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During the time of Queen Elizabeth, Opal was written "ophal". Some believe the name was derived from the word "opthalmos" meaning, "the eye". Thus, in ancient times, Opal was said to be intimately connected with a belief in the Evil Eye. Over the years, a superstition developed which said the stone caused ill luck if gazed upon.
Colour
It is unique among the gems, displaying an array of very brilliant miniature rainbow effects, all mixed up together. Its most outstanding characteristic is this unusual, intense display of many colours flashing like mini-rainbows called "play of color". This effect is created by opal's formation process, which is very different from that of other gems.
Opal is silicon oxide containing variable amounts of water. The color flashes come from natural hydrated silica spheres that create light interference. The water content in an Opal can be anywhere from 1-21 though usually between 3-13. The arrangement of the spheres, which vary in size and pattern, is responsible for the different colors seen. Opal, when not transparent, is usually cut flat or in cabochon, since there is no additional brilliance to be captured by a good faceting job. Color is everything. White opal has a white or light body color with flashes of many colors. Black opal has a black, dark blue, dark green or gray body color with flashes of color such as red, pink and bright green.
Legend
The Romans considered opal a symbol of hope, an appropriate attribute for a gem with a rainbow locked within it. The Arabs believed opals fell from heaven in flashes of lightning, thus acquiring their fiery colours.
These romantic notions are inspired by one of the most uniquely beautiful gemstones nature has ever produced-the mysterious opal. The phenomenon displayed by opal is called "play of color". It is caused by the diffraction of light. The effect is similar to the rainbow colors displayed on a soap bubble, only much more dramatic.
In the 19th century opal acquired a stigma through its role in the plot of a novel by Sir Walter Scott, Anne of Geierstein. The heroine owned an opal that burned fiery red when she was angry and turned ashen grey upon her death. Queen Victoria finally dispelled the curse by giving opal jewelry wedding presents to her relatives.
Sunthetics
Far from being mere look-alikes synthetic gems are made of exactly the same material that nature uses and mimic the natural structure perfectly.
Synthetic opal first came on the market in 1974 and has been improving ever since. A skilled gemologist like a member of the American Gem Society can distinguish it from natural opal by viewing it under magnification, but looking natural to the untrained eye.
Mining
The world's most important source of opal is Australia. The opal miner is a strange breed of individual. He chooses to lead a Spartan life in a particularly barren and dry corner of the world while he searches for his rainbows. To escape the extreme temperatures, he must burrow a home underground.
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