Hello, friends! If you have ever seen and held a blue opal in your hands, then you know for sure that this is not an ordinary stone. The original appearance is the first thing that catches your eye. The pebble looks ethereal and mysterious due to its delicate blue base and delicate colored patterns inside. The energy of the mineral is the second thing that attracts attention to it. Even those who are far from esotericism feel the power and magic of blue opal, completely falling under its influence. I suggest delving into the world of stones, learning more about what blue opal is and how, and most importantly, who it helps in life.
Historical reference
The existence and properties of unusual blue pebbles were known in some parts of the world and unknown in others.
For example, opals were brought to Europe from India in the 19th century. Until this moment, besides the Indians, only Australians used the beauty and power of the mineral. Europeans became imbued with the peculiarities of stones and began to actively use them in jewelry to create exquisite jewelry for the “cream” of society.
The cost of blue minerals in rings, necklaces and bracelets exceeded all permissible standards, but not for long. In the mid-20th century, new deposits were discovered. The stones are no longer such a rarity, the price for them has dropped noticeably, although it still remains inaccessible to everyone who wants to enjoy the beauty of opal.
How to wear it correctly?
Opal is a special stone that requires special attention. When a gem is purchased for the purpose of receiving magical or healing help, all aspects of use must be taken into account, starting from the moment of purchase. Here the phases of the Moon will come to the rescue, and minerals of different colors have their own rules:
- It is recommended to purchase white opal on the 4th day of the lunar cycle, and start using it only on the 18th lunar day.
- It is advisable to buy the milky mineral on the 14th lunar day, starting to use it on the 28th lunar day.
- The fire gem is purchased on the 25th day of the cycle, and can be worn from the 11th day of the next lunar cycle.
- It is better to buy all other varieties of the mineral on the 15th lunar day, and use it in the last days of the cycle (29-30 days).
Also read: Zoisite – displaying the colors of wild Africa
Once the purchase is made, all that remains is to follow some recommendations that will help you get the most out of the stone:
- A mandatory aspect is the contact of the gem with human skin, otherwise healing or magical powers will not manifest themselves.
- It is better to wear jewelry with a stone as often as possible, since the mineral needs moisture to exist, which it takes from the air or from the owner’s body. Otherwise, the stone is in danger of drying out. However, time away from each other is also necessary.
- Under a stream of cold water, the opal is cleansed of foreign energy.
- Jewelry with the mineral is worn after applying makeup.
It is recommended to wear the ring on the middle finger, without changing it from one hand to the other.
What is blue opal?
Opal is an organic mineral. In addition to water and quartz, it contains silica. You can easily recognize a pebble by its unusual structure. It looks durable, but in practice it is almost as fragile as glass. Interestingly, the largest reserves of blue opal are concentrated near active volcanoes.
A unique feature of the stone is its ability to reflect light, playing with rainbow tints. Opalization is what gemologists call this phenomenon. The stone reveals itself in a yellow gold setting. Its brilliance sets off the inner radiance of the stone, emphasizing its cosmic content. Silver and platinum are also used as cutting options; jewelry with such combinations turns out to be delicate and sophisticated. Blue opal looks beautiful in any type of product, but most often it is chosen for inlay:
- earrings;
- rings;
- pendants;
- pendants, etc.
The water content of opal makes it a special mineral. Fragile and delicate, the pebble requires delicate handling and regular care. The best options are cabochon, oval or circle cuts.
Where is it mined?
The richest deposits of blue opals are in Peru. Interesting rare specimens are mined in several states of America - Nevada and Oregon. Due to the concentration of mineral deposits in Peru, the stone is often called Peruvian. There are samples of both bright neon colors and delicate pastel colors.
There is a beautiful legend about how blue opal became part of the Caribbean Sea. Its waters froze inside the stone forever, reminding each new generation of people of the turquoise tints of sea waves.
Some stones contain inclusions of black and brown colors. These amazing patterns are an imprint of nature inside the stone. Moss, plant elements - all this freezes inside the translucent opal, creating amazing natural patterns.
Until 2003, bluestones were mined exclusively in Peru. The main deposits of the mineral were discovered in Lili and Akari. Today the last mine is no longer operational. Its reserves of opal have been exhausted. Lily is on the verge of exhaustion and will soon close too. This is why specimens of Peruvian pebbles are so highly valued. There are few of them left and soon there will be none left.
Where is the stone mined?
Opal is not a rare stone: even such an everyday material as asphalt belongs to its family. If we talk about precious and ornamental varieties, then, as a rule, they are found in nature in the form of biconvex lenses, or layers sandwiched between other rocks.
Australia exports the most gems, but these are mainly white and fiery varieties. As for jirasol, it is not without reason that it is called “Peruvian opal”. This variety of gem is supplied to the market in Latin America. Once upon a time, the Incas, who lived on the territory of modern Peru, inserted blue gems into the eyes of their idols. The conquistadors picked out the stones and sent them home along with other booty.
In the Eastern Hemisphere, blue opal is mined in Ethiopia. Finds are also known in Kazakhstan and Turkey. Sometimes you come across heavenly gems in Kamchatka, as well as in Ukraine.
Energy and healing properties
The first Peruvian blue opals were discovered in 1983 quite by accident, when they were looking for copper deposits in the south of Lima. Since then, the stone has been considered one of the most beautiful and energetically strong. A recognized relaxant, it helps cope with anxiety, insomnia and anxiety. In a conversation, a pebble creates ease and helps thoughts move freely and in the right direction. Many believe that blue opal gives confidence and instills courage in its owner, and also defeats chronic fatigue, solves problems with brain disorders and gastrointestinal tract function.
Peruvians are convinced that it was no coincidence that blue opal appeared on Earth. The stone is considered a gift from the Incan goddess Pachamama. In Latin America it was called “the stone of faith and hope.” The ancient Indians believed that the meaning of life was in harmony with one’s “I” and the surrounding world. Blue opal helped them achieve the desired state.
Price
How much an opal costs depends on many characteristics, color, inclusions, size, rarity of the specimen, and play of colors. The price per carat can start from $10 and go up to $5000–6000. A magic stone is not suitable for everyone; if you have doubts about purchasing it, it is better to stick to light-colored gems. And before buying, you should feel the energy of the mineral, hold it in your palms for a few minutes to understand your own sensations.
How to distinguish a fake?
- like natural stones, artificial ones shimmer in the light, but real minerals are characterized by softer, calmer transitions, while fakes lack a variety of shades;
- When exposed to sunlight, real opals leave hundreds of different reflections of color on the palms;
- It’s easy to check the gem by touching it with the tip of your tongue; it’s natural – it won’t stick;
- real stones are presented in whole pieces, without cracks or air bubbles.
Opal stone is a fragile gem and therefore requires careful handling. You should put on jewelry after applying makeup; it does not tolerate any chemical elements, including perfumes. A box with a soft bottom or a piece of fabric will protect the beauty of the mineral from external damage. Cleaning is not particularly difficult; first the products are soaked, then treated with a weak soap solution and a toothbrush.
Video: How to distinguish natural opal from synthetics?
Starting from February 19 to March 19, it is better not to wear stone products; this is the time of rest of the mineral, the period of accumulation of cosmic energy.
An amazing stone will not only become a strong amulet that protects the owner from the blows of fate. Influences character, revealing talents and abilities for science. Careful handling will preserve the natural beauty for many years.
What types of imitations are there?
Due to dwindling natural reserves, genuine blue opals are becoming increasingly difficult to purchase. The market is filled with synthetic analogues, which jewelers are happy to use for inlaying products, and not always in good faith indicating a replacement.
Counterfeits of stones are even sold at online auctions, mainly offering analogues from China and India. Most often these are colored agates that are inferior in price.
It is not difficult to distinguish them from natural opal. The first thing that catches your eye is the coloring. For a fake it is uneven. The second is hardness. For natural opal it ranges from 5.5-6.5 on the Mohs scale. For agate, these figures are several times higher. You can recognize the imitation by its texture. In blue opal it is glassy with a delicate transition to pearl with a high degree of transparency and a whitish color when broken.
Synthesized opals are something else. This is not a fake, but an experiment, a way to give the world beautiful stones that are as close to natural as possible without depleting the planet’s resources. The first synthesized samples appeared in 1974. The author was Pierre Gilson. Its specimens were distinguished from their natural counterparts by their density indicators. The synthesized stones turned out to be more porous, with uneven color, and the inability to glow under the influence of UV rays. In all other respects, synthetic opal was practically no inferior to natural opal.
The largest producers of artificial blue stones are in Japan. Companies produce imitations of minerals with an unusual composition, visually and in properties identical to natural ones.
How to distinguish a fake?
Instead of natural opal, cheap glass imitations are often offered. Serial products are decorated with opal doublets. To do this, opal plates are glued onto glass, obsidian or onyx. Externally, it is difficult to distinguish such a stone from a natural one.
If they try to slip you a piece of glass, the natural properties of real opal will help you avoid falling for the bait:
- Opalescence. The shimmer of natural stone is floating, soft, multi-colored, which cannot be said about the glass replacement with sharp reflections of the same color.
- In sunlight, the natural mineral will show all the colors of the rainbow on the hand, but the substitute will not.
- Air bubbles are sometimes visible inside the fake.
- Try to put the stone against your tongue - the fake will definitely stick to it.
- You can put the stone in colored or simply contaminated water - natural opal will change color.
- Natural minerals do not have a repeating pattern; they are characterized by color zoning.
There is also the possibility of purchasing jewelry with artificial opal. Russia, China, and Japan are leaders in growing minerals in laboratory conditions. In fact, artificial opal is created from substances that are found in natural gems. Growing conditions are also close to natural, only the “ripening” period of the stone is about one and a half years.
A synthetic analogue of stone is endowed with such advantages as increased strength, a variety of shades that often do not exist in nature, low cost, and visual appeal. However, it is worth considering that artificial stone is just a decoration. There can be no talk of any magical or healing properties.
Opals in jewelry
Blue opal is highly valued by jewelers, who consider it ideal for inlay. The best cuts for a stone are oval, round and cabochon. All three options reveal the iridescent brilliance of the mineral. An interesting solution is special opal plates. They cover black glass, ordinary opal or obsidian, thus reducing the cost of the finished product without compromising the aesthetic appearance, and are used in earrings, rings, bracelets and pendants.
To give the stone the hardness necessary for processing and use, jewelers place it in an additional setting coated with artificial resin or a layer of oil (this was the case several decades ago).
Light metals, such as white gold, silver and platinum, harmonize with blue opal.
Rules of care
Fragile stones are washed with a soft damp brush and then dried with a napkin. It is not recommended to use household chemicals for cleaning. The blue mineral is afraid of sunlight, so it is worn covered with clothing. Products containing mineral cannot be cleaned with ultrasound. Vibration causes cracks in fragile materials.
When the stones become cloudy, they are immersed in water for 2 hours. Jewelry should be removed during cleaning or sports activities, as minor impacts can cause chips and cracks.
A separate box is allocated for storing opals, since harder crystals can damage them. It is better to use soft fabric covers for decorations. For long-term storage, the products are wrapped in cotton wool, moistened with a few drops of water. Afterwards they are placed in a plastic bag to prevent moisture loss.
If abrasions or scratches appear, you can contact a cutter. The technician will restore the shine and check the fastenings.
Magic properties
Natural stones are believed to have special magic. Blue opal is no exception. Properties are attributed to him:
- make people balanced and peaceful;
- give happiness and hope;
- help improve everyday life, improve family relationships and warm up love.
The Greeks had an interesting opinion. They believe that blue opal can awaken clairvoyance abilities in everyone.
Another interesting opinion is that the blue mineral is a stone that fills the soul with empty hopes, both good and not so good. The Indians even have their own legend about this. In it, a simple Indian boy found a ring with a blue opal, saw its glow in the dark, and heard screams coming from the stone. The boy showed the stone to a local magician, who advised him to get rid of the find as quickly as possible.
The magician told the guy that the screams coming from the stone were all the evil of humanity that the stone had managed to absorb during its existence. The boy did not take the magician’s words seriously and left the stone with him. The result is sad. From being kind and understanding, he became angry, closed and cruel. Soon the boy with the opal went crazy and went to live in the jungle with the curses of the entire human race.
Whether to believe in the negative impact of a pebble on the owner’s life or to hope for its positive energy is something everyone decides for themselves. In contrast to the legend of the Indian boy, there is a bright tale about how, for many centuries, a stone has been considered a connecting link between man and heavenly forces.
White magicians believe in the ability of blue opal to protect against adversity, awaken intuition, and open doors to the astral world. The blue mineral is saturated with water energy and is associated with the throat and third eye chakras. Anyone who often speaks in public, feels insecure in society and needs to strengthen their authority should have it with them.
Opals in lithotherapy
Not only the Peruvians believed in the healing properties of blue opal. Modern lithotherapists do not doubt its power to heal. They are convinced that the pebble helps to cope with diseases of the nervous system, stabilizes blood pressure and the functioning of the heart muscle.
Owners of blue opals are less likely to fall into a state of depression, feel cheerful and happy, and almost never get colds. In addition, a pebble in a ring or pendant helps normalize vision and improve the functioning of the digestive system. Women in some countries wear a stone on themselves when they want to be cured of infertility.
Who is the stone suitable for?
Blue opal has the amazing ability to adapt to the energy of representatives of all zodiac signs. However, before choosing a mineral as your faithful life partner, it is worth considering how it interacts with each of the signs individually.
- Opal goes well with Libra, helping them make the right decisions. The pebble teaches Capricorns calmness, and Virgos - gentleness and compromise. For Sagittarius, it is better to replace blue opal with fire opal. With its help, Scorpios will be able to protect themselves from ill-wishers.
- Blue opal suits Gemini well. The mineral will bring good luck to representatives of this sign, charging them with energy and inspiration. The ideal solution is blue opal for fish. For everyone born under this sign, the mineral will improve their intuition, double their energy, and teach them to be calm, balanced and kind. Blue opal will help Leos cope with permanent emotional stress, promote the development of loyalty and flexibility, and make Taurus representatives calm and patient.
- An interesting option is blue opal for Cancers. For everyone born under this sign, the pebble will help them become self-confident, calm, get rid of fears and anxieties, and develop intuition.
It is believed that blue opal attracts wealth, helps improve relationships in the family, stabilizes the energy of Cancers and gives them a sense of peace.
What interesting things do you know about blue opal? Have you already felt its effect and can you imagine how to subjugate the energy of the mineral? Share the photo and article with your friends on social networks!
Team LyubiKamni
Who is suitable according to their zodiac sign?
Western astrology says that opal is universal. Almost all zodiac signs are well suited to a white or blue stone. Opal is most active on Fridays, the peak of healing and magical properties is from September 23 to October 22.
Chinese astrologers advise those born in the years of the Water (Black) Cat or Metal (White) Pig to wear it.
If a person has weak nerves or frequent mood swings, it is better to choose another gem. Even if the opal matches your horoscope.
| Zodiac sign | Compatibility |
| Aries | — |
| Taurus | + |
| Twins | + |
| Cancer | + |
| a lion | — |
| Virgo | + |
| Scales | + |
| Scorpion | +++ |
| Sagittarius | + |
| Capricorn | + |
| Aquarius | + |
| Fish | +++ |
(“+++” – fits perfectly, “+” – can be worn, “-” – is strictly contraindicated)
