Paraiba blue Ethiopian opals?!

[bazargan]

Ladies and gentelmen,

There is a guy in ebay selling opals which has called them" very rare 100% natural paraiba blue opal". Origin is Ethiopia and he has mentioned it is been color enhanced. Do you think it is only black backing? The color is beautiful. Well, he has used black background but still beautiful.



Thanks

 

[Dioptase]

A lot of Ethiopian opals are dyed in various colors: black, orange (to mimic australian black opals and fire opal), but I've seen during the GJX show ultra fancy colors like bright bubblegum pink, intense blue, yellow and so on.

As long as the treatment is disclosed, it's fine.

Edit: you can also find opals with a natural blue body color from various localities (Peru, Brazil, US...)

 

[chrono]

A lot of Ethiopian opals are dyed in various colors: black, orange (to mimic australian black opals and fire opal), but I've seen during the GJX show ultra fancy colors like bright bubblegum pink, intense blue, yellow and so on.
As long as the treatment is disclosed, it's fine.
Edit: you can also find opals with a natural blue body color from various localities (Peru, Brazil, US...)

Agree with everything above.

 

[Marlow]

Bazargan,

if you read "natural" it means that the original material before treatment is not manmade!!!!

They treated a natural gem material - not synthetic or glass.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

JTV sells similar opals and it says they are dyed.


Annette

 

[bazargan]

Ok i see. Thanks. I have read there has been no report of mining black opal from Welo mines. Do you guys have more updated info?

 

[CirrusClouds]

To my knowledge there aren't any "Black" opals coming out of Ethiopia. There have been many chocolate base-tone opals from the Shewa Province though. I believe they tend to craze.

 

[katharath]

I have seen natural and untreated blue base welo opals, but they don't look like those pictured above (the treated ones). They are a more subtle blue, very pretty, and also seem to be much rarer than the white or honey based opals.

I own an unusual blue welo that was cut by an American opal cutter, Jeff Schultz. He cuts a lot of freeform opals and quite a lot of welo material. (I've seen a few untreated blues that he has cut, but that's about all I've seen - only a few, whereas the white and honey based seem plentiful). This one is unusual bc it has a blue base but also a double cat's eye effect, with both blue and green. Here are some pics so you can see what I mean - this one is completely natural and untreated . (See pics below - freeform blue base cat's eye opal with matrix on bottom, approx 1.5 carats).

To my knowledge there are no black welos, as Cirrus said. (At least no natural, untreated ones).

 

[CirrusClouds]

Very nice katharath!

Here is a piece of Ethiopian rough with a natural "Chocolate" backing! Should make an interesting cut. -Luke

 

[katharath]

Very nice katharath!

Here is a piece of Ethiopian rough with a natural "Chocolate" backing! Should make an interesting cut. -Luke

Oh, that's beautiful! Great pics - I'd love to see it finished. Come back and post more after it's cut