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10
Oct
White Opal – October Birthstone Jewellery
October birthday holders are super-lucky. They have two birthstones – White Opal and Pink Tourmaline! Which one you choose is personal choice, but the most well-known is by far the White Opal. So much so, that we have a whole collection of pieces inspired by, and coloured in line with, White Opal!
Where does the word ‘opal’ come from?
The origins of the word opal are unclear. Some think it derives from the Latin opalus, which itself possibly comes from the Greek opallis. Even further back, some believe the Greek word originated from Sanskrit upala, meaning gem or precious stone.
Why are opals so special?
Opals have long been prized for their rarety and value. Until the 19th century when Australia started to mine it, it is thought that opals were only found in Slovakia. They have long been the stone of royalty, thought to protect against disease and represent the virtues of purity, hope and truth. Opals have been celebrated across the world, across different cultures and across time.
Why is opal the October birthstone?
This is a tricky one! Birthstones have long been assigned to months, but the ones we know of today are a relatively recent phenomena from the early 1900s. For White Opal it’s the colour that people say makes it so special – specifically it’s iridescent rainbow hue shimmering and moving in a milky-white depth. Some think this can act as a counterbalance to Libras who are thought to have leanings towards aesthetic order. And for Scorpios, well, like the White Opal, they are said to have deep multi-layered personalities so they are attracted to the stone.
What have opals inspired?
Artwork, literature and poetry have all been inspired by the beauty of the opal, including the White Opal.
This is particularly seen in Australia, whose national stone is the opal! There are even historical Australian stamps celebrating the stone.
Historically, jewellery made with White Opal was a status symbol and wealth and prosperity.
Do people still wear opals?
Yes they do – but large stone jewellery has largely fallen out of fashion. Changing tastes have moved away from chunky stones. Moreover, a broader eco-consciousness makes the idea of mining opal stones from the ground a little uncomfortable.
What we see nowadays is the opal being used to inspire more modern pieces of jewellery…
…and that is the case here at FiorSó. We love the colour and sparkle of White Opal, and have used this to inspire our range of White Opal coloured pieces – using enamelling and Swarovski pearls. Take a look!
Check out our full range of White Opal inspired jewellery – earrings, necklaces and rings here.
