Julia's Blog
Opals - The October Birthstone
The Significance of the October Birthstone – Opal the Symbol of Hope
The Origin and History of Opal Stones
The muse of writers, artists, and fashion enthusiasts, Opal is a charm bestowed upon the earth by the almighty itself. Lucky are the people born in October who are awarded by this birthstone.
This romantic stone has garnered people's attention for ages. Being one of the colourful ones, it's often embedded in precious earrings, rings, pendants, and necklaces. However, the origin of opal is quite disputed.
It is believed that the word Opal originated from the mother of all languages "Sanskrit". Sanskrit is the ancient language of India and "Upala" is a word in Sanskrit which means precious stones. Given that the name comes from India, it is said that the stone was first discovered in the interiors of India.
Another story suggests that it comes from the Latin word "opals" and its mention was first recorded in the 250 BC. Some also believe that opal rises from the Greek word "Opalus", which is "to witness the change in color".
Geologists say that the opals originated somewhere around 4000 BC in Ethiopia. However, the first evident opal relic was found in a cave in Kenya
. These precious stones remained buried deep in the earth for a while and where again surfaced in the 18th century.
The early evidence of mining Opal was found in Hungary. Both precious and honey opal was extracted from here. However slowly it became extinct and now there are no traces of Opal in Hungary for mining.
A favourite of Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria was always known for her exquisite taste and collection of jewelry. She had an enchanting collection of ruby, emerald, and amethyst. But, one stone that was closest to her heart was Opal. She pursued the best play of color pieces from across the world and added some beautiful ones in her collection.
It is believed that Cleopatra was charmed by the beauty of opal and later in the history it is found that even Napoleon gifted Empress Josephine a vibrant red opal called "the burning of troy".
A roman scholar once quoted that "Some opals carry such a play within them that they equal the deepest and richest colors of painters. Others stimulate the flaming fire of burning sculpture and even the bright blaze of burning oil."
He also stated that this queen of gems is called so because it holds the red of ruby, the yellow of topaz, the green of emerald, the blue of sapphire, the purple of amethyst.
The actual cause of opal formation is unknown, yet it is believed it was formed when a lot of silica was flowed down into rock cervices during heavy rains. Over thousands of years, these silica gel hardened and opal was created.
To create one centimeter of opal it takes almost 5 million years. Because there was too much water involved in the creation it is believed that opal may contain 5 to 20 percent of water concentration in it.
The Fire Stone
The Firestone or the orange opal is one of the most precious gifts for anyone. This ring is created to withhold the quintessential powers of the fire opal stone. Its base is made up of 18k White gold, with little diamonds around it. One of a kind, this piece will work well for both men and women and will bring love, prosperity, and self-belief.
Opals are best appreciated for their "Play of Color". It's a phenomenon that allows the stone to change its color in rainbow hues. Bedouins believe that opal fell from the sky during a thunderstorm withholding all the lightening in it.
Hundreds of tiny silica spheres combine to formulate these mystical pieces. In the most precious stones, these spheres are placed in just the right space and balance to refract light. The more beautifully it is placed, the more precious will be the stone
The Phoenix Ascends
Made exclusively for avid gemstone collectors, the Phoenix showcases an enchanting combination of Mix Emerald, Opal, Rubellite, Sapphire, and Diamonds. This beautiful amalgam of gemstones opens a gateway of luck, hope, positivity, and confidence in your life
Opal Symbolism
One of the most amusing believes about opal is – it makes the career invisible. So people used to carry it in bay leaves and it prevented them from being seen. This superstition awarded the majestic stone the designation: "patroness forum" meaning "patron of thieves".
Giving this theory a meaningful twist, it was said that Opal also helps in astral projections. In today's world, it's believed that wearing opal can help cure a lot of health ailments.
The vibrant stone is known for enhancing confidence and self-worth. Experts believe that wearing opal will give rise to originality and allow you to explore your full potential. As the stone is reflective and vibrant its helps you reflect your true selves. A presentative of love, peace, harmony, and justice, opal keeps you safe even in the most dangerous situations.
In the physical realm, Opal helps regulate insulin, purifies blood, and strengthens the immune system. Some also consider it as the elixir of eyes. Those who want to take back the control of their eyes, Opal is the best choice.
Along with astrological beliefs, opal is also rising to popularity in the mainstream fashion. Depending on its composition Opal is divided into two categories Precious and common ones. The precious ones have two shades in it, one is the background color and the other the Play of Color. Some of the most sought after Opals are: Fiery opals, White opals, Play of Color Opals. Possess the Two Most Exquisite Opal stones
Opal is unarguably the most beautiful and unique stone you would have seen. The science of astrology might not be for everyone, but that should not keep us from adding these beautiful gemstones in our jewellery collection. So, if you are not into astrology, just appreciate the beauty of your birthstone. Here are two magnificent opal jewellery, which will leave you spellbound.
Where are Opal Stones found on Earth?
Opal stones and accessories are easily available online. You can buy good quality opal stones and jewellery through online jewellers. Make sure you trust the source though. If you need one of our experts to guide you through the sourcing and buying process, please get in touch with us here. However, if we talk about the opal mines, then Australia is where it's most commonly found. World's 95% opal reserve is present in Australia itself. Lightening Bridge of Australia is the only place in the world where the Black opal is found. It's a dry and hot place, where the only relief from the scorching heat is some small trees and shrubs. Even the rain there doesn't do any good and miners are forced to stay underground to survive.
All these struggles and battles lead to the finding of the precious black opal. Another variety of opals to be found here are fiery and play of color opal. White opals are mined in a few places in and out of New South Wales, Coober Peddy, Andamooka, and Mintabie. Another form of Opal called the boulder Opal can be found in just one and only one location and that's Queensland. Few other countries with abundant opal stock are Brazil, Mexico, and Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, this October birthstone can be found in a range of colors including white, black, orange, and brown. Some of the finds here also exhibit the play of color phenomenon. Buried deep in the cliffs Wegel Tena and Shewa Province, opal mining has been the livelihood of Ethiopians for years. For those who want to see how the mining is done, the Mexican sites are a charm. Yes, you can see mining right in front of your eyes if you visit Queretaro in Mexico. The place is well known for finding fire opal in colors like orange, red, yellow, and even some play of colors. The spot is open for tourists and you too can get a sight of it. The only catch here is – it's going to be an unwinding journey as you will have to move through muddy roads to the dense pine forest and scrubby plateaus to reach the actual location. Opal may be the birthstone of October, but it is also very popular as a gift for the 14th anniversary. So, you can get it for yourself as well as friends and family who are shy and want to recognize their self-worth
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