Australian Opal Upgrade Center Stone Upgrade - Australian Opal | AUSOPAL

Difference between Ethiopian vs. Australian Opal
Both Ethiopian and Australian Opal we use are 100% natural opals, but with distinct differences in gemstone properties as outlined below. Please email us if you have further inquiries prior to the upgrade purchase.

Inventory:
While we generally have a consistent supply of Ethiopian opals, Australian opals are much rarer in nature, especially when we have to match specific sizes to specific designs. Our Australian opal inventory typically remains low and once stock runs out, it can take us weeks if not months to restock. The scarcity of Australian opals is the primary reason for its higher price point.

If the stone size listed in the regular opal listing page is not found on this page or shows as “sold out”, it means that the Australian opal in this size/shape currently has no readily-available inventory. In this case, please email us if you would like to discuss custom opal sourcing options, or potentially downsizing or upsizing the design.

Color:
Both kinds of opal come in a gorgeous mix of colors, so there are no distinct differences as each opal gem is truly one-of-a-kind, regardless of their origins. We are typically able to accommodate color requests for Ethiopian opals with more flexibility since there is a bigger pool to choose from. For Australian opals, we can do our best to custom source a piece to your liking, but there is no guarantee in specific colors as the inventory is too limited to begin with.

Cut:
Ethiopian opals come in both faceted and smooth cabochon cut, while Australian opals only come in the smooth cabochon cut.

Care:
Ethiopian opals are often described as a living stone because of their ability to absorb moisture and liquids from the environment, thus contact with liquid chemicals can cause permanent damage and stain to the stone. It is important to keep Ethiopian opals away from water and chemicals to preserve its beauty.

In comparison, Australian opals are not moisture and chemical sensitive, so they require slightly less maintenance effort than their Ethiopian opal counterparts. Nevertheless, general care rules apply to all gemstones  – opal is a soft stone regardless of its origin, so please take off your opal jewelry whenever there is a chance of exposure to great external pressure and sudden environmental change.

Our customization services include center stone change, accent stone change, and/or design modifications. We offer additional gemstone options such as diamond center stones (GIA or IGI certified), Australian opals, natural colored sapphires, natural emeralds, amethysts, or any other gemstone of your choice.

If you are interested in one of our settings but prefer to use your own center stone, semi-mount purchase options are available upon request. 

Engraving is complimentary for all orders over $1500 USD; please simply leave us a note at checkout with your preferred engraving text. If your order total is less than $1500 USD, you may purchase engraving service for an additional $75 fee here.

Visit our Custom & Bespoke page for more information, or email us to get started on the customization process!

We take pride in handcrafting each piece of Michellia jewelry with great love and care. Unless otherwise specified on the product page or shop annoucement section, please allow 6-8 weeks for custom production plus transit time. We ship both domestically and internationally via Fedex with tracking and signature confirmation. Read more about Shipping.

If you have a specific timeline to meet, please kindly place the order at least two (2) months prior to your desired delivery date. If you live outside of the U.S, we recommend that you place your order two and half (2 1/2) months prior to your desired delivery date to account for potential delay in the custom clearance process.

If you have an urgent deadline to meet (less than 5 weeks), please first check out our ready-to-ship collection. If you do not see your preferred item(s) in our ready-to-ship collection, please email us with your detailed requests for additional inventory availability.

Every effort will be made to ensure your satisfaction with your Michellia purchase. We accept returns and exchanges on most orders within 30 days of initial delivery. Since each piece of Michellia Jewelry is individually handcrafted to order, all returns (excluding ones related to craftsmanship defects) will incur a 35% restocking fee. If you wish to exchange your piece, we can apply the full amount of your original purchase to a new purchase of equal or greater value (limit one exchange per customer). A one-time $150 exchange fee will be charged for all exchanges to cover additional shipping & handling. 

Exceptions & Exclusions:

- Orders with diamond center stones (lab or natural) cannot be returned or exchanged, but can be altered, resized, or serviced under the same warranty as other non-diamond center stone items.

- Sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges, but can be altered, resized, or serviced under the same warranty as regular-priced items.

- Orders placed between October 1st and November 1st will enjoy extended holiday return & exchange window of 60 days. 

Read more about Returns & Exchanges.

We stand behind the quality of all Michellia jewelry and provide lifetime warranty against all craftsmanship defects. Please read about our Lifetime Warranty.

If you have any additional questions, please visit our Customer Care page, or email us at support@michellia.com.