Opal – as colorful as a rainbow
Mostly, it is the colors that make people decide to buy an opal. This colorful shimmer is not found in any other gemstone and is also referred to as “opalescence”. There are several legends surrounding this colorful gemstone:
For the indigenous people of Australia, these stones are a sign of creation. They believed that the creator came to earth on a rainbow. He left the opals where he first touched the ground with his feet. According to an Arabic legend, the opals fell from the sky in lightning.
The Roman scholar Pliny was also fascinated by opals. He compared them to volcanoes and vivid paintings and spoke of a “dancing play of rainbow colors”. For him, opals simulated the colors of every other precious stone.
This idea probably gave rise to the belief in the Middle Ages that the opal would also combine the powers of each precious stone whose colors it displays. This made it a highly coveted gemstone until a book changed the positive view of the opal.
The book “Anne of Geierstein” was written by Sir Walter Scott in 1829. It is about an enchanted princess who wears an opal. The opal adjusts its colors to her mood until holy water destroys this effect. Soon after, the princess died. One year after the publication of the book, opal sales in Europe had dropped by 50 percent.
By 1850, the opal had recovered and in that year large deposits of opal were discovered in Australia. Since then, 95% of the world's opal supply has been mined there.
The name opal: from “precious stone jewel” to “seeing color changes”
The origin of the name opal has been discussed in the past. According to a dictionary entry from 1740, the name comes from the Greek-Latin word “oculus”, for eye. This origin was explained by the belief that the stone sharpens the eyes. About a hundred years later, the geologist and mineralogist Gustav Leonhard claimed that the name came from the Indian language area and meant “precious stone jewel”.
Other sources claim that the name opal comes from the Greek word opallios, which means “to see a color change”.
The color play and value of opals
Opal varieties include black opal, fire opal, white opal and boulder opal.
Opals that display the characteristic color play are referred to as “precious opals”. Opals without the color play, on the other hand, are “common opals”. A colorful play of colors makes the opal desirable, but the color play alone is not the only factor determining the price. Opal supplies in Australia are declining, which is causing the price of these stones to rise.
Even though its play of colors makes it a popular gemstone, opal is one of the less expensive gemstones compared to classics such as emerald, ruby or sapphire.
Use: colorful jewelry
The play of colors in the colors of the rainbow makes opal a popular stone for jewelry of all kinds, from rings and bracelets to earrings and necklaces.
If you would like to give an opal from the IGNEOUS gemstone shop as a gift, you can have the stone transformed into an individual piece of jewelry by a goldsmith. Opals are set in white, red, yellow gold or silver. By choosing the appropriate metal, certain colors in the opal can be highlighted. If you want to admire the opal's play of colors for a long time, you should take good care of the stone and protect it from sunlight.
Opal is particularly suitable for birthday gifts in October: according to the American Gem Society, the colorful stones are the birthstones of the month of October. Opals are popular lucky charms throughout the year.
Origin & mining sites: Opals mostly come from Australia
Most opals come from Australia. The world's largest and most valuable opal was also found there. Since the Olympic Games took place in Melbourne in the same year (1956), the stone was named “Olympic Australis”. The stone weighs 17,000 carats and is almost 30 cm long. In 2005, it was valued at 2.5 million dollars.
In addition to the legend of the Aborigines (which says that the stone was deposited by the creator), there is now a scientific explanation for its formation: the seasonal rains soaked the parched outback. Silica deposits thus entered into cracks between the rock layers underground. As soon as the water evaporated, it became opal. When the opals formed around wood, shells and skeletons, opalized fossils were created.
Opals are also mined in Ethiopia, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, the Czech Republic and in parts of the USA (including Idaho and Nevada).
The properties of opal
Due to its relatively high water content and a hardness of 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, opal is a relatively delicate gemstone. Nevertheless, it is suitable for making any type of jewelry. However, this stone should be protected from extreme temperatures and direct light.
Opals and the cabochon cut
The colors and opalescence are best shown off by smooth cuts such as the cabochon. They are usually cut oval, triangular, drop-shaped or round. Free forms also occur.
