[Australian Opal Upgrade] Center Stone Upgrade - Australian Opal

Difference between Ethiopian vs. Australian Opal
Both Ethiopian and Australian Opal we use are 100% natural opals, but with distinct differences in gemstone properties as outlined below. Please email us if you have further inquiries prior to the upgrade purchase.

Inventory:
While we generally have a consistent supply of Ethiopian opals, Australian opals are much rarer in nature, especially when we have to match specific sizes to specific designs. Our Australian opal inventory typically remains low and once stock runs out, it can take us weeks if not months to restock. The scarcity of Australian opals is the primary reason for its higher price point.

If the stone size listed in the regular opal listing page is not found on this page or shows as “sold out”, it means that the Australian opal in this size/shape currently has no readily-available inventory. In this case, please email us if you would like to discuss custom opal sourcing options, or potentially downsizing or upsizing the design.

Color:
Both kinds of opal come in a gorgeous mix of colors, so there are no distinct differences as each opal gem is truly one-of-a-kind, regardless of their origins. We are typically able to accommodate color requests for Ethiopian opals with more flexibility since there is a bigger pool to choose from. For Australian opals, we can do our best to custom source a piece to your liking, but there is no guarantee in specific colors as the inventory is too limited to begin with.

Cut:
Ethiopian opals come in both faceted and smooth cabochon cut, while Australian opals only come in the smooth cabochon cut.

Care:
Ethiopian opals are often described as a living stone because of their ability to absorb moisture and liquids from the environment, thus contact with liquid chemicals can cause permanent damage and stain to the stone. It is important to keep Ethiopian opals away from water and chemicals to preserve its beauty.

In comparison, Australian opals are not moisture and chemical sensitive, so they require slightly less maintenance effort than their Ethiopian opal counterparts. Nevertheless, general care rules apply to all gemstones  – opal is a soft stone regardless of its origin, so please take off your opal jewelry whenever there is a chance of exposure to great external pressure and sudden environmental change.