What has an Opal as its birthstone?
What has an Opal as its birthstone?
An opal is the birthstone for the month of October. Opals are also the gemstone for the 14th wedding anniversary.
Opals are a type of semiprecious stone that come in a variety of colors, including white, black, blue, brown, yellow, orange, pink, and red. The most common opal is the white opal, which has a milky white background with colorful flashes of iridescent color. Black opals are the rarest and most valuable type of opal; they have a dark body color with bright flashes of color. Boulder opals are another type of opal that have a natural rock matrix as their base.
Opals are found in several parts of the world, including Australia (which produces 97% of the world's supply), Brazil, Ethiopia, Honduras, Indonesia, Russia, Slovakia, and the United States. The majority of opals mined in Australia are from the state of New South Wales.
Opals have been used as jewelry and decorative objects for centuries. In ancient Greece and Rome, opals were believed to have supernatural powers and were used to protect against evil spirits. In the Middle Ages, opals were thought to bring good luck and were often worn by royalty. Today, opals are still a popular gemstone for use in jewelry, as well as in other ornamental items such as bowls, figurines, and vases.
If you're born in October, then you share your birthstone with people like Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, and Pablo Picasso—all of whom have opals as their birthstone. So whether you're celebrating a October birthday or anniversary, opals make a beautiful and meaningful gift.
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