Who doesn't know it, the opal. It is a beautiful type of gemstone known for its unique and sometimes incredibly deep play of colours. The opal has a long history of admiration and use.
This is a type of gemstone that provides us with beautiful rainbow-like flashes full of colour. This not only makes the stone attractive, but it has also been seen for an incredibly long time as a stone that is supposed to have spiritual and also healing properties. The fact that opal is so versatile means that we see it a lot in jewellery, for example, and also among natural healers because of its supposedly healing functions.
We are going to take a closer look at the world of opals with you in this blog. We will then take a closer look at the journey and also the functions that opals have taken in our history. We are also going to look at the uses of this gemstone today. Together, we will also look at the opal as a symbol and the spiritual and also practical uses of the opal.
What is opal?
Of course, before we look at the artistry, functionalities, history and also uses of opal, we need to understand what an opal actually is. Opal is an amorphous form of silica (SiO₂-nH₂O) with a variable water content, which can range from 3% to 21%. It is thus a mineraloid, meaning it does not have a crystal structure like most other gemstones. The structure of opal consists of microscopic spheres of silica arranged in layers, and it is this structure that is responsible for the stone's unique play of colours (opalescence).
What we know about opals is that the most famous opals in the world all come from Australia, as this is the largest opal producer and also supplier in the world. Yet this is not the only place where opals are found. Consider places such as: Ethiopia, Mexico, Brazil and the United States. These are other fairly important opal deposits but the biggest will always be Australia.
We have now gained a small insight into what an opal actually is, let's now take a look together at the different uses of the opal. This is because it has several uses regarding jewellery, but also many spiritual uses.
Opal in jewellery
Of course, we cannot ignore it, the opal is a much-chosen stone in the world of jewellery. The opal definitely owes this to its beauty. The most well-known and widely used method is processing it into jewellery. As a rule, opals are always incorporated into rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
Different types of opal in jewellery
We have different types of opals in the world that are mostly incorporated into jewellery. All of these, of course, have completely different looks. Let's take a look at those together:
- Black opal: This is an incredibly rare and perhaps even "the rarest type" found on our earth. Besides being the rarest, it is also the most precious type of stone on the planet. You can recognise the opal by its mainly dark and also black background colours. These only enhance the play of colours, as it were, and thus make them even more attractive.
- White opal: This is an opal that we generally encounter a lot more. These opals have a milky white background. These are less intense than a black opal, but make no mistake the white opal, the play of colours is certainly incredibly beautiful.
- Fire opal: This is an incredibly recognisable opal, you can recognise it by its transparent or translucent orange and red base. It is known for its fire-red hues. This means that the opal naturally possesses far fewer different colours, but this by no means makes it any less beautiful.
- Boulder opal: This is a type of opal that is still surrounded by parent rock. This makes the opal a lot more robust and also earthy. You often see that there is also an iron layer or accumulation on the back.
What we know about jewellery with opals is that they are incredibly often associated with sophistication and also, above all, luxury. As a rule, opals are mainly chosen for the more special occasions, for example: engagement rings but also for heirlooms, for example.
Historical and cultural significance of opal in jewellery
Opal has had a rich and, above all, varied significance in the various cultures of our history. Just look at ancient Rome, here we can already see the opal recurring. At this time, the opal was central as a symbol of hope, purity and also protection. The opal was called opalus by the Romans. This would have meant precious stone. The Romans thought the opal gave them the powers of clairvoyance and would also protect them from various diseases. Opal was valued by the Romans mainly because of the fact that the stone was said to contain different colours. Amusingly, this stone was seen as having been combined by all other gemstones. This would only add to its symbolic value.
If we look again at ancient Greece, we see that opals were again associated with obtaining predictive powers for the wearer of the opal. This person, according to the Greeks, could see into the future and therefore provide the rest with clarity and also wisdom. This stone could additionally enhance some form of prophecy gifts and also protect you from misfortune. These are ancient beliefs, of course, that spread to the other parts of Europe without difficulty or resistance. Thus, opals took on an entirely different meaning here too.
When we focus on the Middle Ages, we see the opal recurring as a kind of talisman that would spread good luck. This gemstone would also be worn more often by royalty and also noblemen. These people believed that the opal would provide them with power and protection, as well as tons of good luck. Thanks to the different colours that opals display, people of this era believed that the opal was endowed with incredibly diverse powers. These would all come from other gemstones. So in essence, again, the opal would be a combination of all gemstones together, absorbing their powers to release them to the richer ones. During its discovery, the opal mainly represents happiness, joy and hope. This, of course, only for the wearer. There are even stories circulating around, unfortunately these stories cannot be originally retrieved, but the wearer of an opal around this time could also become invisible because of the opal.
During the 19e century, the story around the opal changed enormously; instead of hope, joy and happiness, the opal would now suddenly bring a whole lot of unhappiness. This superstition may well have originated partly because of the novel Anne of Geierstein, written by Sir Walter Scotts. This is a story in which the opal is depicted in a bad light, and let's face it, we really used to believe everything. In this novel, the opal would really affect Anne badly. Therefore, this is the reason why the opals were said to have been really bad in the light of day. It was thought that the opal, would provide the wearer with fear and most importantly, bad luck.
These negative feelings and also associations mainly largely disappeared in the 20e century, this is partly due to the discovery of the famous mines in Australia. This created a new appreciation, so to speak, for opals and also for the beauty of this gemstone. This is therefore where the black Australian opals come into the light, thanks to these opals and also their tremendously beautiful colours, the image we had about opals changed back to the positive side. Opals were used again for jewellery and were also seen again as a stone of happiness, creativity and also emotional balance. Many people today wear opals not only because of their aesthetics, but also because of what they mean and what they stand for, namely: confidence, inspiration and also protection from the negative energies.
Opal and spiritual medicine
Although we know better than anyone how controversial these kinds of topics are, we are going to talk about them briefly. Opal is commonly used in spiritual and also natural medicine as a healing stone. Besides being pleasing to the eye here, opal reportedly also carries many spiritual and healing powers. This naturally makes the opal incredibly special to many.
Chakras and opal
To be honest, then, we have heard much less about this, but we came across this and thought we would pay some attention to it anyway. Indeed, it seems to believe that in the teachings of the chakras, opal is seen as a way of opening and also balancing different energy centres in our bodies. Here, the white and iridescent opal in particular is said to play a leading role. This stone is seen as a stone of intuition and creativity and also a way of stimulating these. In addition, this stone is said to have the ability to regulate emotions and spiritual energies.
Emotional healing
Opal is often used in natural healing as a support in emotional healing. According to these types of medicine, this stone should be able to release negative energy and attract positive energy. The play of colours is said to help tremendously in this regard with relieving stress and anxiety. In addition, the opal should also enhance a sense of joy and optimism.
Spiritual growth and transformation
The opal is more often seen in the spiritual tradition as a stone of transformation. This is mainly because the opal, with its iridescent colours, is characterised as a symbol of the constant changes and also shifts in life. As you would wear the opal or use it in a meditation session, you would open yourself up to personal growth and also spiritual transformation.
Industrial applications of opal
We know that opal has a valuable or spiritual purpose for most people. What we don't know is that this mineral also competes perfectly in our industry. Of course, this is then on a smaller scale. The reason the opal is used is because of its small microscopic spherical structure. The opal is sometimes used in research and technological applications.
Opal and nanotechnology
We did some research on this but it seems that opal has even attracted the interest of scientists in nanotechnology. This is because opal has such an incredibly unique structure. This is because the opal is a photonic crystal, this can help scientists manipulate light at the nanoscale. Thus, opal has already been and is being researched for use in lasers and sensors, for example.
Opal in pigments
Because of its colours and iridescent effect, opal has stirred something up in the paint industry. Here, there is currently an awful lot of experimentation with opal-like pigments. What we and what the paint industry understand is that using natural opal is far too expensive, scientists are currently trying to create a synthetic variant with the same properties as its natural counterpart. Thus, they want to offer new ways regarding decoration and also functional coatings.
Opal as an investment
Yes indeed, you might not expect it but buying opals can definitely be seen as an investment, a very interesting investment to be honest. Consider buying the rarer opals, such as the Australian black opal. This type can go up quite a bit in prices and you will see it traded incredibly often at gem exchanges and also auctions.
The value of opal
When we start looking at the value of an opal, we see that it can vary greatly, depending of course on a few factors. Just think about the colour, clarity, size and most importantly, origin. People sometimes forget this but just look at the difference between the price of an Ethiopian opal and that of an Australian opal and then when we look at the Australian opal we purely take the Lightning Ridge opals. These in fact shoot through the air as far as price is concerned. This then makes it so that these opals, originating from this region are especially sought after. With a high probability, these will also be a lot more expensive in 10 years' time. So a true investment option.
Investing in gemstones
We didn't know this was a thing, but it can seemingly be done. We did some research for you and found out that opals are actually even an incredibly attractive investment vehicle. This is because gemstones can actually always hold their value over a long period of time. Even rare ones can skyrocket in value. What we must not forget is that the gemstone market is hugely volatile, yet opals can be an incredibly safe and also lucrative way to build and maintain capital. This especially if you can keep the stone in top condition.
Scientific research and opal
Opals have fascinated scientists for as long as we have known, not only because of its incredibly beautiful appearance, but also because of its enormously complex process to eventually become opal. Opal, in fact, is a meneraloid which arises purely from sedimentary rocks where water penetrates and deposits dissolved silica in cavities and fissures. This process, which often takes thousands or even millions of years, leads to the formation of opal as the water slowly evaporates and the silica is deposited in layers. These unique deposition processes result in the typical iridescent play of colours so characteristic of opal. In itself, the process is enormously rare and the fact that opals can be engaged in a deposition for millions of years. This in itself should make the opal incredibly valuable.
Scientists are engaged in studying opals. This is to learn more about the geological history of different regions. The types of opal found in certain areas can be invaluable to science. They can tell a lot about climate conditions, water content in the soil and also the composition of different surrounding rocks. Especially in Australia, where opal is mainly used for commercial support, it is also used to gain more insight into past environments.
Conclusion
We at Megalodontand.nl see better than anyone else how incredibly versatile opal can be and also how important it has been in history. It is a very extraordinary stone that we can all admire for its colours, but don't forget that it is also valued and admired among spiritual medicine, or even as an investment model. The opal is incredibly sought after from all sides.
Opal and its magical colours and symbols make the stone incredibly sought-after in material and spiritual terms. Where the opal is normally of aesthetic value The magical colours and symbolism of opal make it a gemstone that has much to offer in both material and spiritual terms. While for some the stone stands primarily as an aesthetic piece of jewellery, for others we see it as a spiritual force.