Ethiopian opal is a type of opal mined in Ethiopia, which can be of few distinct varieties, such as precious, fire or black opal, and can be found in a few provinces - Wollo, Shewa, Mezezo, and others. Ethiopia is currently the second largest producer of opal after Australia, as big opal deposits were discovered there in 1994, and in 2008 and 2013.
Precious opal from Ethiopia often demonstrates an impressive play-of-color (that is, flashes of color that change with movement under light).
Contrary to Australian opal, Ethiopian's opal price is generally lower, making it a more affordable gemstone, because of the steady supply, however, high quality Ethiopian opal is still difficult to obtain and can be expensive.
Ethiopian opal's value varies based on its variety, color intensity and patterns. Ethiopian opal specimens can sometimes be much larger than Australian opal stones, and they are also somewhat more durable and less prone to losing their water content (all opal contains a certain percentage of water).
