Make sure to wear your opal jewelry often so that it remains moist and in good shape. Opals are soft and can easily damage if brought in contact with abrasive materials. Also, lengthy storage will cause the gem to wither and crack. In this case, if exposed to heat, harsh chemicals, and soap, it can actually dry out. How do you clean and care for opal jewelry?ĭid you know the opal is categorized as a living gem? This is because the stone is about 5-10% water. They are also reputed as efficient in treating eye infections and boosting the healing process during any form of treatment. Opals are believed to keep hair lustrous and blonde, as well as heal mental sicknesses. What are the healing powers of the October birthstone? It refracts more light when the particles are in orderly rows and layers. How the opal refracts light depends on the way its particles are formed within the stone. One can easily mistake it for a crystal such as quartz and agate. They are considerably soft as compared to most gemstones. The October birthstone is a species of the silica mineral and weighs between 6 and 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. What are the physical properties of the opal? It was discovered in August 1956 at the opal field, Eight Mile in Coober Pedy, Australia. Olympic Australis is the world’s biggest and highly valued opal today. Otherwise, poor use would bring someone misfortune with love, disappointment, and failure in all ventures. The Ancient Greeks saw the opal as possessing the power to give foresight and the gift of prophecy to the wearer if he or she used it selflessly. This is because of the adversity that befell The Maiden of The Mist (1829), Anne of Geierstein, whose main jewelry included a big opal as narrated in Sir Walter Scott’s novel. Some folklore associated the opal with bad luck, too. They would simply pass it across the brow to transfer those powers on the person.
A superstition in India associated the opal stone with the ability to ease the mind of excess thoughts and enhance the memory. During the 14th century, people believed that the opal could sharpen and strengthen vision. The opal was sometimes referred to as the Eye Stone or Ophthalmius. Various ancient cultures from around the world have been intrigued by the opal and came up with different tales to express their reverence for this gem. The opal has been known and revered by man for thousands of years for its beauty and mystery. What is the history of the opal, the October birthstone? They come in a deep fire-like red color, which may vary towards warm yellow. Also, the fire opals that come from Mexico are of one distinct color. Mexico is known to produce the most transparent opals with slight colorings packed in large patches. Popular sources of the opal are the United States, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. Where can you find the October birthstone? The finest opal stone is the Harlequin Opal and its colors are characterized by evenly distributed small flakes of different hues on the gem. This is a transparent opal whose body color could be orange, red or yellow. The black opal appears black, blue or gray in color from the ironstone in its formation.Īnother type is the water or crystal opal, which is basically transparent and can also be referred to as the colorless opal, though it flashes brilliant colors within it when exposed to the light.
The white opal is white with pale sparkles in colors of the rainbow. Opal, the October birthstone color, can exist in various colors. It is a variety of the soft quartz crystal, and gets its beautiful colors from the very tiny particles of air and water trapped within its fissures. It radiates a mysterious interplay of colors, which come out as delicate tints of different shades when observed from different angles. The word, “opal” comes from the Greek term “opallos,” which stands for “to see a change” in color. What is the meaning of the October birthstone? It is also the gem given for the 13th wedding anniversary. In general, the opal is associated with the ability to influence happiness, loyalty, confidence, and faithfulness. The Greeks associated the opal jewelry with the ability to give the wearer the power of prophecy. In Ancient Rome, the opal was known as the queen of gems and the Romans considered it a sign of purity and hope. The opal is the traditional birthstone for October.
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