Stones of opals: history, varieties and interesting facts

Opal stones are known to mankind for a long time, the history of their use is several thousand years old. It is believed that its name derives from the Sanskrit "fell", which means "noble stone." Absolutely indifferent to it is not present, their characteristic shine, and also a wide palette of colors simply bewitches.

Like many semi-precious stones, opal was not always popular. At various times he was attributed various properties, from bad to good. For example, in ancient Rome, he was a symbol of fidelity, was considered a source of energy and strength, the Emperor Constantine even spread rumors that opal stones can make their owners invisible to others. From that time, they began to use the notoriety and became talismans of thieves.

However, at the end of the 19th century, a large field was discovered in Australia, and the fashion for opals returned. People simply could not resist his mysterious brilliance and beauty. True, not all of them are so beautiful. And by the way, it was opal that became the symbol of South Australia, where about 90% of the gems belonging to this group are still produced.

Depending on the composition, gloss, purity and some other characteristics, there are several varieties of this stone. The most prized is the so-called noble opal, it already refers to precious, not semiprecious stones. The least expensive is the ordinary opal, it does not have a beautiful rainbow shine. In general, he is much more nondescript than his noble brother. As for the colors, there are two large groups: white opal - stone of any light shade, and black - more dark or colored.

These gems have interesting properties. First of all, they contain a small amount of water, so they require special care. Any opal has on its surface microcracks, through which it can absorb moisture. On the other hand, it is through them that it evaporates, while the opal gradually fades and loses a beautiful luster. Therefore, in order to postpone this problem as late as possible, it is often necessary to put on ornaments with opal, and store them in damp cotton wool. It is also necessary to protect opal stones from contamination, as this can greatly affect their color. In general, the owners need to handle them very carefully.

It is on the example of this gem that one can see such an interesting phenomenon, as opalescence is a play of light, which is also inherent in diamonds. The value of opals is precisely how many colors can be seen on its surface, the most expensive of them is equal to four. So they can be safely To rank to a family of precious.

Opal stones do not differ in particular hardness, they are located on the Mohs scale at the level of 5.5-6.5. Gemstones of a noble variety are usually shaped like flat cabochons, it is in this form that they most fully show their brilliance and color.

It is believed that opals bring peace and harmony to their owners. It is this stone that can help get rid of depression, anger and negative thoughts. It does not matter whether jewelry owners believe that opal stones have similar properties. Even if they do not become their talismans, they are still very beautiful.