Opals are the official birthstone of October. Most people believe that wearing or buying an Australian opal necklace if it is not your birthstone is bad luck. But, this isn’t the fact and one of the reasons for this superstitious belief is due to the fact that opals are soft and more susceptible to damage.

Opal is one of the most attractive and expensive gemstones in the world.  Because of their eye-catching beauty, opals are sought-after by many jewelry lovers and jewelry sellers around the world. But what facts and myths do you know about opal? What is ad opal and how is it formed or what is it made of? Yes, it’s time to discover some of the interesting facts about this unique, precious, and colorful gemstone. The name Opal is derived from the Latin word “opalus” which means a precious stone. An Australian opal which is considered the finest opals in the world is used to make the Australian opal necklace. Opal gemstone signifies purity, hope, and innocence. They are believed to bring beauty and joy to the wearer.

 Some opals display a play of colors and some do not. The play of colors that you see in opal gemstones is caused by the diffraction of light which comes from regularly arranged transparent spherical particles of amorphous silica, cristobalite, and voids between the particles. According to its body color supporting the play of colors, opals are classified into three main types. They are black, transparent, and white.

Facts about the opal stone used in Australian opal Necklace

Opal gemstones are arguably the precious, beautiful, and diverse birthstones. Unlike other gemstones, opals are amorphous as it does not have a definite crystalline structure. It is pretty unpredictable and takes on many shapes and colors. Opals have many surprising facts and myths about them. Some of the facts about Australian opals have been listed below.

1. They are ancient Gemstones

Ancient artists, naturalists, and writers described opal gemstones as the glories of the most precious gemstones in the world. It has a color combination of the deep blue of sapphire, the gentle fire of the ruby, the sea-green of the emerald, and the rich purple of the amethyst, all shining together in an indescribable union. Throughout ancient times and now, opals have symbolized good fortune, wealth, and luck. It is believed to inspire love, ease navigating lifestyle, and enhance self-confidence. Opals are considered as the birthstone of Octobers and it is a gem of revealing the colorful attributes of those people who wear it. Since times immemorial, opals have never gone out of fashion and have been purchased by several people from all parts of the world.

2. Varieties of opal stones

Basically, opal gemstones are made up of 3% to 20% water and silica. Opal occurs in several shapes and structures ranging from semi-transparent to opaque. Cody is the opal gemstone that shows a play of color. The opal stones other than Cody have no play of color and have various sizes and are not uniformly stacked. White opal is the most common type of opal gemstone which has a transparent or white color with pastel flashes of rainbow colors.

The black opal reveals a more dramatic play of colors and is called the king of the opal world. Boulder opal which is similar to black opal has become a designer favorite with its ironstone matrix which makes it intact. Fire opal is a unique type of opal stone that may or may not have a play of color. Crystal opal has vibrant flashes of colors swimming within it. Important Tips To Consider When You Buy Opal Necklaces.

3. Opal Enhancements

Some type of opal gemstones is used to enhance the appearance. A common technique used for opal enhancement is to immerse white, black, or grey opal in a sugar solution and then in sulfuric acid. Some opals are also impregnated with other things like resin, wax, plastic, or colorless oils to improve its durability. Natural opals are also found in assembled or composite stones called triplets or doublets. Triplets are less expensive than doublets because fewer opals are used. Opal sellers sell both types of stone rather than weight and are then cut to standard millimeter dimensions.

4. Opal designs

Opals are one-of-a-kind stone, which is very individual and unique. You rarely find two similar opal designs, this makes it most attractive. The designer needs to understand the characteristics of the opal to determine what type to work with and how to use the opal stone. Since the 15th century, opal has been a clear winner for the month of October.

Final verdict

Opal gemstones are truly one of the gorgeous and majestic stones in the world. The shimmering colors of the Australian opal necklace make it extremely popular in the jewelry designing industry. We, Australian Fire Opals have come up with mind-blowing designs of opal jewels that everyone will love to buy for your dear ones.

Author Bio

The author is an opal miner and seller who sell Australian opal necklace and other jewels to over 147 countries worldwide.