Opal

by Julie Lee of Julie's Jewelry Design, LLC

    Opal, a popular birthstone for those born in October, and the traditional gemstone for honoring the fourteenth and eighteenth wedding anniversaries.

    Opal's beauty has conquered superstition to make it one of the top-selling gems of all time. Many consider it the most beautiful and desirable of all gems. The opal has intrigued its admirers for centuries.

    Opal's name is from the Sanskrit upala, which means "precious stone". This gemstone is a symbol of magic, love, hope, happiness, and truth. The Roman scholar Pliny described it as having "the fire of carbuncle, the brilliant purple of the amethyst, and the sea-green color of the emerald, all shining together in incredible union." These brilliantly colored gems are said to have magic powers because of their play of many colors.

    Ancient eastern cultures regarded opal as sacred, embodying the spirit of truth. Early Arabs believed opals fell from heaven in flashes of lightning that gave them their fiery luster. Ancient Greeks thought they gave their owners foresight and the gift of prophecy and guarded them from disease. Shakespeare praised opal as "the queen of gems".

    The legends have not always been favorable though. In the nineteenth century, Sir Walter Scott unwittingly began a superstition that still echoes today. In his novel, Anne of Geierstein, the heroine owned as opal that mirrored her moods, flashing red when she was angry and turning gray when she died. This has lead some to believe that opal is unlucky.

    Other stories claim the stone was tagged unlucky in Australia, when buyers of rough there started the rumor in hopes of driving off the competition so they could buy at low prices. This scheme failed as opal has traditionally been considered lucky in Australia, where opal mining is very lucrative.

    Although opals are found in many regions, Australia is still the most important source. Other sources include Mexico, Brazil, and the United States.

    A few opals are notable for their great size and beauty. The 2610-carat Roebling Opal found i Virgin Valley, Nevada, is one of the largest masses of precious opal  known. It is on display at the Smithsonian Institution, along with the Roebling Black Opal which is a 355019-carat stone also from Nevada, and the 318.4-carat Dark Jubilee. GIA's collection includes a 1561-carat Virgin Valley opal. The 205-carat oval shaped Andamooka Opal, found in South Australia, was set into a necklace and presented to Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1954.

    We offer you several choices of this phenomenal gem, the opal. Our selection includes natural white opal in round, oval, marquise, pear, and heart shapes. Genuine fire opals are available in round, oval, pear, and trillion shapes. We also carry Gilson Created Black Opals and Gilson Mosaic Opal Triplets.

    Our Gemstone Special Order Consultants would be happy to search for a particular opal for you if what you need is not available from our regular inventory.  Please call your friendly sales consultant today to place your order for this "precious stone", the opal!