| The opal is an extremely old gem; the first manufactured opals appeared more than 6000 years ago.
The origins of its name come from three languages: Sanskrit “Upala” which means “precious stone”, Greek “Opallios” and Latin “Opalus” which mean “to see a game of colours”.
Pliny The Elder in 79 d.C. claimed:
Opals possess the combination of beauty of all other gems: it has the fiery red of the ruby, the glorious purple of the amethyst and the sea green of the emerald, a mix of colours coming together in an incredible, brilliant union.
Today opals are universally recognised and appreciated for their unique combination of colours. The optical phenomenon they present is known as “opalescence” simply due to the fact that it is the only mineralogical species to have this range of colours for which it is famous. |
