Opals have the potential to fracture due to extreme heat or sudden temperature changes, so steam or ultrasonic cleaning methods are not recommended. Other more intense cleaning methods could damage the gem. When cleaning an opal, the safest method is to gently wipe it down with lukewarm, soapy water. It’s recommended that you store jewelry featuring opals by themselves away from other jewels, as diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and other harder stones can scratch this October birthstone. Because of this, it’s important to treat opals and opal jewelry gently to avoid scratching or chipping the surface. For reference, diamonds rank 10 as the hardest mineral.
Opals range from 5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, meaning they are a relatively soft gem. In addition to being the birthstone for October, opals are also the traditional 14 th wedding anniversary gift. Because of their unique smooth but fiery look, opals are most often polished in the cabochon style - a style where a gem is shaped and polished instead of faceted. In the past, opals were also believed to symbolize purity and hope due to their celestial coloring. In Sanskrit, opals were called “upala,” meaning “precious stone.” When these ethereal gems were brought to the Western world, ancient Romans called them “opalus.” Bedouin tribes used to believe that opals contained lightning that fell during storms, and Ancient Greeks thought these stones gave the gifts of prophesy and health.
Like several of the world’s most popular gems, opals are believed to have originated in India. Although this beautiful gem comes in a variety of hues, pink tourmalines are the most popular option for October birthstone birthday gifts. Like opal, tourmaline is also admired for its wide variety of colors. Opals are beloved for the dramatic “play of color” that shimmers in bursts throughout the stone. While white opals are the most common and popular, opals have hues ranging across the whole color spectrum including black opals, pearlescent pinks, pale greens, and more. Opals are popularly known for their milky, rainbow-colored glow and fire. It wasn’t until 1812 that the National Association of Jewelers began including both opal and tourmaline as the two October birthstones. The answer is: both! Opal is the traditional birthstone for October, but modern lists include tourmaline as well. Is October’s birthstone opal or pink tourmaline? While both gemstones are available in a wide variety of colors, classic white opals and pink tourmalines are the two most popular choices for those born in this autumn month.
October has two birthstones: opal and tourmaline. If you’re holiday or birthday shopping for someone born in October, a piece of jewelry featuring one of October’s birthstones makes for a timeless treasure! What are the two birthstones for October?
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