October’s Birthstone – Opal

Legend has it that wearing an opal, if not your birthstone, will bring bad luck to the wearer. This myth does not date back to ancient times, but to 1829 when Sir Walter Scott published Anne of Gerstein. The main character dies and her death is attributed to the wearing of an opal.

October’s gemstone is the opal, the zodiacal sign for Libra. Prior to Sir Walter Scott’s book, opals were considered to bring good luck and symbolized beauty.

Modern myths however say that opals have an eerie ability to project the wearer’s energy back to the wearer. Therefore, when wearing an opal and if you harbor many negative thoughts, the gemstone will reflect negativity back to you. Try on some opal jewellery. If it does not feel exactly right, then opals are not for you.

Opals require very delicate care. The gemstone is actually quite soft and cannot be placed in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner. You must keep opals away from the heat or cold and try not to get them wet. Opals can easily be cracked, if you desire wearing them frequently, they are best on earrings and pendants, but not on rings.

There are four types of opals: white, black, transparent and the common opal. Black and white opals are the most sought after for use in jewellery and are extremely expensive. Black opals paired with red, violet and orange flashes are the priciest, while the less expensive combinations include, black and white opals with yellow, blue and green flashes.