2.99ct Ethiopian opal pendant. AAA grade smoked opal cabochon pear in solid sterling silver. This flashy stone measures 9.6mm x 13mm!

NOTE: The color of “black” Ethiopian opals is not natural (it wasn’t mined from the earth looking this way). Colored Ethiopian opal is *usually* treated to achieve a colored body (the exception being opal that tends naturally toward a muted whitish or bluish body color). Because Ethiopian opal is porous it readily “drinks up” dyes. But the color black is achieved through a process called “smoking”. To begin the process, an opal is wrapped in paper. The paper is then slowly heated to a temperature where it starts to smolder (that is, the paper “smokes” but doesn’t catch fire). Char, or smoot (a fine layer of carbon particles), adheres to the opal and permeates into its porous body. The opal is then lightly buffed to remove the outer carbon residue and is often shellacked to give it a high shine. The end product is a darkened body - that is, “black opal”. Black *Australian* opal by comparison is natural but costs hundreds to thousands of dollars per carat! Black Ethiopian opal is therefore an affordable option if you love the look of black opal, but it’s important to understand that it’s a cosmetic attribute and is not naturally this color.

AAA black Ethiopian opal cabochon pendant in 925 sterling silver. This lovely pear-shaped stone is 2.99 carats and measures 9.6mm x 13mm. I hand-picked this black beauty from my friend’s opal inventory and had it set in a sterling silver pendant. Because I personally chose this stone, I personally guarantee that it’s a high-quality opal and that you will fall in love with it! If you want more photos or a longer video showing its fire and play of color, please message me and I will happily provide either or both upon request!

Opals are difficult to photograph due to their changing nature, and this opal is no exception! I did my best to capture its essence, but I failed even more miserably than I did photographing its white sister stone that I also have for sale! This gem is MULTIPLE times more beautiful in person, showing off flashes of electric blue, neon green, reddish-orange and yellow! It has significant fire and sweeping color play over its entire surface! This isn’t a shy stone and shows strong and vibrant colors, particularly in the sunlight! I photographed it in natural indoor afternoon light without camera flash because I want to show you what this pendant will look like in an every-day setting like inside your own home. But it will look SO much better “live” that you will laugh when you remember my words that I “failed miserably” trying to photograph its beauty! True story: Prior to buying this opal, I bought a slightly larger black Ethiopian opal from my gem dealer friend that I chose to keep… and I made my own self jealous that I hadn’t seen this stone first! 😂 My personal opal is equal in quality to this one, but I like the color play of this one much better! If I hadn’t beat up the setting on my own black opal pendant by wearing it on my charm bracelet almost 24/7, I would trade it for this pendant and sell mine instead! This stone is THAT beautiful!

“If it’s not good enough for me, then it’s not good enough for my customers. If I wouldn’t wear it, it doesn’t belong in my shop.” - Heather Constable 

My Personal Guarantee

I hand-select every Moissanite, Ethiopian opal and genuine gemstone I offer. I test every Moissanite I buy - even from gemstone dealers I trust and EVEN when the Moissanites come with certificates of authenticity! - so you can be certain your own test will tell you it’s a diamond (when tested with an electrical testing pen. More sophisticated testing, like light spectrometer testing, can distinguish between diamond and Moissanite). I pledge to never get lazy or sloppy with quality assurance because I understand that it’s your investment on the line. I know that you can spend your money elsewhere, so also at stake is my integrity as a shop owner to honor your trust in me for all your Moissanite, Ethiopian opal and genuine gemstone purchases! So please don’t be wary of my low prices - I negotiate good deals on loose gemstones and metals, and I double-check everything so that I can honor my pledge to bring you the best genuine gemstone jewelry at the lowest prices! And if you are ever unhappy with a purchase for any reason - or even if you just changed your mind! - I offer you a worry-free 14-day money back guarantee! So feel free to indulge in the unrivaled beauty of Moissanite, Ethiopian opal and other gemstones, and then feel good wearing genuine gemstone jewelry that you bought wisely at a price point lower than even others’ sale prices!