Oval Ethiopian opal Necklace with 18kt Gold Details

Our White Ethiopian Opal Necklace with 18-karat Gold-Plated Sterling Silver Details is a luminous celebration of the opal’s softer, more ethereal side. Graduated polished oval beads, ranging from approximately 3–10 mm, create a graceful rhythm along the 19-inch strand, with smaller stones toward the sides and larger ones gathering near the center. Their milky white, ivory, and champagne body colors have a beautiful opalescent glow, alive with delicate flashes of fiery orange, pink, electric green, and golden yellow. As the necklace moves, the polished surfaces catch the light and sparkle, revealing a different play-of-color in each individual stone. The 18-karat gold-plated sterling silver details add warmth to the strand.

Our founder, Jean Marie, was drawn to the distinctive beauty of these opals during her gemstone-sourcing journeys. Their appeal lies in the contrast between the serene, milky-white body color and the vivid spectral flashes that appear within it. In opal, the body color—the stone’s underlying color—is distinct from its play-of-color, the shifting flashes created as light interacts with the opal’s internal structure. Here, that interplay gives the necklace a soft, luminous presence: opalescent and delicate at first glance, then sparkling with color as the stones catch the light.

Ethiopia’s opal story spans several deposits and a range of colors. The earlier Shewa Province discoveries, including the Mezezo area, became known for opals in warm orange, reddish-brown, and chocolate tones. A major discovery near Wegel Tena in Wollo Province in 2008 brought white, brown, fire, and colorless crystal opals to wider attention. White and crystal opals became especially associated with this Wollo deposit, though opals of several colors and qualities can occur in the same mining area. Without specific mine information from the supplier, the exact deposit of this necklace’s stones cannot be confirmed.

The paler body color gives this necklace a different character from our richer honey- and chocolate-toned Ethiopian opals. Those deeper hues can be especially difficult to find beautifully matched across a strand; here, the beauty is the luminous milky-white palette, the graceful graduation of the oval beads, and the sparkling flashes of color that emerge against it.

Elegant worn with one of our flowing kaftans, this necklace brings a gentle radiance to the neckline. Worn alone, it feels refined and distinctive; layered with treasured gold pieces, it adds a luminous note of color. Each opal has its own pattern and flashes, making the finished strand a singular expression of nature’s artistry and Jean Marie’s eye for exceptional gemstones.

Like many Ethiopian opals, these stones can absorb water and may temporarily lose their fire. Please keep the necklace away from water, lotions, and perfumes.

Length: 19 inches.

Graduated oval beads: approximately 3–10 mm.

Hand Made in India.