Opal stones have been known to mankind for a very long time, the history of their use goes back several millennia. It is believed that its name comes from the Sanskrit "fell", which means "noble stone". There are no completely indifferent to it, their characteristic brilliance, as well as a wide palette of colors, is simply mesmerizing.
Like many semi-precious stones, opal was not always popular. At different times, various properties were attributed to him, from bad to good. For example, in ancient Rome, it was a symbol of fidelity, was considered a source of energy and strength, Emperor Constantine even spread rumors that opal stones could make their owners invisible to others. Since that time, they have become notorious and have become the mascots of thieves.
However, at the end of the 19th century, a large deposit was discovered in Australia, and the fashion for opals returned. People simply could not resist its mysterious brilliance and beauty. True, not all of them are so beautiful. And, by the way, it was opal that later became the symbol of South Australia, it is there that about 90% of the gems belonging to this group are still mined.
Depending on the composition, brilliance, purity and some other characteristics, several varieties of this stone differ. The most valued is the so-called noble opal, it already belongs to precious, not semi-precious stones. The least expensive is ordinary opal, it does not have a beautiful iridescent sheen. In general, he is much more nondescript compared to his noble counterpart. As for colors, there are two big groups: white opal - a stone of any light shade, and black - a darker or more colorful one.
These gems have interesting properties. First of all, they contain a small amount of water, so they require special care. Any opal has microcracks on its surface through which it can absorb moisture. On the other hand, it is through them that it evaporates, while the opal gradually fades and loses its beautiful shine. Therefore, in order to postpone this problem as late as possible, you need to wear jewelry with opal more often, and store them in damp cotton wool. Opals should also be kept free from contamination, as this can greatly affect their color. In general, owners need to handle them very carefully.
It is on the example of this gem that you can see such an interesting phenomenon as opalescence - a play of light, which is also inherent in diamonds. The value of opals lies precisely in how many colors can be seen on its surface, the most expensive ones have four of them. So they can be safely
become precious.
Opal stones are not particularly hard, on the Mohs scale they are located at around 5, 5-6, 5. Gemstones of a noble variety are usually shaped into 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 doesn't matter if jewelry owners believe that opals have similar properties. Even if they don't become their mascots, they are still very beautiful.
