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Opal
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Opal - Gem of Brilliance and Mystery "There
is in them a softer fire than the ruby, there is the brilliant purple of the
amethyst, and the sea green of the emerald - all shining together in incredible
union. Some by their splendor rival the colors of the painters, others the
flame of burning sulphur or of fire quickened by oil." That is what a
Roman historian Pliny said of an Opal, the birthstone of October. And indeed,
Opal’s luminosity and the glow of its rainbow colors is what makes an Opal a
treasure that it really is. Its name
was partially derived from the Greek word “Opallios”, meaning a “change of
color”. Others say that Romans referred to it as “Opalus”, meaning a “precious
stone”. An ancient Arab legend tells a story of how the Opal fell from heaven
in flashes of lightning and that is the reason for the gleaming flashes of
color that are captured within. Because of the luminescence and its stunning
play of color, Opal has long been considered as the stone of mystery. However, Opal
symbolizes confidence, clarity, and calmness and is said to promote faith in
oneself and hope for the future. It can
help guide one to a deeper emotional understanding of one's personality and destiny. Ancient
opal was mined in modern day Eastern Slovakia, however, the Opal of today comes
mostly from Australia, which is of much better quality. Australian Opal was
born in the dessert, surrounded by water. 100 million years ago the deserts of
central Australia constituted a great sea with silica-laden sediment deposited
on its shoreline. After the great sea disappeared some 30 million years ago,
the silica solution filled the cracks in the rocks, creating fossils. It is
from such silica that modern day Opal was born. It still contains 6 to 10
percent of water, the relic of the primeval sea. Opal has
been a treasured gemstone around the world. The Aztecs have long mined opal in
Central and South America. The Romans called Opal “Cupid Paederos”, a child as
beautiful as love”, and wore it a symbol of hope, purity, and love, believing
it had power to cure one from disease. Opal in the Middle Ages was used to
treat diseases of the eye, and in later times, blond women used to wear opal
earrings and hair ornaments, believing it would keep their hair from going gray.
The crown
of the Holy Roman Emperor contained a striking Opal, called “Orphanus”. Described
"as though pure white snow flashed and sparkled with the color of bright
ruddy wine, and was overcome by this radiance", this opal was said to
guard the imperial honor. Opal was also found in the crown jewels of France. A
legend tells a story of how Napoleon gave Josephine a brilliant Opal with red
sparkles that he called “the burning of
Troy”, asking her to become his Helen. Shakespeare
used an Opal in one of his plays to draw a parallel between Opal’s changing
colors and the ever-changing moods of a woman. In “Twelfth Night” he wrote: “Now
the melancholy God protect thee, and the tailor make thy garments of changeable
taffeta, for thy mind is opal." No monarch has loved Opal more then Queen Victoria of England. She and her daughters created a trend for wearing Opal, and she was said to frequently give Opals as wedding presents, as a symbol of hope, happiness, and truth. Today, it is traditionally given on the 12th and 18th anniversaries of marriage. |