Opal Welo

Ethiopian opal or Welo opal is a fascinating and increasingly popular variety of precious opal, known for its vibrant colors and unique properties.

🌍 Origin

  • Country : Ethiopia

  • Recent discovery : The first major discoveries date back to 1994 in the Mezezo region (Shewa province), but the most famous deposits today are those of Wollo (or Welo), discovered in 2008 .

  • These deposits have disrupted the global opal market, once dominated by Australia.

💎 Main Features

  1. Play of Color : Ethiopian opal can exhibit an exceptional play of color , with hues of red, green, blue, orange, and purple that change depending on the angle of light.

  2. Hydrophane opals :

    • A unique characteristic of Ethiopian opals, especially those from Wollo, is their hydrophany : they easily absorb water.

    • This may temporarily change their appearance (they become more translucent or even milky) but they return to their initial state when they dry.

  3. Transparency and tint :

    • They can be transparent to translucent , often with a clear or lightly tinted base.

    • There are also Ethiopian opals with a black or brownish base, sometimes treated.

🛠️ Use and precautions

  • Jewelry : They are widely used in rings, necklaces, earrings, etc., but require precautions.

  • Fragility :

    • Like all opals, they are sensitive to shock, heat, and chemicals .

    • Their hydrophany means that they must be protected from prolonged water (no showers, swimming pools, etc.).

  • Care : Never clean them with ultrasound or solvents. A soft cloth is sufficient.

🧪 Treatments and counterfeits

  • Some opals can be dyed or stabilized with resin to enhance their appearance.

  • Therefore, it is important to buy from reliable sellers.

💰 Value

  • Less expensive than black-based Australian opals, but their beauty often rivals them.

  • Their popularity and value are increasing, especially for specimens with intense play of color and good transparency .

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List of Stones & Minerals

Welo opal jewelry from Ethiopia is made of spectacular opal that displays beautiful fire patterns and excellent play of colors. Ethiopian opals are a variety of hydrated amorphous silica. The fascinating play of colors and hydrophanous properties of this impressive gemstone have quickly made it popular among jewelers as well as gemstone enthusiasts. Ethiopian opal jewelry is strikingly beautiful and that is the simple reason for its love. This colorful gemstone was discovered in the Wollo province of Ethiopia. This is the reason why it is also popularly called the 'Welo' opal. Before the discovery of this gemstone, several other opals were also discovered in Ethiopia, but they did not achieve as much popularity as Ethiopian opal jewelry. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that opals also brought good luck. Welo opal comes from the Wollo province of Ethiopia
This beautiful gemstone is available in translucent and opaque forms. The gemstone is widely used in jewelry as it features an elegant white background with rich colors. The background tint can also include yellow, amber, black, brown, blue and pink colors. Currently, amazing jewelry designs are available in the form of stunningly beautiful Ethiopian opal jewelry like earrings, rings, necklaces, pendants, etc...