Gawk at my Opals presents a super magnificient Ethiopian Welo Opal which is perfect for a pendant. This 4.48 ct bluish white very translucent Welo Opal carved into freeform which has the entire color spectrum rolling from top to bottom. This clearly and brightly shows all the colors of the rainbow which is graeduated starting from Indigo through Yellow. This is a precious opal without any doubt and is investment quality. This would be perfect bezel set in a pendant or drilled for a bail finding.
We use only the highest grade AAA+++Ethiopian Welo Crystal Opals that have passed our stability tests. We in no way treat or stabilize the rough other than to pre-soak in water to look for stress cracks and potential problems. Unless the opal is fabricated or assembled into a doublet or triplet or sealed to prevent water loss from a diffusion process, there is really no such thing as a completely stable opal but there are ways to prevent your opals from cracking or crazing. Storing your opal in with a piece of cotton dampened with water and a small amount of alcohol will keep the opal hydrated and prevent mold from developing. If the gem is set in a setting, the moisture should suffice to keep the opal hydrated unless you live in a dry climate. The moisture from a shower can help keep the opal moist or occasionally dipped overnight soaking in a glass of water. Too much hydrating especially on a faceted opal can shrink the opal and loosen the fit to the prongs. It is a very tricky balancing act but with some common sense your opal will remain beautiful and keep its magnificent clarity and brilliance. We sift through thousand of grams of rough for our faceted gems, cabochons and all my opal gems beads that I have designed or manufacture. We do not use any oils during cutting or polishing ever!!! Mineral Oils including Coconut Oil are being used by unsavory gem dealers to enchance the play of color for a quick sale. Oils will damage the hydrophane aspect of the Welo Opal over time and most likely give you a bad return on your investment. Regardless who you purchase your opals from, you should make sure that any hydrophane opal such as Welo hasn't been treated including oiling. We have very strict procedures throughout our supply chain to prevent this from happening. In addition, I am severely allergic to most gem polishes including all the oils so I will react immediately when in contact with treated opals. We purchased our facet rough either directly from Addis Ababa mine-direct or from their top associates in the US.
I am a true Opal collector with a very extensive faceted opal collection. I work with Matt to produce gems that I would own and not for a quick sale. Matt's gems have been featured on OA in the past for many thousands of dollars per stone. Since we are able to sell to you directly, we are able to significantly reduce the price but still give you the Museum Quality Gems that only a few can truly cut.
We offer all our gems to you wholesale and with the option to purchase a 14kt gold custom made setting to compliment the opal in many cases. We work with a 37 year experienced bench jeweler who can fabricate just about anything you need in the jewelry category. We do not mark up his services for profit at all
We have an unconditional return policy with cash back without any hassles. We just ask that you try and notify us within a week of receipt of our goods. We will even pay for the return shipping should you have a change of heart. As long as the gem is return to us unharmed, we will immediately refund your money.
Thank you for allowing me to share my love of gems with you. Silvana