Next time you want to wish good luck to someone, you can also think of gifting them an Opal. A symbol of good fortune, the gemstone is also known as Milky Stone. Birthstone of October, Opal is considered the luckiest of all the gems because of its play of colors. If you wear opal jewelry it will bring love, happiness, abundance, and good health. It is gifted on the 14th marriage anniversary. It was called Upala in Sanskrit, “a precious stone,” while ancient Romans called it Opalus, considering it a symbol of love and hope.
Physical Features of Opal
The beautiful gemstone comes in various colors- white, grey, blue, green, and pink-orange- depending on its group. With a hardness of 5-6.5 on the Mohs scale, Opal is rigid and opaque in appearance. Opal is a form of silica that contains water within its mineral structure. Rains constituting dissolved silica seep deep in the dry grounds such as that of Australia and Peru. When the water evaporates during the hot season, it leaves behind silica deposits in the cracks of the mountains, which then result in Opals. The color of an opal depends on the size of the silica spheres. Large spheres create reds while the small spheres result in blues.
The Magical Opal
Because there is no other gem-like Opal that gives so many colors, it is considered magical of all the gemstones. According to ancient Arabic legends, Opal fell from heaven in flashes of lightning. In medieval times, maidens wore opals to prevent fading of their blonde hair.
Opal is also considered a bringer of good fortune, peace, and joy in the wearer’s life. It will also help you protect against harmful negative energies from others. Considering these qualities, Opal seems to be an all-in-one healing crystal.
Although Opal is associated with the birth month of October, people born in other months wear it as well because of the soothing properties of this gem. The gemstone enhances a person’s creative and artistic abilities. It gives you the required confidence to bring change in your life. Opal pendants are quite in demand for their minimal look.
Healing Properties
It is a belief that Opal can cure Parkinson’s disease and fight infections and fevers. It is also helpful in regulating the levels of insulin. It also helps ease childbirth and control PMS. In old times, people wore Opal to cure eye diseases. Opal will also help to release your suppressed emotions. And therefore, it is said to help people suffering from depression. A gemstone associated with love and feelings, it is said to improve your relationships. An Opal will help during low times and let you see opportunities when you can’t see any.
Varieties and Phenomena of play of color in Opal
Sub-microscopic spheres present in Opal cause play of colors. The spheres diffract or bend the light waves that travel between them. When the waves turn, they split and form a beautiful spectrum of colors. Opals have two broad categories’ opalescent opal’ and the ‘potch opal.’ ‘Opalescent opal’ shows gorgeous flashes of color while Potch Opal has no show of colors and appears opaque. While both the varieties are attractive, intensity and pattern are other critical quality factors. This play of color gives a stunning look to the opal necklace.
Categories of Opal
Here is the list of opals that are high in demand:
White Opal– This variety of Opal has a white background and varies from sub-transparent to translucent.
Black Opal– With the most desirability, the black Opal has little to no opalescence. Instead, its black background with a pop of yellow, orange, and red color presents a great play of colors.
Boulder and Matrix Opal– These opals have vein-like structures. For example, the veins in boulder opal are more significant than the ones in the matrix opal.
Water Opal– With a soft appearance, these opals are colorless. Additionally, because of a colorless background, these opals look minimal.
Dendritic or Moss Opal– The moss-like patterns on these opals are inclusions of iron minerals. The designs also seem like wooden landscapes, and so these are also called landscape opals.
Care for Opals
Opals are susceptible to changes in temperature and can develop cracks when they get dehydrated. This phenomenon of developing crevices is called crazing. So if you are storing Opal for a long time, keep it in cotton wool with few drops of water. Opals need care. Keep them away from harsh cleaners. Make sure to take out your opal jewelry before an intense workout, bathing or when you are cleaning. Protect the gem from scratches and blows. A little roughness that comes with time can be managed with professional polishing. If you wish to clean it, just use a mild soap with water at room temperature and wipe it with a silk cloth or facial tissue.
Now that you are so excited to buy this beautiful and helpful crystal, you want to know where to shop it. You can find a wide range of Opal rings, pendants, and bracelets at Rananjay Exports to enhance your wholesale opal jewelry collection.