Opal is one of the rare gemstones that is neither a mineral or of organic origin, it is essentially a gel made up of tiny stacked spheres of silica with water. Opal is the birthstone for October and used as the anniversary gemstone for the 14th year.
The origin of the name Opal is open to debate, but a lot of evidence points to the Sanskrit word “upala” meaning precious stone. It has had a chequered past where it has alternatively been seen as both good and bad luck. The Romans believed it to be the most precious and powerful of all gemstones, as it contained the colours of all of them. In the Middle Ages Opals were believed to protect the wearer from evil and there were even some that believed it could render them invisible.
There a few reasons why Opals have a reputation for bad luck, much of this is due to the more fragile nature of the stone. Goldsmiths were frequently given the responsibility of safeguarding stones they were mounting, if they happened to crack or break whilst they were working on them they were expected to compensate, Louis XI once had the hands of a goldsmith amputated for breaking one of his Opals, hardly surprising then that those working on them came to view them warily. Possibly the most damage done to the Opal though, was done by Sir Walter Scott in his 1829 novel Anne of Geierstein, one of the characters uses a talisman of Opal, but dies shortly after it becomes tarnished with a drop of holy water, the novel was so popular it had an immediate damaging effect on the Opal industry.
Opals did come very much back into fashion, as one of Queen Victoria’s favourite gemstone, not only was she seen wearing many, but also bought them for friends, family and staff.
Opal can be roughly classified into 2 types: precious Opal; that shows a play of colour, this is the characteristic iridescent colours that move across the surface of the stone, and common Opal or “potch”; which shows no play of colour. Precious Opal can then also be further classified as White or Light Opal; white or pale body colour, the term Opalescent is used to describe the milky white body colour of such Opals, Black Opal with a grey to black body colour, Fire Opal; with a vibrant translucent orange body colour, Crystal Opal; with a transparent or translucent body or Boulder Opal; the host rock of iron or sand stone with veins of colourful Precious Opal running through.
The grading and assessment of Opal is difficult and relies upon a wide experience in many types of Opal from all sources. The most important quality factor of Opal is the range and pattern of the play of colour, but the type, body colour, shape, clarity and weight are all taken into consideration, as if the condition of the Opal. Some Opals can lose water and crack or craze over time, so it is important that any Opal is stable and will remain so.
Some smaller commercial Opals with a lower quality can be very affordable in jewellery, larger fine pieces of Opal can command thousands of pounds, so it is important to buy from a jeweller who understands the material and quality factors and can help advise you on the best stone for you. Opal does require a little more care than some stones, care must be taken not to submit the stone to extremes of temperature or cause it to dry out and crack, it can be somewhat brittle and soft so care in manufacture as well as wear should be taken. Opal can be cleaned with a weak warm soapy water solution and dried with a soft cloth. With a little care a good quality Opal can be a pleasure for a lifetime.
Opal can be treated in many ways, most commonly impregnated, dyed or smoked to impart a darker or vibrant body colour. But oiling and impregnation may also be carried out to stabilise the stone. As with all our gemstones we will be sure to let you know of any treatment and care advice you need to be aware of.
