Opal stones have been known to mankind for a long time, the history of their use dates back several millennia. It is believed that its name comes from the Sanskrit "fell", which means "noble stone." Absolutely indifferent to it, their characteristic brilliance, as well as a wide palette of colors, are simply mesmerizing.
Like many semiprecious stones, opal was not always popular. At different times, various properties were attributed to him, from bad to good. For example, in ancient Rome, he was a symbol of fidelity, was considered a source of energy and strength, Emperor Constantine even spread rumors that opal stones can make their owners invisible to others. From that time they began to enjoy notoriety and became 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 are distinguished. The so-called noble opal is most valued; it already refers to precious, not semiprecious, stones. The least expensive is an ordinary opal, it does not have a beautiful rainbow shine. In general, he is much more nondescript in comparison with his noble fellow. As for colors, there are two large groups: white opal - a stone of any light shade, and black - a darker or colored one.
These gems have interesting properties. First of all, they contain a small amount of water, and therefore 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 dims and loses its beautiful luster. 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. It is also necessary to protect opal stones from dirt, 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 - the play of light, which is also inherent in diamonds. The value of opals lies precisely in how many flowers can be seen on its surface; the most expensive ones have four. So they can be safely
rank as precious family.
Opal stones are not particularly hard, on the Mohs scale they are located at around 5.5-6.5. Gems of a noble variety are usually given the shape of flat cabochons, it is in this form that they most fully show their luster and color.
Opals are believed to 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 opal stones have similar properties. Even if they do not become their talismans, they are still very beautiful.
