Myths of jewelry and Lore

 Opal Earrings have kept people happy and enticed for centuries. Legends have flourished all over the world and have followed these gems to this day. These legends and myths have only served to reinforce the interest of the gemstones.

Think of a picture you remember when talking about Hope Diamond. Many of the people associated with this beautiful green diamond have died under unusual circumstances and are said to carry a curse. Many other opal rings for women have stories and legends similar to Themba's.

Diamond Legends

Hope Diamond is probably the most famous gemstone. It has a reputation for bringing disaster to its owner. It shows red under uvlight and has a blue-gray under natural light. The stone is said to be re-engraved from the larger stone to its present state. The Smithsonian Institute is yours. The famous jeweler, Harry Winston, donated it to the Smithsonian, and interestingly, the gem was sent to the Smithsonian Institute in an empty brown box by the United States Post Office. Hope Diamond is not the Heart of the Ocean mentioned in the film Titanic as some claim. Hope Diamond was not on the Titanic.

Most of us have a Taylor-Burton Opal Wedding Ring in 69 carats it was Richard Burton's 40-year gift to Elizabeth Taylor. He sold the stone in 1978 to pay for a hospital in Botswana. He still has another gift, the Krupp Diamond, 33.19 carats.

At 530.20 carats, Cullinan I is the largest cut diamond in the world. It was cut along with a number of other stones from 3106 carat Cullinan diamond crystal.

Pearl Legends

Perhaps the most famous story of pearls was about Cleopatra. He is said to have bet Mark Anthony that he could have a more expensive party. To do so, he melted a large pearl earring into vinegar and drank it.

The early Romans thought that pearls were created as a drop of water falling between layers of oysters. The Persians had a myth that the pearl was created where the rainbow meets the earth.

Opal Myths

The Aborigines (Indigenous Australians) believe that the ancestors to mark their existence were left behind after opal. Some groups feel that Opal has brought them fire. Another local legend suggests that Muda, in the form of a vulture, created the Cooper stream. He died at the discovery of opals and the fish in his bag turned into opals.

Emerald Myths

Emeralds were considered medicinal in the past. Legend has it that by the 3rd century, emeralds were used to rest eyes and to make snakes blind. In Arabia, emeralds were thought to melt snakes' eyes. Other uses of emeralds were used to treat diarrhea, stomach problems, and even diabetes.

It was thought that the Holy Grail was engraved on the road to Satan's crown. The Incas and the Aztecs thought that emeralds were a sacred stone. It has also been suggested that emeralds may offer royal offspring to the common people.

Emeralds are a type of corundum and myths abound about their power and history, but Rubies are also corundum, and few if any myths follow Rubies.