Opal was considered a “Queen of Gems” by William Shakespeare. It has its own beauty that you cannot compare with other types of crystals or gemstones. Opals come in different shapes, sizes, patterns, and hues. From light background to dark background, opals come in various forms.
Although this stone has a bad name in history, it is still a symbol of good luck and fortune for many people. In this blog, we will discuss the meaning of opal and what does opal represent with its facts and information.
The Amazing History of Opal
Opal stone gets its name from the Latin term “Opalus”. The meaning of Opalus is the precious stone. But the original word is Upala which is present in Sanskrit literature. From Upala, the term Opalus gets its name.
This Sanskrit term came into existence in 250 BC. Some archeologists believe that opal was found before 10,000 years in North America and 6,000 years in Kenya. It is also believed that Opal deposits were also found in Ethiopia. As per the latest survey, the majority of opal deposits are now found in Australia.
It is believed that Aztecs used to worship this gem and named it Quetzalitzlipyollitli. In countries like India and Persia, this stone was considered a symbol of love. Greeks believed that Opal gives protection from different diseases of the body.
Many European countries considered opal as a symbol of truth, hope, and purity. Even in Arabian culture, people believe that opal stone fell from heaven from flashes of lights. Romans used to show opal as a symbol of their richness and status. Many Roman emperors agreed to give half of their kingdom in exchange for a single opal stone.
The French emperor Napoleon gave an opal of 700 carats to his first wife Josephine. This opal was known as “the Burning of Troy” because it has vibrant red flashes.
Opal Gemstone Information
Opal is the birthstone for October. You can gift this gem on your 14th wedding anniversary to your partner. Different shades of colors in the opal are caused by a small amount of moisture and silica. For some jewelers, opal is the 5th precious gem.
Opal is a gem with every color of the rainbow. It has many internal colors caused by nature known as play-of-color. These gems have opalescence and have silicon balls with solidified acids. When light enters the gem, it bounces off the curved surfaces of the silica and is emitted back out of the stone.
Opals formed from hydrated silicon dioxide are created when water silica solutions deposit gel-like materials in gaps in rocks. These substances are found in regions with hot springs and geysers.
Additionally, opals come in a wide range of base colors with little or no play-of-color. They have a neat crystal arrangement and contain play-of-color.
Unknown Facts About Opal
Opal is one of the rarest gemstones found in the earth’s crust. It is an attractive gemstone with many hues and shapes. Opal has no definite shape or pattern or color. You can give any shape or pattern to opal while designing a ring or pair of earrings made of opal. Let us have a look at some unknown facts about opal under:
1. Development of Opal
Opal takes many years to form. Although the exact cause of formation is not known by many experts, it is still believed that opal came from rock crevices due to heavy rains. Silica gel was left after water evaporation which became hard and turned into opal. This fact says that opal has moisture content. This gem takes about 5 million years to solidify.
2. Colors of Opal
Valuable opals have 2 basic colors- play-of-color and background color. The background color is caused by silica impurities. Every opal is different with different color combinations and characteristics.
The most common colors found in opals are yellow, green, blue, orange, and green. Black opals are the rarest gemstones. Silica is made of tiny spheres. When these spheres fuse, many gaps are formed between them. These gaps allow light to diffract which further causes a magnitude of various shades and color combinations.
3. Opal Hardness
Every gemstone has a hardness that is ranked on Mohs Scale. According to Mohs Scale, the hardness of the open is between 5.5 and 6.5. It is more fragile than types of gemstones and crystals. So, you must take care to handle opal as it will break at one hit.
4. Cost of Opals
Many gemstones are extracted from the crust of the earth and processed by experts. But opal is the only stone that is present in its natural state. Many treatments are used to make opal dark in colors such as smoke treatment and fracture filling.
Opals that contain many paly-of-colors are the costliest of all the types of opals. Boulder opal is a unique kind of opal that has a rainbow-like look with only one stone.
5. Types of Opals
As per the survey, it is found that about 95% of the world’s opals are present in Australia. Some other countries where you can find opals include Mexico, Ethiopia, and Brazil. Opals come mainly in two kinds: common and precious. Precious opals have bright colors or play-of-color. On the other hand, common opals do not contain any special features such as play-of-color. Opals with play-of-color are expensive and rare.
6. Ancient Gemstone
Do you know that opal came into existence thousands of years ago? Many cultures mention opals and their types with qualities in their holy books. The exact origin is not known by many people but it is believed that Romans mentioned this stone for the first time. Even Greeks considered opals as a luck gemstone.
Final words
Opal is one of the most elegant gemstones with unique features, patterns, and qualities. It is a symbol of good luck, fortune, and prosperity. You can choose a beautiful opal ring or a pair of opal earrings for festive or daily use.