With opal, a buyer should hear the awkward part first, and that is treatment. In the trade, solid opal is usually sold as it was mined and cut. But smoke treatment and sugar treatment are known, and doublets and triplets, a thin layer of opal glued to a base, are sometimes passed off as solid stones by careless sellers. We sell solid natural opal only, and for every stone we will tell you what we know if you ask.

What we can say about this one is simple. It is a 3.00 carat Ethiopian fire opal, reference AG-000715, at an easy rate for its size. Look over the photographs and ask for more if you need them. If you want written confirmation, independent lab testing is your choice to arrange.

The rest is practical. Opal measures 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and does not like knocks, heat or chemicals, so a pendant is the easiest setting. If it goes into a ring, choose a bezel and take it off for housework.

Other stones are in the opal range, and our gemstone buying guide is a sensible read first.

The parcel comes Cash on Delivery, so you inspect the opal before paying anything. Karachi orders usually arrive within 1–2 working days, other cities within 2–4, and unused stones can be returned within 7 days.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural ethiopian opal with a weight of 3 Carat. Its price is Rs. 5,630 — roughly Rs. 1,877 for each carat. Origin: Ethiopia. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference AG-000715 when you message us about it. The photographs show this exact stone, so what arrives at your door is the piece you chose on screen.

Between two and six carats is the range most people choose for a gents' ring or a noticeable pendant. Here colour drives the price more than size does, which is why two stones of near-identical weight can be priced very differently.

Whoever you buy ethiopian opal from, make sure of three things: the stone is natural rather than lab-grown, glass or glass-filled; any treatment is stated in writing; and the weight quoted is the weight of the finished stone. We check every ethiopian opal for those three points before it is listed, and because you pay on delivery you can look at the stone — or have it tested — before any money changes hands.

We sell natural stones only and inspect each one before it is listed. Treatment for this stone: Treatment not tested. No lab report yet; independent testing welcome. As general background (not a statement about this stone): Solid opal is usually untreated; some opal is smoke- or sugar-treated, and doublets/triplets exist — we sell solid natural opal. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we know about this exact stone; independent lab testing is available on request.

A certificate of authenticity is available on request for this stone, and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. Because you pay on delivery, you can also take the stone to a lab of your choice within the 7-day return window. Read more on our authenticity page.