Ethiopian Opal vs Australian Opal : Everything You Need to Know

Gemstone enthusiasts are always on the hunt for unique opals. Opals originate from the far reaches of Australia to the historic Shewa Province in central Ethiopia. For a long time, Australia has controlled the world's supply of opals and continues to do so, supplying nearly 95%. However, in the 90s, Ethiopian opal entered the arena. If you are also considering buying a natural opal, you may have come across these two options. Both gemstones are beautiful, rare, and filled with vibrant fire, but is there any difference between these two, and which one is the right choice for you? Whether you want a gem for your custom jewelry piece or simply a gem collection, this blog will give you a clear and honest comparison of an Ethiopian Opal and an Australian Opal.

What is Ethiopian Opal?

Before we weigh the two opals side by side, let's first briefly understand about Ethiopian opals and Australian opals. Ethiopian Opal is a recent variety of the precious Opal gemstone. It is known for having the most brilliant play of colors and is widely chosen due to its rich beauty and reasonable prices. The major deposits are found in the Wollo province, mined from volcanic rock formations. Ethiopian opal gemstone exhibits a unique quality when wet, which is called the hydrophane feature. They can absorb water and change their appearance, making them look more translucent or even temporarily change their color. 

What is Australian Opal?

An Australian Opal is widely recognized as the gold standard of opals, having a rich history of mining, having existed since the late 19th century. Australia is one of the largest producers of opals in the world, and is widely known for its high-quality gemstones. Approximately 95% of the Australian opal mines are in Lightning Ridge, Coober Pedy, and Andamooka. Australian Opals typically originate from sedimentary rock formations, which gives them stability and durability. These opals are priced for their dark body base and brilliant color contrasts. White opals and Boulder opals are also famous varieties that are found in Australia, each having unique colors and patterns. 

Now, let's learn about the differences between an Ethiopian opal and an Australian opal. 

Formation of Ethiopian and Australian Opals 

Ethiopian opals are mainly found in the Welo and Shewa regions of Ethiopia. It became a famous choice around 2007 and is now one of the most widely desired opals globally because of its brilliant fire and competitive pricing. 
Australia has mined opals for over 100 years, and they are much older than Ethiopian Opals. Australian Opals originate mostly from Lightning Ridge (Black Opal), Coober Pedy (White Opal), and Andamooka (crystal/matrix opal). 
Key Point: Ethiopian Opals are a recent discovery in the market, yet it has gained a lot of popularity due to their strong fire and reasonable prices. 

Fire and Appearance 

Ethiopian Opal gemstones have a bright and colorful fire, often in red, green, orange, and blue hues. A lot of these gemstones have a clear or translucent (semi-clear) body tone, helping the fire to stand out more. 
Australian Opals generally have a more solid base, such as white or black, having a more layered and deep fire. Black opals are unique and costly, while white opals may be soft-hued. 

Key Point: If you want to buy an Opal that shines in natural light and attracts attention instantly or a gemstone with more play-of-colors, then Ethiopian Opals are a better choice for you. 

Carat and Cut 

Ethiopian opals are available in a variety of carat weights, which makes them more obtainable to different budgets. These are often cut in cabochons, polished, dome-shaped stones that increase the stone's color play. The cutting technique for an Ethiopian opal can be complex because of its hydrophane nature that requires skilled artistry to maintain the stone's beauty and wholeness 
Australian opals are also available in different sizes, but the uniqueness and desirability of larger, good-quality stones can notably maximize the prices. Black opals can be uncommon in larger sizes, significantly maximizing their value. These stones are often cut into cabochons to exhibit their rare patterns and colors. Particularly, Black opals are cut with a low dome to demonstrate their brilliant hue contrasts.

Durability and Water Content 

Ethiopian Opals are hydrophane in nature, meaning they contain some water naturally. Due to this feature, they might absorb moisture or alter their appearance slightly when exposed to very dry or very wet atmospheres. However, with good care, this stone can stay beautiful throughout the wearer's life with amazing hues and fires unharmed. 
Australian opals do not have this hydrophane nature, so they don't absorb water. It makes this stone more stable in every weather and condition, especially for daily use. 
Key Tip: Ethiopian Opals look amazing when customized into earrings, pendants, or rings. These are perfect to be worn on special occasions; however, be careful and remove them when taking a shower, and avoid their contact with soaps, perfume, or extreme heat. 

Price and Value for Money 

Ethiopian opals provide a wide range of variety in size and in terms of body hue, such as white, brown, black, etc. Also, all these varieties can be bought at a very affordable price as compared to Australian opals. 
Australian opals are quite expensive when compared to Ethiopian opals because of their limited supply and a rich history in the market. 
Key Point: People in the US and Europe now buy Ethiopian opals due to the great colors and high quality at a budget.

Clarity in Australian Vs Ethiopian Opals 

Ethiopian Opal gems may differ in clarity, with some stones having minor to no inclusions or surface defects. However, the gemstone's vibrant play of color often overshadows these minor clarity problems.
Australian opals are widely chosen for their clarity and stability. Good quality stones typically have fewer inclusions and retain their colors and patterns for a long time. No cracks or blemishes are a crucial factor in Black opals, where clarity can significantly affect the value. 
Here is a short table to help you choose between an Australian Opal and an Ethiopian Opal 

At Armonia Gems, we have been dealing with Ethiopian Opals for a long time now. We have thousands of happy customers around the world. We take pride in selling only natural and untreated Ethiopian opals, along with lab certificates to ensure you are buying 100% authentic gemstones. Our collection features good-quality, natural opal stones, with a wide range of options to select from. 

Choosing the Right Opal 

While Australian opals are prized equally and also have a rich place in history, Ethiopian Opals are today's and future gemstones. These opal gems offer amazing fire, in small to large sizes, and reasonable pricing as well. If you are someone who is seeking to get a gemstone that is rare, beautiful, and fits your budget, then Ethiopian opal is the right choice for you:

The Ethiopian Opal gemstone is trusted and loved by collectors around the globe. They exhibit bright fire and rare patterns. Also, these gemstones offer great value for the quality they have, and each gemstone is exceptional and unique.