Ethiopian Water Opal in Display Case

This natural Ethiopian Welo opal originates from the Wollo province in Ethiopia and is housed in a sealed, water-filled display case. The water intensifies the opal’s vibrant play-of-color, highlighting brilliant flashes throughout the stone. The case ensures the opal remains stable while providing an unobstructed view from every angle, making it an excellent display piece.

Display case approx. dimensions: 2.5" tall x 1.25" diameter

Discovered in the late 2000s, Ethiopia's Welo opal fields are renowned for producing exceptional gem-quality opals. These hydrophane opals absorb water, which enhances their color depth and clarity. Encasing them in sealed, water-filled cases not only highlights their vivid play-of-color but also preserves their stability by keeping them hydrated.

Welo opals often display a vivid spectrum of flashing colors - reds, greens, blues, oranges, and purples - that dance across the stone as it moves under light. Many specimens are translucent to transparent, giving them a luminous, almost ethereal quality. The base color ranges from crystal clear to warm honey tones, which enhance the stone’s natural fire.

The different colors arise from millions of microscopic hydrated silica spheres, which refract light to produce the opal's characteristic spectrum. For these colors to be visible, the spheres must be uniform and precise in size.