History

Opal is a gem formed from silica-rich waters. It takes its name from the Sanskrit word Upala which means precious stone. Later, it would be called Opallios during Roman times. There are two kinds of Opal – the common opal and the precious opal. Opal meaning is amplification, hope, and purity.

Historically, opal discoveries and mining progressed similarly to the ways diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire were produced. As early humans found various gemstones, they slowly learned to work them into decorative shapes.

The ancient Greeks believed opals gave their owners the gift of prophecy and guarded them from disease. Europeans have long considered the gem a symbol of hope, purity, and truth. Some people think it's unlucky for anyone born in another month to wear an opal.

Caring for your Opal

Solid opal should be cleaned gently with mild detergent in warm water and a soft toothbrush or cloth. Avoid bleach, chemicals and cleaners. Doublets & triplets may be wiped with a damp soft cloth and mild detergent, but should never be soaked or immersed.

Never allow anyone to clean your opal in an ultrasonic cleaner, as the intense vibrations may cause cracking in a solid opal, and water penetration in a doublet or triplet.

If your stone loses its shine or becomes scratched, bring it back to an opal cutter. After years of wear, small scratches and scuff marks cause an opal to lose its shiny polish and become dull looking. Professional polishing can bring new life to an opal which has become dull or scratched, and we can also check for claw damage and ensure the security of the setting.

The Other October Birthstone

There is another stone regarded as a birthstone of October and that is Tourmaline! Tourmaline is a gemstone that belongs to a complex family of borosilicate mixed with iron, magnesium or other various metals that depending upon the proportions of its components may form as red, pink, yellow, brown, black, green, blue or violet.

Origin: Australia, Mexico Brazil
Colour: The stone is mostly white but has a unique internal structure which can reflect colours such as blue, pink, green, yellow, orange, grey and more
Known to offer: Opal is known as a powerful healing stone and is known to bring pure positive change
Myth: That opals were bad luck! This is a result of centuries of misinformation, superstition and jealous diamond traders spreading rumours