Opal

Opal is the October birthstone.

The ancient Romans described the opal as “the king of gems” for its ability to hold within itself all the colors of the natural world. Numerous legends and folklore surround this shimmering gemstone. The opal itself can be traced back in its origins to a time when dinosaurs walked the earth. The legends of the Australian aborigines report that the creator came down to Earth on a rainbow to bring the message of peace to all the humans. At the spot where his foot touched the ground, the stones appeared and started sparkling in all the colors of the rainbow – that was the birth of the opal.

The opal is available in a variety of body colors – all of them shine and sparkle in the light with an everlasting interplay of swirling color. White opals have a light, white-silver body color that shimmers in the light reflecting flashes of color. The black opal has a black, dark blue, dark green or gray body color with vivid swirls of color such as red, pink and bright green. The term opalescence was coined to describe and explain this phenomenon. If an opal is lacking the typical play of color, they are referred to as a common opal.

The opal has been given in the form of earrings and necklaces as a symbol of hope, innocence and purity through the ages. During the middle ages, young, fair-haired girls wore opal jewelry in their hair to protect its fair blond color. Some claim the opal has the ability to cure depression and to help its wearer find true love.

Medieval writers claimed the opal could render its wearer invisible when the need arose. It was also thought to banish evil spirits and favor the theater, amusements, friendships, feelings and children.