Ahhh, the crisp morning air of fall is finally here. October, when pumpkin spice kicks in full throttle, Halloween costumes come to fruition, and it's officially sweater weather - at least for a portion of the day, anyway. If you're a south central Kentuckian you know that those comfy sweaters are shed around noon and promptly thrown back on just in time for dinner as we can get a wild mix of weather all in one day.
Let's get down to business, but first - Happy Birthday to all our followers born in October! Your birth month has not one but two gemstones to choose from opal and tourmaline.
Bet you're wondering why October has two birthstones. Turns out the National Association of Jewelers (Jewelers of America) created a list of accepted birthstones back in 1952 with some adjustments made over the years to reflect changes in styles and the availability of stones. The opal was seen by most to be too feminine in its appearance and there were questions about its durability, so the association added tourmaline to the mix.
Due to the distinct individuality between opal stones and their rich tumultuous past which goes right along with the Halloween season, I chose to focus on the traditional birthstone for October. We also have a great selection of these unique fiery gems in our showcase right now! Stop by Tuesday - Friday 10 am-5:30 pm, Saturday 10 am-4 pm (CST) to see these beauties in person.
The featured Morris Jewelry ring is a 3.00ct Opal with 0.018ctw Diamond Halo.
Types of Opal and Where They Are Found
Over 95% of opals come from Australia, while some varieties come from Brazil, Mexico, and Africa. Formed millions of years ago, opals were formed when rains soaked the arid desert ground and rainwater carried silica into cracks deep inside rocks. After the water dried the silica deposits were left forming the shimmering opal layers. It's the silica that creates the flashing effect that gives the Opal its sparkle. Stacked like very tiny marbles in a box the silica spheres diffract light in a variety of patterns and colors. The unique multi-color fiery effect is called play of color, but opals can also be colorless, opaque, translucent, or transparent.
There are several types of opal, listed below are the Solid Opal types:
- White Opal - has a base white color with a play of color
- Crystal Opal - transparent to semi-transparent body with a strong play of color
- Black and Grey Opal - has black, dark blue, or dark grey play of color. Almost all black opals come from Australia, and Lightning Ridge produces most of the finest color matrix.
- Boulder Opal - dark base and color occurring in matrix rock
- Jelly Opal - transparent opal with little play of color
- Fire Opal - transparent to semi-transparent with red, yellow, or orange to brown body color. Fire opal can be with or without play of color. Also referred to as Mexican Opal.
Aside from the solid opals listed above, there are also opal doublets, a layer of thin opal glued to a backing and triplets, a crystal cap with opal in the center, and a backing all glued together. Check out GIA's Opal Encyclopedia for awesome opal photos and videos. https://www.gia.edu/opal/photos-and-videos
Google Creative Commons License Image by James St John Precious opal (Mezezo area, Ethiopia) 6
Symbolism & Folklore
Throughout most of history, this October birthstone has long been regarded as the luckiest and most mystical of all gemstones because it can show all colors of the rainbow. The word opal is derived from the Roman word “opalus” which means “to see a change in color." Ancient Roman scholar, Pliny the Elder, the writer of the world's first encyclopedia (Natural History) in 77AD, describes the opal in his text as:
For in the opal you shall see the burning fire of the carbuncle or ruby,
the glorious purple of the amethyst,
the green sea of the emerald and all glittering together,
mixed after an incredible manner.
Traditionally, opals have symbolized hope, purity, and truth. The fiery gem, whose vivid hues change depending on light and composition, has been viewed as magical throughout ancient times and different civilizations.
Ancient Greeks believed opals provided their owners with the gift of prophecy and guarded them against disease. Bedouin legends say that opals fell from the heavens in flashes of lightning during thunderstorms. The Indigenous people of Australia call opal the rainbow gem and according to Australian lore, “the Creator of the world came down to earth walking on a rainbow. Once he reached the ground, his feet turned all the stones into multi-colored opals.”
Image from Google Creative Commons. Rainbow Shield Mintabie Opal Pendant
The Strange Enigmatic Past
Opals haven't always been so dreamy. The October birthstone has a bit of a mysterious and slightly spooky history it couldn't shake off. It's full of the most tenacious superstitions dating back thousands of years. It is said that witches and sorcerers would use black opals to increase their wicked powers. Medieval Europeans dreaded opals because of their resemblance to “the evil eye” and its likeness to the eyes of cats, toads, snakes, and other commonly creepy creatures associated with wickedly crafts.
In Venice, during the bubonic plague of the 14th century, hospitals noticed that opals worn by patients were bright with glowing iridescent color right up until their death, becoming dull in color soon after their last breath. Now that's spooky! We've now learned that opals are affected by heat, even at the touch of the hand. So, that unusual phenomenon was due to the intensified fevers the black death patients got seconds before death, causing the opal colors to shine brighter and then go dim.
Opal's bad rep doesn't stop there, a popular novel entitled Anne of Geuerstein written in 1829 by Sir Walter Scott referenced opals and the public interpreted the fictional story as saying opals brought bad luck. The plot entailed, Lady Hermione, who is falsely accused of being a demoness, dies shortly after a drop of holy water accidentally falls on her opal destroying its color. This belief ended up lasting for almost 50 years and even caused the opal market to drop 50% only a few months after publishing.
Scene from Sir Walter Scott's "Anne of Geierstein": Hermione takes refuge in the laboratory of Sir Herman, an Austrian alchemist. Oil painting.
From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository.
From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository.
If that wasn't bad enough, King Alfonso XII of Spain seems to have had the first cursed opal which he received from a vengeful countess he once courted (aka ex-girlfriend). He later gifted the same opal ring to his wife; not so sure that was the best idea because, you guessed it, soon after she unexpectedly died. That same opal ring was passed down for generations and each new owner mysteriously was met with their death bed. King Alfonso XII was in such despair from these unfortunate deaths that he decided to wear the ring and guess what, he also died soon after. During this time dysentery was an epidemic claiming an estimated 25 million people of all classes, so this is most likely the reason for the King and his family's untimely deaths. I went down the rabbit hole on this one and found some rather fascinating discoveries. Check out the photos below of the above-mentioned vengeful countess wearing what looks like an opal ring! No proof that it's the opal ring Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione sent to King Alfonso XII, but wouldn't that be something if it was? To make this story even juicer, Countess Castiglione had many royal admirers including Napoleon III of France which leads us into another mysterious opal from history.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA. Public Domain Images.
The most famous royal opal of all time was reported to be at least 700 carats, “The Burning of Troy,” named for the bright red fire that danced across its deep black surface belonged to Empress Josephine de Beauharnais gifted to her by Napoleon I. However, mysteriously after Josephine's death the black opal along with a suite of opals she owned mysteriously disappeared from history and has never been seen since; not even a drawing or photograph exists.
Portrait of the Empress Joséphine (1763-1814). Public Domain Images.
One of the most famous wearers of opals was Queen Victoria who was well known for proclaiming all those bad luck superstitions a bunch of baloney. Her husband, Prince Albert, often commissioned several jewelry pieces for his Queen, some of which included opals as they were his favorite gemstone. So I guess you could say if opals are “fit for a Queen” they couldn't possibly be cursed. Queen Victoria gifted fine opals to all five of her daughters and many of her friends. The Royal Court of England being the trendsetters that they were during the 19th Century helped hoist opals back into the fashion world influencing designers like Tiffany, Cartier, and René Lalique who began using opals in their designs.
Detail of Queen Victoria and her Opal crown from 'The Secret of England's Greatness' (Queen Victoria presenting a Bible in the Audience Chamber at Windsor), Thomas Jones Barker (1815–1882), National Portrait Gallery, London. Image from Google Creative Common License.
'The Secret of England's Greatness' (Queen Victoria presenting a Bible in the Audience Chamber at Windsor),
Thomas Jones Barker (1815–1882), National Portrait Gallery, London. Image from Google Creative Common License.
Thomas Jones Barker (1815–1882), National Portrait Gallery, London. Image from Google Creative Common License.
Despite its tumultuous past, opal jewelry has withstood the vicissitudes of superstition and fashion to become one of the most preferred gemstones among jewelry aficionados and contemporary jewelers.
From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Necklace by Louis Comfort Tiffany (MET, 46.168.1)
Opal Care & Cleaning
If you're an owner of opal it's good to note that Opals are a soft stone - around 5 to 6.5 hardness on the Mohs scale, so it is important to treat your opal with care to avoid damage. It is a good rule of thumb to store your opal jewels away from harder gems to ensure it is not scratched as diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds can all scratch opals. The safest way to clean an opal is with warm, mild soapy water with a soft toothbrush or cloth. Any other cleaning methods may damage the opal or the filler material. Prolonged exposure to water may weaken the adhesive in opal doublets and triplets. Even natural opal can fracture if exposed to high heat or sudden temperature changes. Feel free to bring your opal jewelry into Morris Jewelry anytime you're downtown at Fountain Square Park in Bowling Green, Ky and we will gladly inspect and clean your illustrious gemstones for you.
We're thrilled to note that this blog post was featured today, October 20, 2022, on WNKY News 40's Throwback Thursday segment check it out here. We hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!