Opal - Its Fascinating History and Healing Power

 Opal is a magnificent gemstone whose shades encompass virtually every hue in the color spectrum. The play of color is different on every stone, and its shimmering hues gave rise to the word 'opalescent.' Because it is such an entrancing and unique gemstone, it is no wonder that opal jewelry is very popular among collectors and fashion enthusiasts. Opal earrings is the birthstone for October and its history is peppered with superstitions and beliefs that it caused both good luck and bad luck. In Europe, it used to be thought of as the 'official' stone of thieves and robbers. One of the greatest contributors to the myth that opal jewelry causes misfortune is a misreading of its depiction in Sir Walter Scott's 19th-century novel 'Anne of Geierstein.' However, many cultures associate the opal with white magic and good fortune. The ancient Romans used opal jewelry as talismans and for them, it symbolized purity and hope. The ancient Greeks, on the other hand, b...

 It is no wonder that consumers do not know a lot about opals because they come from different regions in Australia and each region has a vastly different kind of opal. How are opals formed? In different ways and that makes them a little more confusing. The most widely known opal has always been the white opal. Have a look at antique opal jewelry pieces and you are likely to find a reasonably colorless white stone. Most of this stone came and still comes from South Australia. It is also called light opal and it has a light or white colored background and through that background shines the opal play of color. This type of opal was formed in the center of Australia which was once an inland sea. Silica seeped into through layers of sandstone where it hardened and became opal. Sometimes it seeped into cavities left by decayed and no longer existing sea shells and vegetation and the opal took on these shapes. Then there is black opal and everyone who was used to seeing their grandmother...

 The name Opal is derived from the Greek name "opallios" and from the Sanskrit "upala", meaning "Precious Stone". It is different from most precious gems because of its non-crystalline crystal system, or amorphous, in nature. Opal is allochromatic and comes in a variety of colors, the most valued being black. Other forms include white (milk opal), red (fire opal), or colorless (water opal). The most striking features of precious opal are the sheen effects it exhibits when turned in the light, known as "play of color". This is caused by minute spheres of silica that reflect and diffract white light. This effect is known as "opalescence". Smaller spheres produce only blues and greens, whereas larger ones produce the whole spectrum. Black opals highlight play of color most dramatically. Opals look very good in simple jewelry settings and look particularly attractive, when they are set in rings. Identification: Green Opal has a hardness of...