Australian Opal flash rainbow colors trapped in a quartz gemstone. The most precious black opals appear like angry storm clouds passing behind a rain-washed rainbow. No two opals are the same. The color play of each of them is completely unique. They are beautiful, porous, fragile, highly valued and shrouded in myth and legend. They make amazing engagement rings.
After all, opals are out of luck if they're not your stone, right?
Not at all! Opals are the keystone of October and the zodiac stone of Libra, yet they are enjoyed, admired and worn by birthday people all year round without any apparent extra bad luck! So how did this myth come about?
Like all good stories, it started a long time ago and in Europe.
Opals have been prized for their beauty and rarity throughout time, and late 19th century Europeans were no exception! The European opal market at the time was supplied by Hungary, although some also came from further afield in India and the Middle East. But everything changed in 1890, when a new supply of significantly better opals was discovered. They were Australian opals and their fiery opalescence had never been seen before! To protect their market, the Hungarians claimed that the new opals were fakes.
In the novel, he wrote that opals brought bad luck to people not born in October. A cursed myth was born and the European opal market almost collapsed. A near disaster was averted when Queen Victoria herself intervened by donating opal jewelry at the royal wedding!
Today, the cursed myth may have become legend, but the beauty of Australian opals is there for all to see. Black opals and the best white opals have a distinctive fire and enough play of color to hold their own even when placed next to diamonds.
However, opals are much softer than diamonds, so they should be set to protect the gem from chips and scratches. Frame settings are popular for this reason. They should be cleaned gently in plain water and certainly not in harsh chemical cleaners suitable for diamonds!
Opal Briliant makes sensational jewelry. And if you are looking for an incredibly beautiful and completely unique engagement ring with a mythical antique feel, an opal ring could be perfect for you.
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