Monday
Birthstone Jewelry, Gemstone Jewelry, Women's JewelryOctober Birthstone: the Opal
Opal is a mineraloid, not a mineral, meaning that although it is similar to a mineral, it doesn’t occur in crystals. Opals are a gel like substance that occurs naturally in the fissures of almost any kind or rock and is composed of between 3 and 20 percent water.
Ranging in color from clear to black, the opals unique glow and interplay of color is caused by a combination of interference and diffraction of light across internal spheres and planes inside the stone. Because of its composition, opals are softer than other gemstones and opal jewelry must be cut and worn with care. Opals are generally found in Australia but are also present in deposits in Nevada and Idaho and elsewhere around the globe. In 2008, NASA announced that opals had been found on Mars.
Historically, people believed that because opals contained many colors, they possessed great supernatural power. Other single color gems were ascribed a specific power. The opal was said to have the power of each color seen in the stone, hence, it combined all the powers of of all of the gemstones traditionally associated with each color. In 1829, Sir Walter Scott published “Anne of Geierstein”, which fictionally proclaimed that a drop of holy water on an opal would result in the stone turning colorless, and end in the wearer’s death. The book was so popular, that many people of the day began to believe that the stone brought bad luck, the “evil eye” and even death. Thankfully times have changed, and we no longer look at the stone with superstition. Opals are beautiful gems and a wonderful part of modern day jewelry.
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