Seen across a room, a five carat opal still catches the eye, and that makes this 5.05 carat Ethiopian fire opal a natural centrepiece for a pendant. It is in the upper range of what you normally find. In a ring it would sit high and wide, so a stone this large really needs a protective setting.

Among opals, big stones with strong colour are rarer, which is one reason the rate per carat never tells the whole story. Reference AG-000721 is the one to quote if you want photos or a video.

Some general advice for any opal: view it under more than one kind of light, look for cracks along the edges, and be realistic about softness. At 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, opal needs care.

It is described as a fire opal from Ethiopia. Ask whatever you need to about its display and we will answer as clearly as we can.

On treatment, solid opal is usually left as found, but smoke and sugar treatments exist, and doublets or triplets circulate in the trade. We sell solid natural opal and will tell you what we know about this stone. Independent testing is your call.

Read our opal guide or browse the opal collection.

Check it at the door, then pay in cash. Karachi usually 1–2 working days, other cities 2–4, with 7 days for returns.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural ethiopian opal with a weight of 5.05 Carat. Its price is Rs. 15,000 — roughly Rs. 2,970 for each carat. Origin: Ethiopia. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference AG-000721 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.