Skip to content

FREE Standard UK Delivery                           Global Shipping Available                          Shop with Klarna                          1 Year Warranty                          Complimentary Gift Wrapping                          Handmade in London                           FREE Standard UK Delivery                           Global Delivery Available                          Shop with Klarna                          1 Year Warranty                          Complimentary Gift Wrapping                          Handmade in London                         

October's Birthstone - Opal

October 01, 2023

As we head closer towards the end of year, we say hello to a new month – which means a new birthstone!

Opal has traditionally been believed to attract loyalty, purity, hope, and confidence. If you know someone born in October, getting them opal jewellery is the perfect way to capture their desires for the future.

Bedouins once believed opal held lightening and fell from the sky during thunderstorms. Ancient Greeks thought opals bestowed the gift of prophesy and protection from disease. Hundreds of years ago opal was believed to embody the virtues and powers of all coloured stones.

The name of this gem is believed to have originated in India (the source of the first opals brought to the Western world), where in Sanskrit it was called ‘upala’, a “precious stone”. In Ancient Rome this became, ‘opalus’. Most opals are valued for their changing colours in rainbow hues - a phenomenon known as “play – of – colour”. This play of colour is because inside the stone consists of tiny spheres of silica that diffract light, which create a unique display of colour. This has even inspired writers to compare it to fireworks, volcanoes, and galaxies- how crazy is that!

 

Opal can be found in many places. The fields of Australia are the most productive source in the world for the October birthstone. Querétero, a state in Mexico, is also known for producing fire opal in yellow, red, and orange. Ethiopia, where the gemstone is found near the village of Wegel Tena, in Wollo Porvince - gems unearthed here range in colour such as orange, yellow and brownish red. Deposits have been also found in central Europe, Indonesia, Turkey, Peru, Honduras, and the United States.

Opals are a popular stone because of their colour and diversity. Each opal differs from another making them all individualistic. Take a look at our handcrafted opal jewellery and gift to a loved one or find a piece for yourself to add to your collection.