Opal is a distinctive and well-liked gemstone that, among other things, lends itself wonderfully to jewelry. Ever notice the way an opal’s many colors shine? Continue reading to learn five interesting facts about the popular opal, the birthstone for October!
- Many people think that rain becoming caught inside of a rock is how opal forms. Crystalline silica in the rock is carried downward by the rain. The silicon slowly dries out after that.
- NASA made a really intriguing finding in the year 2008. On the planet Mars, opal deposits were discovered!
- The priceless Australian birthstone for October accounts for over 95% of global production. Since 1875, opal has been mined in Australia!
- Regarding the opal gem stone’s exceptional abilities, both Ancient Greeks and Romans held distinct views. Many individuals in Ancient Greece believed that opal might make you psychic! The common gemstone was associated with optimism and love in Ancient Rome.
- The abundance of silica spheres of various sizes is what gives opal gemstones their wide range of colors. The lovely October birthstone’s stunning array of colors is produced by light refraction caused by the spheres.
In This Article...
Is October Birthstone Opal or Tourmaline?
Opal and pink tourmaline are two magnificent birthstones that honor those who were born in October. Both opal and tourmaline, the birthstones for October, typically emit a range of hues. Jewelry with October birthstones stands out thanks to the variety of colors. Any piece can be altered to fit your personality and style. From pendants to earrings, these distinctive gemstones offer a variety of jewelry alternatives.
Is October Birthstone Opal or Pink?
Pink tourmaline and opal are the birthstones for October. The main birthstone, tourmaline, is one of the few stones that can be found in practically every color, making it a rare gem. Some pink tourmalines are as clear as diamonds in clarity! Opals, on the other hand, are unique in their own right. Opal patterns have their own descriptive terminology since they are so distinctive. Each opal is uniquely unique, more so than any other stone. The most fragile gemstones worn frequently are opals, which need specific maintenance.
Why Does October have two Birthstones?
The National Association of Jewelers decided to compile a list of acceptable birthstones for each month in 1952 in an effort to standardize the birthstones. That last has since been modified over time to match adjustments in fashion trends and stone supply. In the instance of October, there were concerns raised regarding the durability of the opal and it was thought by many to be excessively feminine in look. To add tourmaline to the mix, the association made this decision. More recently, it was determined that opal and pink tourmaline would be the birthstones for October.
What is the October Birthstone Meaning?
The opal, the traditional birthstone for October, is thought to have originated in India (where the first opals were imported to the West), where it was known as upala, or a “precious stone,” in Sanskrit. This was known as opalus in ancient Rome. The majority of opals are prized for their rainbow-hued color shifting, or “play of color.”
The more recent birthstone for October is tourmaline. Because it frequently has several hues in a single crystal, the term derives from the Sinhalese word toramalli, which means “stone with mixed colors.” Few gems can rival the stunning variety of colors found in tourmaline. Perhaps for this reason, ancient mystics thought that the birthstone for October could stimulate creative expression. There is a color scheme for each mood. The pink and red rubellites, the emerald green “chrome tourmalines, and the neon green and blue-to-violet “paraba tourmalines are among the most well-liked varieties.
What Color is the October Birthstone?
The traditional birthstones for October are opal and tourmaline. Some of the most exquisite and unusual gemstones include opal and tourmaline.
No other gem compares to the opal’s dynamic kaleidoscope of kaleidoscopic colors. The brilliance of fine opal is difficult to describe in words and elusive. It has been compared to volcanoes, galaxies, jellyfish, pyrotechnics, and jellyfish.
The tourmaline, which is generally depicted as pink, actually comes in a variety of colors, including pink (which is the approved color to represent October’s birthstone), blue, luxurious reds, and greens, which are used to embellish the showrooms of luxury jewelers.
What Are Typical October Birthstone Rings?
Visit Joseph’s Jewelry to purchase October birthstone rings. For this month of birthdays, we have some beautiful rings to offer. Here are a few examples:
- Teardrop Pink Created Zircon and Diamond 14K White Gold Ring
- Pink created zircon stackable ring made of 14K white gold.
- Ladies’ Pink Created Zircon and Diamond Ring in 925 Sterling Silver
What Are Typical October Birthstone Necklaces?
Visit Joseph’s Jewelry to view our lovely October birthstone necklaces. Check out our selection of October birthstone necklaces to get exactly what you’re searching for;
- Pink Created Zircon Pendant Necklace in 14K White Gold with Diamond Accents
- Opal Cross Pendant Necklace in 14k Yellow Gold
- Pink Created Zircon and Diamond Halo Drop Necklace in 14K White Gold
October Stoneis it an opal?
Opal and tourmaline are two magnificent birthstones that are used to mark the birthdays of those born in October. Both birthstones for October feature stunning hue and countless color combinations.
Why do October have two birthstones?
Opal is thought to possess magical properties by many cultures. The ancient Greeks believed that opals imparted the gift of prophecy and protection from disease, while the Bedouin (nomadic people who lived in the desert areas of North Africa) thought that opals held lightning and fell from the sky during thunderstorms. Opal is thought to represent all the virtues and powers connected with colorful stones, according to Europeans, who have long held the belief that it represents optimism, purity, and truth.
Even the wearing of opals by anyone other than those who were born in October is seen to be unfortunate. It wasn’t inspired by anything spiritual, but rather by Sir Walter Scott’s 1892 book Anne of Geierstein (aka The Maiden of the Mist). Opals were regarded as historically lucky before then.
It’s critical to understand the type of opal you are caring for while deciding how to care for it. Incredibly porous Ethiopian opals, for instance, are prone to “taking on” moisture. As a result, a qualified jeweler should take care of this particular opal’s maintenance. Other opals are composites, which are made up of many materials. You also need to be quite cautious when cleaning those opals, also known as doublets and triplets.
On the Mohs scale of hardness, opal falls between 5 and 6.5. Opal should be stored by itself to prevent damage from jewelry containing tougher gems. Certain opal settings, such as doublets or triplets, which are tiny opal slices glued to a base material and covered in a thin coating of pure quartz, can become brittle when exposed to water for an extended period of time. When exposed to abrupt temperature fluctuations, particularly extreme heat, natural opal can fracture.
It is possible to treat this October birthstone using oil, wax, or plastic impregnation, although we do not advise it. The safest approach to clean your opal jewelry yourself, in our opinion, is with warm, soapy water, says Southern California-based bespoke jeweler Shmukler Design.
Tourmaline is a more recent addition to the birthstone pair for October. Because tourmalines can have several hues in a single crystal, the name “tourmaline” is derived from the Sinhalese word “toramalli,” which means “stone with mixed colors.” As a result, some believe it to be a “chameleon” gem that frequently passes for other gemstones. There were quite a few confusions prior to the 1800s when tourmaline was identified as a unique species of mineral. A Spanish conquistador mistakenly believed green tourmaline crystals he discovered in Brazil during the 1500s to be emeralds.
Tourmaline is still most frequently found in Brazil, but it is also mined in other countries as well, including Afghanistan, Kenya, Pakistan, Madagascar, and even here here in the United States, specifically in California and Maine. While California’s tourmaline deposits were located in the early 1900s in San Diego County, Main’s were first identified in 1822 in southern Main at Mount Mica (in the town of Paris).
Tourmaline’s vibrant, dramatic colors are a result of copper deposit accumulation. In actuality, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the first electrifying green, blue, and violet tourmalines were found.
Due to the wide range of color variations, many ancient societies thought tourmaline might stimulate creative expression. According to popular belief, tourmaline comes in a variety of colors.
- Black is said to give its user protection and self-assurance.
- Green is said to encourage fortitude, bravery, and strength.
- Pink is thought to represent kindness and affection.
The customary present for the eighth wedding anniversary is tourmaline. In addition, pink tourmaline is one of the more well-liked colors to give as a gift because of its romantic qualities.
Tourmaline ranges from 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it slightly harder than opal. It is resilient for daily use and resistant to heat, light, and the majority of chemicals. With warm, soapy water and a soft brush, we think the best way to clean tourmaline is. We advise against using steam and ultrasonic cleaners on tourmaline.
What hue of opal is the birthstone for October?
Opal and tourmaline are the birthstones for October. Despite the fact that both gemstones come in a wide range of hues, the traditional white opal and pink tourmaline are the two most popular options for people born in this autumnal month.
What was October’s traditional birthstone originally?
Opal or tourmaline, depending on your source, is the birthstone for October. The most popular birthstone for October is opal. They are incredibly diverse rocks, changing in appearance according to the process of formation. A lot of jewelry uses precious opals because of their eye-catching, iridescent colors. However, even the less spectacular common opals have a subtle beauty that makes specimen collections popular.
Opals are not considered minerals in the traditional sense, unlike the majority of other gemstones. They have an intricate lattice structure made up of many microscopic silica spheres. Due to light interfering with their internal architecture, these jewels, known for their “dance of colors,” flash rainbow hues when moved.
In fissures and crevices in volcanic rocks that are close to the surface, opals form. Percolating groundwater dissolves silica, which finally crystallizes to form the opal, in sedimentary volcanic ash rock. Rarely does it replace fossilized wood, bones, or shells whose original material has disintegrated away.
Characteristics of opals
Opals are soft stones that can easily have their appearance changed by variations in pressure and heat. The gemstone’s appearance depends on the water content in the rock. An opal shrinks somewhat as water evaporates out of it, and the stress of the evaporation causes fissures in the stone.
Opals’ distinctive colors are caused by impurities within the rock. Tiny gas bubble inclusions are indicated by milky or pearly opals. Iron oxides are indicated by yellows and reds. Magnesium oxides and organic carbon within the stone give the stunning black opals their hue, which can occasionally show flashes of green, blue, and red. The harlequin design, which has sizable angular patches of red, yellow, and green that resemble the checks on a clown’s outfit, is possibly the most expensive opal pattern.
Australia is where most of the world’s opals are mined. It is famous for its stunning black opals in particular. Another newer supplier of opals is Ethiopia. On a lesser scale, northern Nevada is home to a large variety of opals, some of which are in the form of fossilized wood. Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Turkey, and the Czech Republic are additional commercial opal producers.
Opal lore
The Sanskrit term for opal is the source of the name “opalus, from the Latin word upala, means “precious stone.”
The fascinating iridescence of the opal was described by the ancient Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder in his work, “Precious Stones: A Natural History.
The hardest to describe of all valuable stones is opal, which exhibits at once the piercing fire of carbunculus, the purple brilliance of amethystos, and the sea-green of smaragdus, all mingled together and refulgent with an extraordinary brightness.
The history of the opal is described in an Indian myth. Adapted from Willard Heaps’ book Gemstones:
The gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva once competed over a lovely woman out of jealous love. The Eternal became enraged by this and transformed the fair mortal into a mist creature. The three gods then gave her their respective colors so that they could each distinguish her. She was endowed by Brahma with the dazzling blue of the skies, by Vishnu with the grandeur of gold, and by Shiva with his blazing red. However, it was all in vain because the exquisite phantom was carried off by the winds. Finally, the Eternal felt sorry for her and changed her into an opal, a stone that glistens in every hue of the rainbow.
Heaps also noted that opals had symbolic significance in earlier cultures. Opals were dubbed the Cupid stone by the Romans. The anchor of hope, as the Asians called it. Arabs thought that people descended from the sky. Opals were originally the talisman of thieves and spies in Poland because it was believed that wearing one would render the wearer invisible.
October birthstone: evil superstitions
An opal’s color intensity was thought to shift during the medieval era, signaling whether the wearer was healthy or ill. According to legend, the opal kept a robust heart, avoided fainting, guarded against infection, and purified odorous air. The stone continued to stand for optimism just as it has in the past.
But by the middle of the 14th century, the opal’s reputation had shifted. One-fourth of Europe’s population perished when the Black Death swept through. The gem was thought to be the fatal factor. When worn by a victim of the fatal plague, it was bright only while the wearer was still alive. Then it would seem different and lose its brilliance. It was actually this stone’s sensitivity to temperature fluctuations that caused it to appear different as the heat of a raging fever gave way to the chill of death.
People in Elizabethan England prized opals for their beauty. It was referred to as the “queen of diamonds” by Shakespeare in “Twelfth Night.” Opals gained popularity because Queen Victoria cherished them and gave them to her children. However, the stone’s reputation remained tainted, largely as a result of Sir Walter Scott’s 1829 book Anne of Geierstein, which portrayed it as a stone of evil.
Opals have always played a role in Australian Aboriginal cultures. In one tale from the Dreamtime, a pelican was sleeping amid a spectacular display of hues. A spark that was released when he picked at the colored stones set the dry grass on fire. His people were able to prepare fish and meat for the first time as the fire spread to them.
Tourmaline, an alternate October birthstone
Tourmaline, which displays the widest range of gemstone hues, is the alternate birthstone for October. Gem-quality varieties of this material have previously been mistaken for sapphires, emeralds, and rubies. In actuality, it was long believed that a famous tourmaline, about the size of a pigeon’s egg, belonged to the Russian monarch Catherine the Great.
Toramalli, a phrase used to describe bright stones in Singhalese (Sri Lankan), is said to be the source of the name of this gemstone.
Tourmaline characteristics
A complex silicate mineral that contains boron, tourmaline can also contain other elements like iron, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, and lithium. They are available in a wide range of hues, including yellow, green, red, blue, pink, brown, and black. The colors of gemstones are caused by metals that are part of the crystal structure. Manganese, for instance, is responsible for the color pink. While magnesium provides browns and yellows, iron produces colors that range from black to deep brown. Lithium-rich tourmalines can generate a range of hues, including blues, greens, and reds. Even some crystals have the ability to be bicolored. The watermelon tourmaline variant features a pink or light red inside and green outer margins that change to a translucent white zone.
Small pieces of paper, lint, and ash are drawn to tourmalines when they are heated or rubbed. The gem acquires a static electrical charge as a result. Benjamin Franklin actually used this gem in his research on electricity. Since heat from the display case’s lights creates a charge in the tourmaline that attracts dust, maintaining a tourmaline exhibit at a museum necessitates frequent cleaning of the gemstone.
Tourmalines have only recently been discovered compared to other gemstones. As a result, it lacks the extensive history that many other precious stones have. However, some consider tourmaline to be the “peace stone,” dispelling fear and calming the wearer.
What color represents October?
Opal is the birthstone for October, and its birthstone color options are Multi-Color, White, or Pink. Pink tourmaline is the alternate birthstone for October, and opal and tourmaline are the actual birthstones for this month.
Opal, peridot, and lapis lazuli are the Zodiac birthstones for Libra (September 24October 23). Aquamarine, coral, and topaz are the zodiac birthstones for Scorpio (November 22October 24). The marigold and cosmos, which are the birthflowers for October, are additional birthday symbols.
Opal jewelry is presented to commemorate a 14th wedding anniversary while tourmaline jewelry is given to mark an eighth wedding anniversary, in addition to being a meaningful gift for an October birthday.
The word “opal” derives from the Sanskrit upala, which means “precious stone,” and the Greek opallios, which means “to see a change of hue.” The brilliant Opal gemstone is linked to creativity, inventiveness, fidelity, innocence, and hope.
Opal is essentially a silica gel that has been cemented, and over thousands of years it has been able to replace pieces of animal skeletons, plants, and wood to create opalized fossils and opalized wood. Jewelry and home dcor are made from interesting materials.
What gemstone symbolizes Libra in October?
The Opal is the primary birthstone for Libras. Having this stone nearby can help you stay positive in your personal relationships and shield you from accidents and nightmares.
It’s a powerful stone for a Libra that supports your efforts to spread optimism, encourage personal progress, and be inspired. It will also assist you in determining who in your life is a good influence and who should no longer be a part of your close friends and family.
Pink sapphire and pink tourmaline are they the same?
Popularity. Pink sapphire: This gem is frequently seen as a fantastic substitute for pink diamonds, and the fact that it is a precious stone only increases its appeal and demand. Pink tourmalines are comparatively less common yet are frequently used as a substitute for pink sapphires.
The meaning of pink tourmaline
Pink tourmaline is a symbol of compassion and altruism. Wearing it encourages empathy for others. Because it encourages better listening and understanding, it is a great stone for healers and counselors. It embodies the virtues of friendship and unwavering love.
Why is opal the birthstone for October?
Opal, the birthstone for October, represents loyalty and assurance. The name is derived from the Greek word opallios, which means “to observe a shift in color,” and the Latin word opalus, which means “valuable jewel.” Learn more about the birthstone for this month!