Opal
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Symbol: Calm & Balance
Unlike most gemstones, opal isn't crystalline — it's a hydrated silica mineraloid made of microscopic silica spheres. When those spheres stack in an orderly pattern, they diffract light into shifting flashes of color, an effect known as play-of-color.
Where It Comes From
Australia produces the great majority of the world's opal today. Ethiopia and Mexico are also notable sources, each producing distinct types of opal.
What Different Peoples Believed
| People | What It Symbolized |
|---|---|
| Ancient Rome | Considered a symbol of hope and purity, at times valued nearly as highly as emerald. |
| Aboriginal Australian tradition | Featured in creation stories connected to the rainbow serpent. |
| 19th-century Europe | Fell in and out of fashion partly due to superstition popularized by a Sir Walter Scott novel. |
Birth Month
Opal is the official birthstone for October.