm orange to red body colour, and it often shows no play-of-colour at all — what is being sold is the body tint. This is a white-body precious opal: brightness measures 198 out of 255, the body is cool rather than warm, and play-of-colour covers 9% of the face across eight hue bands. The flashes are the point, not the body colour.

Ethiopian opal absorbs water

Most Welo material is hydrophane: porous enough to take up water, go temporarily transparent and lose its colour until it dries out over hours or days. It is not damage and it reverses, but it means no soaking, no swimming, and care with oils, soaps and anything coloured that a porous stone could absorb for good.

Care

Opal is 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and contains water. Never an ultrasonic cleaner, never steam, never sudden heat. A barely damp soft cloth, then dry it.

Treatment has not been tested on this stone, so we record that rather than calling it untreated. Dimensions and clarity are not recorded yet — ask and we will measure.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural ethiopian opal with a weight of 1.9 Carat. Its price is Rs. 4,750 — roughly Rs. 2,500 for each carat. Origin: Ethiopia. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000718 when you message us about it. The photographs show this exact stone, so what arrives at your door is the piece you chose on screen.

Under two carats, a stone like this sits neatly in a slim ring, a stud or a delicate pendant and does not snag on sleeves. It is also where many first-time buyers begin when a stone is recommended for astrological reasons, because the total cost stays modest.

Whoever you buy ethiopian opal from, make sure of three things: the stone is natural rather than lab-grown, glass or glass-filled; any treatment is stated in writing; and the weight quoted is the weight of the finished stone. We check every ethiopian opal for those three points before it is listed, a certificate is available on request, and because you pay on delivery you can look at the stone — or have it tested — before any money changes hands.

We sell natural stones only and inspect each one before it is listed. Treatment for this stone: Treatment not tested. Certificate available on request. As general background (not a statement about this stone): Solid opal is usually untreated; some opal is smoke- or sugar-treated, and doublets/triplets exist — we sell solid natural opal. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we know about this exact stone; independent lab testing is available on request.

A certificate of authenticity is available on request for this stone, and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. Because you pay on delivery, you can also take the stone to a lab of your choice within the 7-day return window. Read more on our authenticity page.