Every month has abirthstoneassociated with it . If you were stomach in the month of October , your birthstone is theopal . Perhaps more than any stone , the opal is cloaked in whodunit and legend . Butare opals sorry luck ?
The opal ’s repute as a forerunner of bad luck is well document . It ’s said that wearing an opal ring , or an opal talisman , will bring bad destiny to those born with a unlike birthstone . The popular opal superstitious notion likely came about from a blend of the mystical force of the opal , stories of the opal in literature , and stiff competition in the treasured gem trade .
Opal Superstitions Of Yore
Opalsuperstitionshave reposition andchanged over the years . Centuries ago , the opal was considered a estimable luck charm . It was cherished by the Romans as a symbol of Leslie Townes Hope , the ancient Greeks believed the opal gave its owner the giving of divination , and the Arabians believed that the colorful stone rained from heaven in flash of lightning .
In the Middle Ages , people believed the opal was indispensable to good eyesight , and immature women hold out them in their hair to ensure their haircloth colour would never melt [ germ : Opals Down Under ] .
The opal may have been so wide fear because of the way the stone play with colour . Made up of microscopic spheres of silica with space between them , the opal refract light in unlike way . Because of this , opals appear in nature inall different color .
How The Opal Became Bad Luck
It was n’t until much later on that the opal earned a reputation as the defective luck pit . A rumourlinking the peculiar behavior of an opal wear by a dupe of the Black Plague proved to be the unfastening of the cherished stone . Legend has it that the opal went dull survey the victim ’s end , an unsettling happening indeed .
In another story , a Spanish kinggave a cursed opal ring to his married woman , who fell ill curtly therafter . As the story goes , the King then decided to give the ring to his nan , who also die from the same unearthly unwellness . The tragedy continue with his sis and his sister - in - law , until the Spanish King finally put the ring on his own digit and passed away .
One of the worst blow to the opal ’s reputation came in the form of the 1829 novel " Anne of Geierstein " by Sir Walter Scott . The opal changed color with the heroine ’s temper . Then when her opal is touch by holy water , it discolor . She is accused of being a demon and dies shortly after . The public was so affect by this taradiddle that the opal mart actually crash and Price knock off by 50 percent [ source : Pegg ] .
Jealous Diamond Traders and the Opal’s Tarnished Reputation
The enchanting temptingness of the ancient opal made it a beloved gemstone for many throughout story . However , its reputation took a pregnant hit in the eighteenth and 19th hundred , and while Sir Walter Scott ’s novel " Anne of Geierstein " is frequently cited as a drive , there ’s another , more insidious slant to consider : the function of diamond monger .
date the rising popularity of opal as a threat tothe diamond marketplace , disgruntled diamond dealer and jewelers purportedly began to distribute rumor about the opal ’s hypothesise risky luck . Their motivation were absolved : by tarnishing the repute of opals , they aimed to bolster up the diamond ’s status as the prime minister gemstone for jewellery and do harm to the reputation of prominent opal mineworker .
Queen Victoria and the Renaissance of the Opal
Queen Victoria , who rule over the British Empire from 1837 to 1901 , wreak a significant character in the manner and ethnical style of her time , not just in Britain but across the worldly concern . Her influenceextended to jewelry trend , and among the gemstones she favored was the opal .
Her decision to , among other thing , wear opal pivot was not just a matter of aesthetic ; it was also , in many fashion , a statement against the opinion that they contribute bad luck .
The later 19th century consider the discovery of opal deposits in Australia , peculiarly in stead like Coober Pedy and Lightning Ridge . acknowledge the potency of this new source and the arresting quality of Australian opals , the Queen became an early patron , further boosting their popularity .
Opals in Pop Culture
Over time , the bewitch allure of opal has permeated various forms of popular culture . The presence of black opal , specifically in movie , literature , and medicine , often comes with themes of mystery , passion , and good luck . Recently , the prize winning film " Uncut Gems " incorporate the lucky opal superstitious notion , going so far as to suggest that smutty opals have magical properties .
Musicians , too , have knuckle under to the opal ’s allurement . The dance band " Opal " in the 1980s , which later became " Mazzy Star " , take out a direct reference . legion songs and album , spanning genres from rock’n’roll to ambient , have been inspired by or reference opals , often using the gem as a metaphor for ephemeral dish , deep emotion , or unsounded variety .
Celebrating the Magnificent Opal
Opals , shimmer with an internal fervidness and bursting with stories , history , and ethnic significance , are undeniably among the most fascinating coloured gem on Earth . They are more than just adornments ; they ’re reflections of humanity ’s shared myth , beliefs , and emotion .
Each type tells its own story , and every item-by-item stone , with its unique pattern and colors , is like a fingerprint — no two are exactly alike . It ’s represented bad luck for centuries , thanks in great part to the black pestis . Still , the wonderful opal owes much of it ’s popularity to this stern superstition .
