Please read my seller policies before buying.
Beautiful earth mined free form Opal .... a gem stone investment. Photographed in bright light.
( if you are not sure how big this is , make certain you check measurements shown in appraisal on a measure marked in millimeters... the standard for measuring gems.)

Supply and demand rules in true gem buying as in every other human investment.
Each earth mined gem is a unique work of art, unlike the lab produced stones that can be produced in unlimited quantities.
Even worse than the lab produced stones are the glass enhanced ones....almost worthless.
Some people will never understand why people buy an original work of art when they can buy a poster for next to nothing.
Earth mined gems are for those that do. Invest in quality.

I can provide my signed and sealed appraisal for an additional $5 if requested.

"** IMPORTANT NOTES RE OUR GEMS AND SETTINGS":
1) Unlike other jewelers, I sell quality colored gems in silver rather than inferior quality colored gems in gold and diamond settings. I place even my more expensive gems in silver and use clear topaz wherever possible for melee accent stones . I have had a life long love affair with colored gems, and personally find diamonds grossly overpriced. They are NOT nearly as rare as people think. For many years supply and price were totally controlled by DeBeers. This has lessened to some degree, but prices are still artificially high. Both gold and silver are suitable for jewelry, with gold being slightly more durable, but many many times more expensive. Also, most people cannot tell rhodium coated silver from white gold. White gold gets its color from that same rhodium coating. I believe at my pricing you can always change to gold if you wish and still be far ahead financially.
2) All our gemstones are true gems, earth mined, not man made. EXPECT FLAWS! We provide unaltered pictures of the gem for you are very high magnification. Minor inclusions in any gem are not, as some think, a bad thing. They help a gemologist determine the authenticity of a gem. Man made gems are perfect.... but they are not real earth mined gems, and can be made in the millions, and do not increase in value. The difference between an original oil and a print. Supply and demand rules
3) Our settings are silver, and in most cases have a coating of Rhodium to prevent tarnishing, and give the appearance of white gold. Rhodium is actually more expensive than gold . In most cases, the smaller accent stones are clear topaz. Many of our stones deserve gold settings and diamond melee, but this would make them many times more expensive. You can always do this yourself if you wish.... you are paying much less than the retail replacement value of the gem without the setting.
4) Stones were in most cases set by volunteers helping us raise money for animal charities. EXPECT FLAWS! Often they leave prongs a little too long, do not get the stone exactly level, etc. etc. BUT. We are not charging you for the settings! Most people enjoy them "as is" and the flaws do not bother them, but if they bother you, have them exchanged for professionally mounted settings in gold and diamond. At least this way you can see how they will look. Most people appreciate this. Sorry if you do not.
5)Rings that have been coated in rhodium to prevent tarnishing can be relatively expensive to re-size, as they will need to be recoated. Also, a significant resize can cause a problem for accent stones, as the setting distorts and may make them become loose. Always check to see what your local jeweller will cost to resize BEFORE you buy. Better yet.... best to look for a ring your size that does not require significant change. Small changes are easy and cheap... indeed, you can buy adjusters and do yourself ( believe Amazon sells them.) I have a lot of rings to choose from.
6)Even smaller pictures, while more accurately showing how the gem looks to the naked eye, still show the gem MUCH larger than it is of course.... if you are not sure how big this is , make certain you check on a measure marked in millimeters... the standard for measuring gems.)

This is opal from the welo district of Ethiopia. Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica, with a water content of about 5 to 10 percent usually. Opals are one of my favorite gems due to their beauty. But, they must be afforded some care to maintain that beauty. About 6.5 on the moh's scale, they should not be subject to harsh abrasion, and because they absorb water caution should be exercised. If you wear them when bathing, the fire may disappear for a while , but will return as the gem dries out. However. if the water is dirty, some impurities may enter the stone....so caution should be practiced. Opal is said to inspire love and passion