Ethiopian Opal / Welo Opal Ring / new- 0.84 g - (1)

Ethiopian Opal Ring / new

Set in 925 sterling silver

Total weight: 0.84 g

5.2 mm x 5.2 mm

New and unworn

Ring size:

U 55
UK O
US 7.2
FR 15
Inner diameter: 17.5 mm

Opals from Australia have been well known for a long time. In recent years, however, a new variety from Ethiopia has begun to steal some of their spotlight: the Welo opal! This translucent stone is captivating for its distinctive, unique flashes of light. It was discovered in the Semien Wollo mountain region in northeastern Ethiopia, though the exact date of the find is unknown. Some sources date the Welo opal’s introduction to the Nairobi market to 1993. Chemist Tilahun Yohannes is credited with its discovery, and as early as 1994, geologist Dr. N. Barot reported on this gemstone newcomer in an article in the “ICA Gazette.” Mining got off to a slow start; just 10 kilos were extracted in 1997. The Eyaopal gem-cutting workshop in Addis Ababa cut 400 grams from this rough material. Later that same year, the Welo opal was presented at the international mineral fair in Sainte-Marie, and a year later Eyaopal displayed 350 cut opals at the trade fair in Tucson. Commercial mining began in 2008. A new star among opals was born.

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