I want to buy this opal. But what is crazing?

[Avondale]

I stumbled upon this opal while window shopping on Etsy.
Click for video
It's pretty. I like it. I want it.

Thing is, the seller explicitly states "slight crazing in body on one side" and I have no idea what that's supposed to mean with opals or just how bad it is. The stone is on the cheap side - 200$ for 3ct, australian opal, no treatment. Don't know if the price is such because it's white opal instead of black (I know whites are supposed to be less expensive, but just how less?) or because the crazing is a major durability issue.

Aside from that, the vendor is in Bangkok and states that they can get the gem certified for an additional fee. Do I need to even bother with a lab certificate and if yes, which lab should I ask for?

 

[Autumn in New England]

So crazing is essentially damage in the form of fracturing, which occurs when an opal loses moisture (due to excessive heat, dry storage or climate conditions, strong light, or sudden temperature changes). Once it's begun, it can worsen over time, and it can certainly affect stability. I would pass, my dear!

 

[Avondale]

So major durability issue it is. Shame. It looks very similar to the small opal pendant I already have. Would've made a perfect set.

 

[Autumn in New England]

So major durability issue it is. Shame. It looks very similar to the small opal pendant I already have. Would've made a perfect set.

I'm sorry, my friend! But I'm sure a suitable replacement is just around the corner!!

 

[Avondale]

Thank you, @Autumn in New England ! When I find it, I'll come to ask about it as well.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Thank you, @Autumn in New England ! When I find it, I'll come to ask about it as well.

I look forward to seeing what you ultimately choose!

 

[Bron357]

Hi, crazing in Opals isn’t uncommon but it can affect durability. I have a ring, inherited from an Aunt, who had such an opal set about 50 years (?) ago in a full bezel setting. The crazing lines haven’t changed since.
However you might find that the cost of having a very proficient jeweller fully bezel set it for protection outweighs the saving on buying a less than perfect opal.
And are you sure it’s Australian Opal?
Ethiopian opal is a lot cheaper and if crazed far more susceptible to just disintegrating.

 

[Avondale]

And are you sure it’s Australian Opal?

Well there's no way to be absolutely sure yet, really. The vendor claims so. They also have about 120 positive reviews from clients of which only one is slightly negative - a diamond came back with a report from a different lab stating slightly different carat weight and slightly different clarity (yes, I did go through all of them). And they did disclose the crazing, so I'm prone to believe they're honest. But the stone doesn't have an accompanying lab report at this time, only the option to get one for an additional fee.

However you might find that the cost of having a very proficient jeweller fully bezel set it for protection outweighs the saving on buying a less than perfect opal.

The labour cost doesn't trouble me. Local prices are very very very affordable compared to anything in the US, UK or Australia.

 

[Bron357]

does the vendor offer return if you don’t like it (shipping will still be at your cost)?
If you really love the opal and you were thinking of a pendant or earrings, crazing is usually ok.
In a ring you have to be much more careful.
A test at home for Ethiopian Opal is to put it in water for an hour or so and see if it loses the colour play. Only Ethiopian opal has this characteristic. You then put it somewhere safe to dry out and within hours / a day the colour play returns.

 

[Avondale]

does the vendor offer return if you don’t like it

Don't know to be honest. I haven't gotten in touch with the vendor yet, came straight here to ask first about the crazing. Is there a world where the vendor doesn't offer returns? They're not a private seller, after all. But... I don't know if I'll want to bother with returns for 200$ anyway. Besides, I'm not too worried about not liking it - looks lovely to me in photos and videos and this vendor apparently has an excellent track record of "gem looks exactly like the photos" according to their reviews.

A test at home for Ethiopian Opal is to put it in water for an hour or so and see if it loses the colour play.

You mean that this is how anyone can distinguish between Ethiopian opal (for which the crazing would be a big issue) and other opal (actually, are there any aside from Australian and Mexican?) for which it ... might not be that big of an issue? Because if it's that simple I might as well trust that the vendor identified it correctly and not bother with a lab certificate.

 

[fredflintstone]

There are three types of Ethiopian Opal. Most people lump them all into Welo Opal. This could not be further from the truth.


Shewa Opal found in 1993 was very unstable and rough could crumble in your hands. It is what gave Ethiopian Opal a bad name.

Welo Opal was found in a different province of Ethiopia in 2008. Welo Opal is the toughest Opal in the world. It will take knocks, drops, etc. that would shatter Australian Opal. Cut specimens are very stable. Just make sure you keep Welo Opal away from sweat, oils, condiments, soap, and lotion. Do not take a shower with your Welo Opal on. If you do get any of these on your Welo Opal, rinse a couple of times under hot (not boiling) water for ten seconds or so right after it happens. Then wipe dry with a clean cloth. It takes quite a while for liquids to pernitrate Welo Opal. Some are actually non-hydrophane but the far majority 99% + is hydrophane, but some more so than others. Some only absorb 1% to 5% of their total body weight. Some up to 10% and as high as 15%, though that is rare. If you take good care of Welo Opal it will last a lifetime.

Stayish Mine Opa wasl found in 2013 in the same province as Welo Opal and is non-hydrophane. Meaning it does not absorb moisture. Many are very dark and could almost pass for smoked Welo Opal. These are also very stable.

It is my opinion after looking at the video that the Opal is a Welo Opal and not Australian.

 

[Avondale]

Welo Opal is the toughest Opal in the world.

Thank you for the insightful input, Fred! I didn't know Welo opal was considered the strongest, everyone always said this title belonged to Australian opal. Just out of curiosity, what do you look for in pictures and video to be able to gauge the origin of the stone? Would be useful to know when browsing online.

In any case, I think I've firmly decided to pass on this one. I did entertain the idea for a bit after Bron shared her experience with a crazed opal, but everywhere I read from people who cut opal, they say if it has started crazing they refuse to touch it anymore as it will most certainly continue to craze over time. One person even shared that in some very rare cases they've had the odd stone that was stable even with the crazing, but that was generally the exception to the rule. And even though with that price it's not big of a risk, it's really pretty and I would hate to see it potentially break apart. It wouldn't feel like loss of money but more a loss of something unique, beautiful and precious, and I'd just rather not go through that.

 

[fredflintstone]

Hi Avondale:


After seeing 1000's of Welo Opals and selling them before I retired, I can just tell by the pattern and transparency of the Opal. I can also tell you the video was taken under LED light.

Thailand (you don't see a lot of Australian Opal in Thailand) and India are large centers for selling Welo Opal, while Australian's largely sale Australian Opal, though there are lapidaries in other countries such as the United States that cut and sale Australian opal, the Australians have always cornered the market in cutting and rough.

As far as crazing, Welo Opal is very tough. It is not immune to it, but a fracture or two inside that are not surface reaching normally does not progress into more crazing unless you bang the stone all the time against hard surfaces. Also, Welo Opal has been maligned by many cutters and sellers of Australian Opal as it is much cheaper, just as pretty (light crystal Welo Opal is best crystal Opal in the world in fine quality currently), and there are huge quantities on the market while Australian Opal is becoming scarcer in fine qualities. Australian Opal has lost market share to Welo Opal and that does not sit well with some Australian Opal dealers, while other Australian Opal dealers have incorporated Welo Opal into their inventory to sale.

Welo Opal as I wrote is a hydrophane Opal, it absorbs moisture. Extreme cases being as much as 15% of its body weight, yet you can constantly soak and dry Welo Opal without any crazing. Also, Welo Opal is very suitable to be heated and smoked to turn its body color black without any crazing. Any Opal that can absorb moisture and expand its weight and can be heated is a tough Opal indeed, and there you have it.


Just follow the rules below that I wrote from the first post and all should be fine.


"Just make sure you keep Welo Opal away from sweat, oils, condiments, soap, and lotion. Do not take a shower with your Welo Opal on. If you do get any of these on your Welo Opal, rinse a couple of times under hot (not boiling) water for ten seconds or so right after it happens."