October Birthstone - The Opal
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October Birthstone – Opal
As you know – we love our stones here at the Bear Den! We wanted to share some lore, physical, and metaphysical characteristics of the beloved birthstone of October – the Opal.
Opals come in a variety of colors and can be found all over the world. If you have been in our shop, we have probably shown you the two types of opals – common and precious. The most popular and known opals are the precious opals. Precious opals are semi-translucent and have a ‘play of color’ or opalescence to the stone. Common opals are typically opaque and come in a variety of colors; still very beautiful, but without the play of color that occurs with precious opals.
The name opal comes from the Roman word opulus meaning ‘precious stone’; the Romans believed opals were a stone of love and hope. Ancient Greeks believed the stone would protect the wearer from disease and gifted the wearer prosperity and luck. The opal has been regarded as the luckiest and most magical of all gems.
The Bear Den carries handmade jewelry with several types of opals; these opals have different appearances and metaphysical characteristics. Read on and click on the links below for descriptions and pictures of these stones.
My personal favorite of the opals we carry are our Black Opals. This Precious Opal has a dark base color – black, gray, deep blue, or green – which makes the iridescent opalescence breathtaking. Our black opal jewelry has a deep dark blue base that attracts the eye. This stone is set in an elegant teardrop choker, showcasing the truly unique play of color of the stone. Black opals are considered to be very lucky and the most uplifting of all opals when worn, dissolving depression and hopelessness and helping the wearer face their fears. CLICK HERE to view our black (blue) opal necklace on a 14K gold filled chain and CLICK HERE to view our black (blue) opal necklace set in sterling silver on a sterling silver chain.
The most widely know opal is the Crystal Opal; this transparent to semi-transparent precious opal has an exceptional play of color; typically showcasing all colors of the rainbow. This stone is said to be a stone of health and healing, bringing joy to its wearer and fostering imagination and creativity. See our crystal opal necklace set in oxidized silver by CLICKING HERE and the matching earrings by CLICKING HERE.
Another beautiful and popular opal we carry is the Dendritic Opal. This opal is a common opal, usually opaque, and features beautiful fern-like inclusions (dendrites) of silicates. This stone is said to promote physical and spiritual growth and aids in approachability and relationships. CLICK HERE to view our faceted Dendritic Opal Necklace on an oxidized silver chain.
We have several other common opals in shades of orange, green, and blue. CLICK HERE to see our selection!
https://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/opal
https://www.gia.edu/opal-history-lore
https://www.gia.edu/birthstones/october-birthstones
Polk, Patti. “Collecting Rocks, Gems, and Minerals. Identification. Values. Lapidary Uses.” 2010
Krause Publications, Iola, WI
Wonderful newsletter! I especially love the history of the opal and the pictures of your beautiful jewelry.