The oldest known artefacts of opal jewelry discovered in a cave in Kenya by the famous anthropologist Louis Leakey are said to date back to about 4000 BC and most likely came from Ethiopia. History shows that the discovery and cultivation of the opal stone was important to the prestige and power of several ancient civilizations. As early humans continued to uncover various new and rare gems from the caves and crevices in which they had been stored hundreds of years ago, they soon learned how to work them into decorative shapes. Once the craft of shaping opal jewelry was mastered, these mysteriously glowing gems were sold for a fortune and revered as a symbol of great power and wealth.
What is Opal?
The modern name for the opal gemstone is derived from the Latin word "Opalus", which means: "to see a change of color". From a scientific point of view, opal is an amorphous mineraloid composed of water and a rich mixture of siliceous composites. Opal jewelry can be any color from white or gray to black. Black opals are the most valuable and widely known type of opal because the rainbow of colors that an opal stone gives off appears much more vivid when it stands out against a darker stone. Black opals are unique and very expensive. This is because they can only be found in one place in the entire world. The place is called Lightning Ridge and it is located in the northern part of New South Wales. This miner's dream is home to hundreds of millions of dollars worth of expensive black opal stones - stones whose net worth can appreciate at exponential rates of up to $15,000 per carat.
Where does opal come from?
Since the late 19th century, Australia has been the number one country in the export and production of opal, contributing more than ninety percent of global production. Opal of various qualities is found in over twenty other countries and comes mainly from Zambia, Ethiopia, Peru, Indonesia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Brazil and Mexico.
What makes opal jewelry so special?
Opal, its colors changing with every shift of light, was rarer than pearls and diamonds and was destined to be the most common gemstone associated with the reflection of one's innermost desires and dreams. Early races believed that the opal stone had a mystical energy that would allow its wearer to see the future. Opal jewelry is said to carry an innate sense of magic, gaining the wearer the power of prophetic insight and understanding. The opal's beautifully reflected and ever-changing spectral hues were considered a powerful and powerful charm that allowed for the release of inhibitions and encouraged spontaneity. Opal jewelry is also said to aid in gaining clarity. Opal, which looks different from every angle you look at the stone, is said to have the power to amplify and reflect inner feelings, buried emotions and desires. According to ancient Arabian folklore, the opal stone descended from the sky in a powerful flash of lightning. For the Romans, opal was considered a sign of hope and a sign of purity.
Colors of opal jewelry
The truly unique thing about opal is that it displays all the colors of the color spectrum in a so-called "play of colors" that results from the diffraction of light as it passes through the tiny silica spheres that exist deep within the opal's infrastructure. This means that the rainbow colors on the surface of the stone will move and change dramatically as you move and rotate the stone in your palm. The value of each individual opal varies greatly in accordance with several different factors that determine its value: such as body tone (or background color), color play, colors present, luster, pattern, shape, size and cut of the stone. In general, black opal jewelry is the most sought after form of opal. Lighter gray and whiter body tones are more abundant in nature and a little less exciting to the naked eye.
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