Opals BY BIGI UHL
All of nature‘s splendour seems to be captured in the opal. Lovers of jewellery know that no other gemstone contains such a rich, unparalleled diversity of colours. Opal was a favourite among kings and kaisers alike and to this day still enjoys enormous popularity.
OPALS
Myth and history Countless opal findings have revealed that the Mayans and Aztecs had used opal for jewellery, as well as in their rituals. Depending on the region of origin, opal was referred to as “the stone of the bird of paradise” or “the hummingbird stone”. This name was inspired by the vastly, dazzlingly colourful feathers of this tropical bird. Pliny the Younger, the famous Roman author, once described opal as “having the soft blaze of the carbuncle, the lustrous purple of the amethyst, the magnificent sea green of the emerald, the golden gold of the topaz, the deep blue of the sapphire – all of these colours gleam simultaneously in beautiful combination with one another.” PAGE 02
OPALS
Myth and history
Numerous tales and legends surround the opal and can be traced back to times long before ours. According to ancient Greek mythology, the tears Zeus cried after winning the battle against the Titans are held captive within the opal. In India, opal is regarded as a good luck charm, and in the Orient, opal is considered the stone of unfaltering hope and fidelity. The name itself comes from Sanskrit “Upala”, meaning stone or gemstone. At a later stage, the name “Upala” was replaced by the Greek word for opal: “Opallios”. The majority of opal originated from European mines in Hungary and the Czech Republic prior to the 18th Century. These resources were quickly depleted. As a result, opal of poorer quality infiltrated the market. These particular opals originated from groundwater areas and as such its water content was too high. These opals dried out upon exposure to air, the surfaces quickly showing fissures. This period of unpopularity was short-lived, once high-quality, stable Australian opal came onto the market, this replacing the poor quality opal, in approximately 1890.
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OPALS
Myth and history Opal first became popular in Europe in the 19th Century. It was believed to be a source of eternal youth. The British Queen Victoria adored opal, giving it as presents to all of her daughters, thus creating a new fashion trend. Many Art Nouveau artists use this beautiful gemstone in their works of art. Sarah Bernhardt, the famous French actress, was an opal enthusiast and never left the house without a piece of opal jewellery adorning her body.
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OPALS
CELEBRETIES
Elvis Presley
Queen Elisabeth II
Andy Warhol
Jenna Dewan-Tatum
John D. Rockefeller
Opal was also popular with other celebrities. Elvis Presley was a fan of opal. American artist and film-maker Andy Warhol was so inspired by this gemstone, that it became the subject of many of his paintings. He even made the opal the subject of an entire exhibition.
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OPALS
CELEBRETIES
Victoire de Castellane
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OPALS
Myth and history Opal is believed to be a source of comfort in problematic affairs of the heart. Due to its soothing effect, it can help its owners attain inner peace and be more in the present moment. The properties of the opal are also known to have a stimulating effect – activating fantasy and creativity, interest in the fine arts and poetry, even arousing the libido! Opal is generally good for one‘s health!
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OPALS
Characteristics
Mother Nature, in all her glory, has seen to it that no two opals are the same. No two opals will ever exhibit the same pattern, array or play of colours. Each and every opal is truly one of a kind! What makes an opal so special is “opalescence” - this is the word used to refer to its rainbow like play of colours which change depending on the angle of vision. What causes this phenomenon – this “opalescence”? Using an electron microscope with a magnification of 20,000x, scientists discovered that tiny spheres of compact silica gel measuring at around 10,000 millimetres in diameter are responsible for this fantastic play of colours.
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OPALS
Characteristics Opal forms in just a few weeks at temperatures well below 100 degrees Celsius. Opal will always contain a certain amount of water and as such, if it is stored in too dry a place or exposed to heat over a longer period of time, it will start to dry out and show fissures in the surface. Opal should really be stored in moist cotton wool. This will delay and perhaps even prevent the ageing process. Pressure as well as weight and impact of any kind, together with heat, acid and alkaline solutions as well as cosmetics will permanently damage an opal.
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OPALS
Characteristics
The first opals were discovered in Australia over two centuries ago. Since then, Australia has been the most important supplier of opal worldwide. Well known sites are Lightning Ridge and White Cliffs in New South Wales, Coober Pedy and Andamooka in South Australia, Bulla Creek and Burcoo River in Queensland. Opals have also been found in Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan and in Nevada in the United States.
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OPALS
Characteristics
Black opal
White opal
The black opal, with a base colour ranging from dark grey
White opal has a light coloured body, such as white,
to black, is one of the most sought-after opals of all –
yellow or beige, and shows a lovely play of colours.
and also one of the rarest. One of the scarcest and most prized forms of black opal is the Harlequin Opal, an opal in which the play of colour is arranged in a consistent harlequin, diamond-shaped or rectangular-shaped pattern that is very vivid.
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OPALS
Characteristics
Boulder opal
Fire opal
Opal doublets and opal triplets
Boulder opal is truly fantastic, with its dark ironstone back-
The first fire opals made their way into Europe in the early
An opal doublet is a thin layer of opal with a dark backing
ground and vibrant play of colour, which changes according
1900‘s. Fire opals are transparent to translucent opals
of rock or stone material. The opal triplet is also
to the angle of vision. This particular opal is found in
with warm body colours of yellow, orange, orange-yellow
man-made and consists of three pieces of material –
boulders in Queensland, Australia and comes from a “mother
or red and do not usually show any play of colour.
a thin slice of opal, a cap of clear quartz and a dark rock
rock” or “matrix” of boulder ironstone. It is cut in such a
As a result, fire opals are not classified as precious opals,
or stone base. The domed cap of clear quartz acts as a
way that the ironstone is left in the background to give the
rather they belong to a subcategory of opal. In spite of
protective layer for the opal.
sometimes thin veins, sometimes extensive range of colours,
this, they distinguish themselves by their beautiful, warm,
a base.
expressive orange, which ranges between every imaginable shade of yellow to light red. It was the fire opal‘s intensely magnificent colour which led both the Indians and the Persians to believe that such a gem could only have been created in the waters of paradise. Fire opal is mostly faceted. The most significant fire opal deposits in the world are in Mexico.
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UHL
SCHMUCK & EDELSTEINE
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