A 3.2 carat white opal from Ethiopia — 3.52 ratti — at Rs. 8,000, about Rs. 2,500 per carat.

White opal, named accurately

Body tone in opal is graded on its own scale, separate from the play-of-colour, running from N1 for jet black to N9 for white. This stone sits at the light end: brightness measures 200 out of 255, with no dark regions anywhere. It is a white opal, and that is what it is called here.

The distinction matters commercially. A dark body makes play-of-colour appear more intense by contrast. White opal gives a softer, more pastel display at a fraction of the price. Neither is a fault — but a white opal sold as black is a serious misdescription, and several stones in this category carried exactly that claim before this revision.

The colour it does have

Play-of-colour covers 9% of the face, across eight distinct hue bands. On a white body those flashes read as clean pastel greens and oranges rather than the electric contrast you get against dark material. In bright daylight a white opal often shows more than a dark one, because there is more light coming back out of the stone overall.

Ethiopian opal and water

Most Ethiopian opal is hydrophane — porous enough to absorb water, which can turn it temporarily transparent and mute its colours until it dries. It recovers on its own over hours or days. The practical rules: do not soak it, do not swim in it, and keep it away from oils, soaps and dyes, which a porous stone can absorb permanently.

Care

Opal is 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and holds water in its structure. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no sudden heat. Wipe with a barely damp soft cloth and dry it. Store away from harder stones.

Treatment has not been tested on this stone, and we say so rather than describing it as 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 3.2 Carat. Its price is Rs. 8,000 — roughly Rs. 2,500 for each carat. Origin: Ethiopia. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000737 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.

Between two and six carats is the range most people choose for a gents' ring or a noticeable pendant. Here colour drives the price more than size does, which is why two stones of near-identical weight can be priced very differently.

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.