October birthstoneOpal - The queen of gems Ah, the lustrous, sparkling mysterious opal! Few other stones can claim the distinction of being both the luckiest and the unluckiest stone known. Lauded by Shakespeare as 'that miracle and queen of gems', the October birthstone has fascinated its wearers since the earliest times. In fact, the oldest evidence of opals used as ornamentation dates back to nearly 4,000 B.C. - over 6,000 years ago. Those opals were found by Sir Edmund Leakey in a cave in Kenya. Ever since those early times, the mysterious play of light and color that seems to live beneath the surface of the gem have made the opal a prized stone and contributed to its mysterious allure. Ancient peoples believed that opals were magical stones that held captured lightning, and that wearing an opal brought the luck of the gods. Because the milky stone reveals an ever-changing pattern of color and light, it was known as the 'seer's stone', and was believed to enhance the powers of prophecy and intuition. The Romans considered the opal the luckiest of gems, and often wore opals as ornaments. Rarer than diamonds or pearls, opals were the perfect show of wealth for influential Romans, and it's said that Mark Antony once banished a Senator who refused to sell him an opal that he desired. The Roman writer Pliny, writing in 79 A.D., said that the opal contained 'the fire of the carbuncle, the glorious purple of amethyst, the sea green of the emerald, and all those colors glittering together in an incredible way'. A token of purity and hope, one can easily understand how the muted fire of the opal became the symbol of seeing unlimited possibilities. The opal was also called the 'eye stone' in the Middle Ages, when the older belief that the opal conferred the gift of second sight became a belief that it held the power to strengthen and preserve eyesight. Its magical sparkle that disappeared unless the stone was held just so also gave rise to the belief that it gave those who wore opals the power to become invisible, and lent the glorious opal the nickname of 'thieves stone'. But if it was the stone of thieves, opal was also the stone of royalty. One Roman emperor is rumored to have offered half his kingdom to possess a spectacular opal. Other kings and queens throughout the ages have worn opals in their crown jewels and treasured them as personal jewelry. Napoleon gifted his Josephine with an opal known as the Burning of Troy for the brilliant flashes of red and gold it held, and Queen Victoria often gave opals as gifts to her friends and daughters. The tales of bad luck associated with opals rival those associated with the Hope diamond. In medieval France, one king is said to have cut off the hands of a jeweler who slipped while cutting an opal, ruining the precious stone. Other rumors claim that to destroy an opal meant courting death through the displeasure of the King. Their nature makes opals difficult to cut, so it's no wonder that the lovely stone - the Queen of Gems - acquired a reputation as an unlucky queen. The opals known to the Romans were probably mined in Hungary - but the most brilliant and highly prized opals today come from Australia. Opals were first discovered in Australia in the late 1800s, and their fire and beauty quickly made Australian opals the standard by which other opals are judged. The opal measures a hardness of 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, placing it about midway on the scale and gem quality opals contain about 6-10% water. In composition, opals are made of layers of stacked silica. The wondrous flash and fire for which they are famed is the result of light being captured and refracted among the many layers. Mysterious and lovely, the opal has been glorified as the luckiest of stones and vilified as a bringer of bad luck. Those who love opals will tell you the only bad luck in an opal is in not owning one. The opal shares the month of October with tourmaline, a shimmering gem that comes in a variety of colors most notably pink and green. One lovely variation, the watermelon tourmaline, combines both colors. The delicious play of colors gives tourmaline its name - from the Singalese 'tura mali' - stone of many colors. The ancient Egyptians claimed that tourmaline came by its many colors because it took the long way round in its journey through the Earth, and visited a rainbow. The tourmaline possesses the power of healing mind and body, depending on its color. Spectacular for their beauty and variety, the tourmaline and the opal are a fitting pair to represent those born in the changeable month of October. |
