How to Identify Genuine Ethiopian Opal Cabochons?

Ethiopian Opals -we've all been hearing about them and seeing them everywhere these days. Stunning, rainbow-filled and priced so affordably that it seems too good to be true. But as you all know, as soon as something becomes popular, copies and duplicates start appearing in the market. The same is true for opals. As their popularity grows, lab-created and synthetic Ethiopian opals have become available. Because of these concerns, you must know how to identify genuine Ethiopian opals.

Trust me, the market is flooded with fake Ethiopian opal that looks exactly as evident as the real ones. It's really hard to differentiate between natural and lab-treated opals.

Natural vs Synthetic: The Color Differentiator
Opals are quite popular for their fire play, but if you look carefully at Ethiopian opals, you will clearly see the difference between synthetic and natural Ethiopian opals with this feature.

When you look at synthetic opals from one side, you will see all the colors in straight columns. But what about natural Ethiopian opals? The fire inside the stone looks like 3D that moves with the angle you see it when light passes.

If the pattern appears too perfect to you, then understand that something is wrong because natural opals always have some imperfections.

The Honeycomb Pattern
Now let's talk about the biggest 'Superstar' of Ethiopian Opals-the Honeycomb Pattern. If you're a gemstone collector or designing jewelry for yourself, you've likely heard this term.

Unlike regular patterns like pinfire or broad flash, the Honeycomb pattern looks exactly like a 'Glowing Beehive'. It forms hexagonal cells within the stone that sparkle in different colors when exposed to light.

Why is it so special? There are very few stones in the world that naturally produce such a perfect geometric pattern. Its rarity is its true value. In cheap synthetic stones available on the market, this pattern appears superficially like 'lizard skin,' but in genuine Welo Opal, it has a 3D depth.

Trust me, once you see a real Honeycomb fire, your perspective will change. This isn't just a stone, it's a rare work of art from nature.

The Hydrophane testing
The word Hydrophane is a scientific term related to Water. If I have to tell you something amazing about Welo opals, then it would be their relationship with the water. Natural Welo Opals can actually absorb water! Because they are porous, they can actually change transparency when soaked, whereas the synthetic ones won't do that. And this "Magic trick" is one of the coolest ways to prove if your stone is actually the Natural product of the earth or not.

The Red Flags of Online sale
There's a huge game going on in the market these days in the name of 'natural black opal'. People often darken inexpensive Ethiopian stones through 'smoke treatment' or 'dyeing' and sell them at a high price. If someone is offering you 'natural black opal' for $5 or $10, understand that something is wrong.

Genuine Ethiopian opal is identified by its transparency and natural 'body tone'. The biggest red flag when buying online is that the seller has only uploaded one 'perfect' photo, which may be edited.

Pro Tip: Always trust sellers who show photos of the stone from multiple angles-especially 'Top View' and 'Side View'. The side view is the only way to tell if the stone is 'Solid' or 'Doublet' (an imitation stone made by glueing two stones together). The depth of fire in solid natural stones will appear different from every angle.

If you want to see an example, then let me give you a trusted source where you can check Natural and genuine Ethiopian Opals and how they look from different angles.
Check it once: https://armoniagems.com/collections/ethiopian-opal-cabochon

Buying gems is an investment, so don't blindly trust. First, understand the clarity and movement of the stone; only then invest your hard-earned money.
Conclusion
Concluding this short Informational blog, my only advice to you would be that whether you're a gem collector, jewelry designer, or someone buying Ethiopian Opals for the first time, your opal should be as unique as you are. And for this, you should be able to identify the fake and the real ones.

Never be afraid of asking tough and legitimate questions to sellers about the Opals, their originality, treatment of the stone, and anything else on your mind.

Happy Hunting!

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Armonia Gems is a premium brand and the best online destination for natural gemstones, raw gems, and handcrafted jewelry, with a renowned background in authentic Ethiopian Opals and natural gemstone jewellery. We offer an absolutely stunning collection of Opal cabochons, raw stones, and a variety of gemstone jewelry, including rings, necklaces, pendants, and more.

This release was published on openPR.