Welcome to Opal Exclusively

I’ve been an opal lover since I first learned how to cut stones when I was 12 years old.  Over the years I was fortunate to be exposed to higher and higher grades of opal, however my cutting dwindled due to the high cost and low supply of rough gem grade Australian opal.  The emergence of Ethiopian Welo opal, in 2008, has been a game changer.  For the first time ever, I was able to buy a large quantity of terrific opal for a very reasonable cost.  This enabled me to get my cutting groove back, and I’ve been going at it ever since! The lower cost of rough material, and corresponding lower cost of cut stones, relative to comparable Australian opal, has helped bring gem quality opal into the mainstream.  Lower cost, coupled with dazzling colors, fascinating patterns,and unusual physical properties has led to a surge in the popularity of the Ethiopian Welo opal.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

 - Larry Sklar

    Ann Arbor, Michigan