Opal and Tourmaline - October's Birthstones
Opal and Tourmaline,
the birthstones of October
“In the Pantheros (Opal) varying colors meet, where black and red, and green and white compete: Here rosy light, there brilliant purples play...”
- De Lapidibus, 1035-1123
A new month, October, is upon us!
This Autumn month brings two unique and varied birthstones with it; opal and tourmaline.
~ Assortment of opal and tourmaline gemstones, images curtesy of Stuller
Opals are a bit of an anomalous gemstone. While other crystals have a repeating, organized structure, most opals are amorphous. They are comprised of stacking silica spheres, having formed 2 million to 60 million years ago. Many of them even contain water!
This alluring gemstone is famous for “Play-Of-Color”, an optical effect caused by light squeezing through the silica spheres. Play-Of-Color can showcase every color, and comes in various patterns.
~ Opal ring and opal earrings by Parle Jewelry
From wide flashes, to sudden shifts in color, to pinpricks of glittering rainbows and even board, bold patches.
No two opals are the same, creating boundless opportunities and limitless inspiration.
Queen Victoria loved opals, and often wore them as a young woman, including an opal brooch on the back of her dress during her coronation.
Lore surrounding the mystical opal hints at magic and mystery. Arab tradition claims that opal was created where lightning struck the ground, and the Play-Of-Color was caused by the trapped lightning flashing in the stone.
~ Opal pendant by David Kord
In the Middle Ages, opal was considered a very powerful gemstone, sometimes called ‘the magician’s stone’. It was said to grant all the magic of the colors it displayed.
And joining opal for the month is tourmaline.
While the traditional color is pink for the birthstone, any color will do; and tourmalines have many colors!
From forest green to dark teal, vibrant red-purple, subtle yellows and browns and bright pinks, there’s a color of tourmaline for everyone.
Even shocking neon blue, like the copper bearing Paraiba variety!
~ Paraiba tourmaline pendant by Yael Designs
Tourmaline may also show more than one color in a single gem.
Bi-colored, tri-color and blended are possible, leading to striking combinations.
Given the crystal structure in which tourmaline grows, elongated shapes are favored and can easily be cut. Fantasy cuts and carvings are also popular with this gemstone.
~ Bi-color tourmaline ring by David Kord
Tourmaline is a very versatile gemstone, offering eye-clean stones and deep colors.
A fun fact about this jewel is that tourmaline is pyroelectric; this means it becomes electrically charged when heated.
This trait led to tourmalines being used in many industrial or science applications, noted in 19th century chemist notes on polarized light. An old story says the Dutch sometimes called it “ash-attracter” as when heated, the tourmaline stones would pull bits of ash from the fire.
~ Tourmaline rings by Yael Designs
The black variety of tourmaline, sometimes called “schorl”, is used in a lot of modern amulets and is said to help protect against negative energy, including the EMF waves given off by modern electronics.
Tourmaline offers an alternative to many other colored stones.
~ Slice of 'watermelon' tourmaline
October has wild and intriguing birthstones, as varied as the leaves that change color this time of year.
Whether you are drawn to the fiery flashes of trapped lighting in an opal, or the steady, rich colors of pyroelectric tourmaline, you have nothing but choices.
Embrace the magic of fall with these fascinating stones!
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~Blog by Isabelle Corvin, Staff Gemologist and Merchandising Manager