見事なブラックオパールの宝石 • 2.70 ct • 驚異的な全スペクトルの遊色効果 - Height: 10 mm - Width: 9 mm- 0.54 g - (1)

DESCRIPTION:
Like an aurora suspended inside a drop of midnight, this exceptional Ethiopian Black Opal displays an extraordinary full spectrum play of colour across its dark translucent body. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet and magenta all appear with remarkable strength, yet the true fascination of the gemstone lies in the way those colours never reveal themselves in exactly the same way twice.

Its optical behaviour is exceptionally dynamic. At one angle, the opal becomes dominated by blazing red, molten orange and intense golden yellow. Tilted differently, vivid electric green, deep blue and violet begin to rise to the surface. Under yet another direction of light, broader rainbow flashes and cooler aqua tones emerge, creating a constantly shifting chromatic display that feels alive within the stone.

The warm colours are especially impressive, appearing not as faint isolated sparks but as dense, highly saturated patches of crimson, scarlet, fiery orange and bright yellow. These are balanced by equally vivid cooler tones, including luminous green, cobalt blue, violet and purplish pink, giving the gemstone a truly complete and highly expressive spectral range.

Its dark body tone plays a crucial role in this visual impact. Rather than muting the colours, the black translucent base intensifies them dramatically, creating powerful contrast and exceptional depth. The colours seem to float on multiple internal levels, with some appearing as broad rolling fields and others as concentrated flashes suspended deeper within the opal.

The stone has been polished into an elegant oval cabochon with excellent surface lustre and pleasing proportions. Its domed surface allows light to enter from multiple directions, which greatly enhances the multidirectional play of colour and makes the gemstone particularly engaging when moved or observed under changing illumination.

Originating from Welo in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia, this opal combines a desirable dark body tone with extraordinary spectral diversity, intense colour density and constantly changing visual behaviour. It is not only visually striking, but also deeply captivating, offering a level of optical complexity that makes prolonged observation genuinely rewarding.

SPECIFICATIONS:
• Weight: 0.54 g
• Weight in carats: 2.70 ct
• Dimensions: 10 × 9 × 7 mm
• Origin: Welo, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
• Mineral identification: Natural Precious Opal
• Variety: Black Opal
• Chemical composition: SiO₂ · nH₂O
• Structure: Amorphous hydrated silica
• Form: Polished rounded cabochon
• Body tone: Dark translucent
• Play of colour: Full visible spectrum
• Colours present: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet and magenta
• Colour behaviour: Multidirectional rolling flashes, dense colour patches and shifting spectral fields
• Transparency: Translucent
• Lustre: High vitreous polish
• Treatment: None

NOTABLE POINTS:
• Complete full spectrum play of colour
The gemstone displays red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet and magenta across multiple internal levels.

• Exceptionally intense warm colours
Crimson red, fiery orange and brilliant yellow appear in dense, highly saturated flashes with outstanding visual strength.

• Strong cooler spectral tones
Electric green, vivid blue, violet and magenta complete the gemstone’s remarkably balanced chromatic range.

• Highly dynamic optical behaviour
Different angles of light reveal entirely different colour combinations rather than one fixed dominant pattern.

• Desirable dark body tone
The black translucent base creates powerful contrast and dramatically enhances colour visibility.

• Dense internal colour architecture
Colour appears in broad patches, rolling fields and concentrated flashes, giving the opal strong internal complexity.

• Outstanding depth effect
The colours seem suspended at different depths within the gemstone, creating a vivid sense of dimension.

• Excellent cabochon form
Its oval polished shape and domed surface maximise light entry and support strong multidirectional colour activation.

• High visual presence
Even at a modest size, the intensity and completeness of the play of colour give the stone exceptional display appeal.

• Premium Ethiopian provenance
Welo remains one of the most important modern sources of precious opal, especially for stones with powerful spectral performance.

COLLECTOR’S INTEREST:
Black Opals displaying a complete visible spectrum are always highly desirable, especially when the warm colours are this strong and the cooler tones remain equally vivid. This specimen stands out not only for its full range of colours, but also for the way those colours reorganise themselves continuously depending on the angle of observation and illumination.

Its dark body tone, intense saturation and multidirectional colour play give it exceptional collector appeal, while the polished cabochon form makes it equally attractive from a jewellery perspective. For collectors and buyers seeking an Ethiopian Opal with strong personality, high decorative impact and unusually rich optical behaviour, this is a highly expressive and memorable gemstone.

LAPIDARY POTENTIAL:
The stone has already been polished into a highly successful oval cabochon that reveals its play of colour beautifully. Its proportions and dome allow the full optical performance to be appreciated while preserving excellent surface presence, making it especially suitable for a pendant or other statement jewellery use.

Further cutting would reduce both weight and the internal depth responsible for its remarkable colour behaviour. In its present form, the gemstone already offers an excellent balance between beauty, structure and exceptional spectral performance.

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Shipping and Handling:
All orders are shipped by Portuguese National Post and UPS.
• Dispatch time: within 1 to 3 business days after payment confirmation to Catawiki
• Transit time service: between 2 to 5 business days within europe and worldwide, depending on destination national post.
• A tracking number is always provided

Photography and transparency:
All photographs are taken under controlled lighting conditions using a macro lens, carefully selected to present each specimen as accurately as possible.
No filters, colour enhancement, or artificial saturation are applied.
The lighting setup uses a calibrated 5500K light source, replicating neutral daylight to reveal natural tones, surface features, and internal characteristics. Under warmer or weaker indoor lighting, colours may appear slightly different, which is normal.
The purpose of this photographic process is documentation and representation, not visual enhancement. Images are intended to reflect the specimen faithfully as it appears under balanced natural light conditions.

Identification and ethics:
All specimens offered are natural and described to the best of our knowledge, based on direct sourcing, professional experience, and information provided by trusted suppliers working at the origin.
Every effort is made to ensure transparency and accuracy regarding identification, locality, and general characteristics, avoiding misleading statements about treatment, provenance, or nature.

Customs and import taxes:
Any customs duties, import fees, or local taxes applied by the destination country are entirely the responsibility of the winning bidder.
These charges are not included in the auction price or shipping cost and are determined by the buyer’s local authorities.

Guarantee and resolution:
Customer satisfaction is important. In the unlikely event of an issue such as loss, damage, or discrepancy, please contact us promptly through Catawiki’s messaging system.
Each case is handled individually and fairly, with appropriate solutions offered when justified.

Appreciation and commitment:
We sincerely thank you for your trust. Our work focuses on careful selection, accurate representation, and respectful presentation of mineral specimens with character and interest.
Each piece is chosen for its individual qualities rather than speculative or financial considerations. We aim to provide a transparent, reliable, and consistent experience for collectors at all levels.

With gratitude,
GemPulse Minerals