Explore opal's hidden
myths and mysteries

by Bethany Waldrop Keiper

"October's child is born for woe, And life's vicissitudes must know, But lay an opal on her breast, And hope will lull those woes to rest." --
Gregorian Birthstone Poems

October's birthstone, the delicate, shimmering opal, is as rich in legends and mysteries as it is in ever-changing colors. The very appearance of an opal is mysterious -- it is solid, but shattered inside into tiny sparkles. What keeps these colors changing? How can they seem to float inside a stone?

The answers can be found years ago -- about 50 to 65 million -- when ancient hot springs in the bedrock of the earth began to dry up, and the
resulting decomposing rock and water mix formed a gel of silica, which settled into cracks and underground cavities in stone. The result, so many years later, is the always-changing opal. Because this gem does contain a certain percentage of moisture, it should be protected from harsh chemicals -- but opals do not readily absorb outside moisture, as is often believed.

That's the scientific story. But a much better, and more interesting version of the creation of opals comes from Australia, where about 95 percent of all fine opals are found. In the legends of the Australian Aborigines, the Creator came down on a rainbow to bring a message of peace. At the spot where His foot touched the Earth, the stones came to life with sparkles in all the rainbow colors, giving birth to the opals.

Fine opals all share the constantly changing play of color inside. Experts call this magical sparkle opalising. Although the typical picture of a birthstone opal is a soft white stone with tiny pastel sparkles, fine opals are found in many different colors and varieties. These are classified depending on their kind, their place of origin, and
their color. Varieties include black opal, white opal, milk or crystal opal, boulder opal, opal matrix, and fire opal. Two varieties based on location are yowah nuts, from Queensland, which are called picture stones, and Mexican opal. If an opal lacks the dramatic play of colors needed to set if off from the rest of the gemstone world, it is simply
called common opal.

High-quality opals are expensive, and are made even more so by the care and skill needed to properly cut and polish them. Opals are soft, coming in at 5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. As mentioned, most opals are found in the deserts of Australia. But there are other places to find them,
including Czechoslovakia, Mexico, Brazil, Kenya, Japan, and Nevada, USA.

The opal is thought to get its name from the Latin "opalus," which means precious jewel. The Romans treasured opals and took them to heart, calling them Cupid Paederos, which means a child as beautiful as love.  The name opal also could have come from the Sanskrit “upala,“ meaning ”valuable stone.“ There is also the Greek word "opallios" which translates to the phrase "color change." Ancient Greeks believed opals could bring powers of prophecy to their owners. So the name, and the
gemstone's properties, can be found in many cultures.

Romans treasured opals, believing that they were symbols of hope and purity, and talismans preventing disease. The famed Roman scholar Pliny
described the stone as one would a true love -- having the fire of a deep garnet, the brilliance of an amethyst, and the richness of an emerald's green. More modern scholars have found well-documented evidence that Caesars gave their wives opals for good luck. As Rome's empire spread, a Roman senator named Nonius so loved his opal that he chose the punishment of exile rather than selling it to Marc Antony, who
wanted it for his love, Cleopatra.

Many ancient kings and leaders valued opals -- not only for their beauty, but also for the powers they attributed to the stones. Opals set into crowns and necklaces weren't just for decoration; they were
believed to keep evil away and help enhance eyesight.

There were those who did not share this love of opals. Many superstitions linked this gemstone with invisibility for the wearer, making it a friend to thieves and spies. In the eleventh century, Bishop Marbode of Rennes wrote of opal, "...Yet 'tis the guardian of the thievish race; It gifts the bearer with acutest sight; But clouds all other eyes with thickest night."

Yet these legends did not dampen the fervor of those with a love for the mysterious stone. Beliefs in its power of protection and purity endured. The belief that it could cause invisibility spread through many cultures, and was soon considered an attribute rather than a curse. This stone of hope, with its multihued sparkle, is still believed to help
those who work with the chakras – it works with them all, because of all of its different colors. With such fire and color available, each opal is as unique as the person who chooses to wear it.


Resources:

Gem by Gem
http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/opal.html

October Birthstone: Opal
http://www.about-birthstones.com/octoberbirthstone.html

Opals Down Under
http://www.opalsdownunder.com.au/articles/luck.php

Opal Facts, Information and Description
http://www.bernardine.com/birthstone/opal.htm

 

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