What is Opal?
Opal, a gemstone renowned for its unique play of color phenomenon, has a name believed to originate from the ancient Greek word Opallos, meaning "to see a change of color." Another theory suggests it comes from the ancient Roman Latin word Opalus, which means "precious stone." Historical records trace the introduction of opal to Roman nobility by Middle Eastern merchants around 100 AD, who referred to it as Upala in Sanskrit, meaning "precious stone."
| Mineral | Hydrated Silica |
| Chemical Composition | SiO2 · nH2O |
| Crystal System | Amorphous |
| Color | All Colors |
| Refractive Index | 1.37 - 1.47 |
| Specific Gravity | 2.15 (+0.08, -0.90) |
| Mohs Hardness | 5 to 6.5 |
| Origin | Australia, Ethiopia, Hungary, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Czech Republic, etc. |
Opal is Australia's national gemstone, with over 95% of the world's opals being mined in Australia, hence it is often referred to as "澳寶" or "澳寶石" in Chinese, meaning "Australian Gem", which is also a perfect example of semantic and phonetic translations in the Chinese language.
The natural opal's glassy luster and vibrant colors make it a star in the jewelry world. Its changing colors are due to the play-of-color phenomenon, which is caused by the diffraction of light through its special internal structure of silica spheres.
Types of Opal
The size and arrangement of silica spheres in opal directly affect its play of color. Based on this phenomenon, opals are primarily classified into common opal and precious opal. Precious opal includes varieties such as white opal, crystal opal, black opal, boulder opal, fire opal, and water opal. Here is a detailed introduction to each type:
Common Opal
Common opal has loosely packed spheres and generally does not exhibit play of color. Its colors are less vibrant and more subdued.
Precious Opal
Precious opal has tightly packed spheres that fall within a specific size range, increasing the chances of refraction and diffraction, thus creating a variety of colors. Only precious opal is considered a gemstone. Here are the types of precious opal:
White Opal
White opal is sometimes also referred to as milky opal. It is one of the most common types of opal. The gemstone's body color is milky white, and the play of color appears against this light background. Although it doesn't display as intense colors as black opal and is therefore more affordable, a large, well-cut, and brightly colored white opal can still be quite valuable.
Crystal Opal
Crystal opal is one of the most well-known types of opal. Its body color is generally transparent or semi-transparent, and the play of color appears within this clear body, resembling colorful lights suspended in the air, much like a rainbow in the sky. The most captivating aspect is that the play of color changes as light moves, making it truly mesmerizing.
Further Reading: Have you heard of Violet Opal?
Black Opal
Black opal is renowned for its dark background and vivid play of color. The world's finest black opals are found only in Australia. Due to the play of color appearing against a dark background, black opal is the most expensive type of opal.
Boulder Opal
Boulder opal is found in Queensland, Australia. It is second only to black opal in terms of value but is one of the least known types of opal. Boulder opal grows with its host rock, ironstone, giving it a rugged, natural appearance. This unique characteristic makes it particularly appealing to those who prefer a more bold and organic aesthetic in their jewelry.
Fire Opal
Fire opal is primarily found in Mexico and is famous for its bright red body color. When people mention Mexican opal, they often think of fire opal. Fire opal is the only type of opal that can be highly valuable even without play of color, and those with play of color are even more sought after.
Water Opal
Water opal is also found in Mexico. Its highly transparent body combined with play of color creates a shimmering effect reminiscent of water, making it an exceptionally beautiful type of opal.
Further Reading: Have you heard of other types of opal that we haven't mentioned? Check out this article to learn more!
The Symbolism and Power of Opal
- Europe: opal symbolizes hope, purity, and truth.
- Australia: opal is known as the lucky stone, a symbol of good fortune.
- Ancient Rome: known as the Cupid Stone, it represents eternal love.
- Ancient Greece: believed to bestow prophecy and ward off diseases.
- Arab Bedouins: symbolizes natural forces, transformation, and endless possibilities.
Opal not only has unique external brilliance but, as seen above, it also holds rich cultural significance and is deeply rooted in history.
The Legends of Opal
Opal, a gemstone that encompasses all the colors of the rainbow, also has its own legends and stories. Remember the Bedouins mentioned earlier? According to Arabian legend, opal fell from a lightning bolt from the sky, bringing the mesmerizing colors of the rainbow from heaven to earth!
In Sir Walter Scott's novel Anne of Geierstein, Lady Hermione, a mysterious princess, wore opal in her hair. When the gemstone was sprinkled with holy water, its brilliance vanished, and she later fainted and turned to ashes. This is likely referring to African opal, not the Australian one!
The Benefits and Uses of Opal
Opal's mystical properties help elevate mood, enhance inner energy, and aid in fortune development, bringing unexpected benefits to the wearer.
- Benefit 1: Attracting Popularity. Wearing opal can attract popularity, enhance charm, boost confidence, expand social networks, and aid in career development!
- Benefit 2: Wealth Attraction. Opal stimulates inspiration and potential, enhancing creativity, personal abilities, and talents, helping to face challenges at work with strong execution, thereby attracting wealth!
- Benefit 3: Enhancing Love Luck. Known as the Cupid Stone, opal enhances romantic attraction and love luck, bringing lasting romantic love to couples!
Opal and Zodiac Birthstones
Opal is the birthstone for Libra (September 23 - October 22) and Scorpio (October 23 - November 21), and it is the birthstone for October, representing hope, purity, and truth. People born in October have a keen sense of beauty and can balance life and work. It is said that wearing their birthstone can further enhance their charm and love luck.
How to Determine the Value of Opal: What is the General Price of Opal?
The value of opal is proportional to its grade. One of the most important elements determining its grade is the play-of-color phenomenon.
- For two opals of the same size, the one with more play-of-color is more valuable.
- For two opals with the same play-of-color grade, the one with a darker background color is more valuable.
- For two opals of the same size and play-of-color, the one with higher clarity is more valuable.
- The origin of the opal also affects its price. For instance, Australian opals are more valuable than African opals because Ethiopian opals have a loose structure with many tiny pores on the surface, allowing water to easily penetrate and turn the opal transparent or pure white, losing its play-of-color. Sometimes the play-of-color of African opal returns when it dries naturally, but that is not surely guaranteed.
So, what is the specific price range of opal? The grade of opal can range from tens of dollars to millions at the highest level.
However, beauty is a subjective judgment, especially for opal. The unique patterns of opal can evoke beautiful landscapes, providing collectors with endless inspiration and imagination, reminiscent of the Maldives' sea, Saipan's sunset, or the universe's nebula. When opal becomes a gemstone meaningful to us and deeply connected with us, it is simply priceless.
Famous People Who Wear Opal
Opal is a frequent guest in high-end jewelry. An outstanding centerpiece can provide designers with limitless inspiration, and the unique beauty of opal often makes it the main stone in high-end jewelry. Throughout history, many celebrities have been seen wearing opal.
How to Care for Opal Jewelry
- When wearing opal jewelry: Avoid vigorous activities, impacts, and strong chemical cleaners in daily life. Regarding "wearing opals while bathing," the decision depends on the opal's origin, type, and jewelry design. For instance, African or Ethiopian opals may turn yellow with prolonged wear, and their play of color can weaken or disappear after contact with water. Therefore, we do not recommend placing Ethiopian opal in water. However, at Michelle Yuen Jewelry, we have extremely high standards for opal quality, using only natural Australian opals. These are of superior quality, water-resistant, and their fire remains vibrant even when wet. However, for doublet opals or opal jewelry with bezel settings, we suggest removing them before bathing or swimming to prevent structural stress from temperature changes.
- Storage and opal care: Store opals in a cool, place, avoiding exposure to strong sunlight. For cleaning, simply use clean water to achieve the desired cleanliness.
Further Reading: Learn more about How to Care for Your Opal Jewelry.
Conclusion
As one of the six globally recognized precious gemstones, the charm of opal lies not only in its unique play-of-color but also in the vitality and energy it exudes. We can see our own reflections in opal and feel the strength and resilience it conveys. This is the magic of opal and the reason we pursue it.
