Opal & Tourmaline Have Become the Staple Birthstones of October. 

Birthstones are gemstones that accompany a birth month, each having a unique meaning and historical significance also represent the month of a person's birth. Those born in October enjoy two spectacular birthstones to commemorate their birthdays – opal and tourmaline. Both October birthstones have endless color combinations and beautiful coloring characteristics.

Opal Birthstone Meaning and History

Opal, the traditional October birthstone, is believed to have originated in India (the source of the first opals brought to the Western world), where in Sanskrit it was called upala, a “precious stone." .” In ancient Rome, this became opalus. Most opals are valued for their shifting colors in rainbow hues – a phenomenon known as “play-of-color.”The October birthstone’s dramatic play-of-color has inspired writers to compare it to fireworks, galaxies and volcanoes. Ancient Greeks thought opals bestowed the gift of prophesy and protection from disease. Europeans long maintained opal to be a symbol of purity, hope and truth. Hundreds of years ago, opal was believed to embody the virtues and powers of all colored stones.Opal is also the stone given to celebrate the 14th wedding anniversary.

Opal Durability-

At the Mohs hardness scale 5.5-6 out of 10.0, Opal isn't the most durable gemstone. Opal is the product of seasonal rains that drenched dry ground in regions such as Australia’s semi-desert “outback.” The showers soaked deep into ancient underground rock, carrying dissolved silica (a compound of silicon and oxygen) downward. During dry periods, much of the water evaporated, leaving solid deposits of silica in the cracks and between the layers of underground sedimentary rock. The silica deposits formed opal.

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OPAL STINGRAY PENDANT

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Tourmaline  Birthstone Meaning and History

Tourmaline is the newer October birthstone. The name comes from the Sinhalese word toramalli, which means “stone with mixed colors,” because it often has multiple colors in one crystal. Very few gems match tourmaline’s dazzling array of colors. Perhaps this is why ancient mystics believed this October birthstone could inspire artistic expression – it has a color palette for every mood. Among the most popular are the pink and red rubellites, the emerald green “chrome” tourmalines, and the neon green and blue-to-violet “paraíba” tourmalines.Because of its vast range of colors, tourmaline was often mistaken for other gemstones One of the “rubies” in the Russian crown jewels, the “Caesar’s Ruby” pendant, is actually red (rubellite) tourmaline. A Spanish conquistador found green tourmaline crystals in Brazil in the 1500s and confused the stones with emerald. These and other cases of mistaken identity continued for centuries until scientists recognized tourmaline as a distinct mineral species in the 1800s.Different colors of tourmaline are thought to have their own healing properties. Black tourmaline is believed to protect the wearer and give a sense of self-confidence. Pink tourmaline embodies love and is associated with compassion and gentleness. Green tourmaline promotes courage, strength and stamina.Tourmaline is given to celebrate the 8th wedding anniversary.

Tourmaline Durability

Tourmaline  it should hold up well in an engagement ring setting. With a hardness of 7 to 7.5, a tourmaline has a greater susceptibility to scratches than a diamond or sapphire.

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Jade and  Pink Tourmaline Cuff 

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18k Gold Tourmaline Choko’s Shoe Necklace

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Fun Facts of October Birthstones

• In 1956, the world’s largest and most valuable opal was found in Coober Pedy, Australia. It is named “Olympic Australis” in honor of the Melbourne Games that were occurring at the time. The 17,000 Carat gemstone is valued at over $2.5 million.
• Opal deposits have been found on the planet Mars, as it was uncovered by NASA in 2008 that a fallen meteorite from nearly a century before contained opal.
• Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom was an avid lover of opals. Among all of the royal gemstones, opal was her favorite.
• The Chinese found great value in tourmaline, so much that when the Chinese government suffered a collapse in 1912, tourmaline trade was affected worldwide.

October Birthstone Benefits

Opal Benefits

• Thanks to opal’s beauty and versatility in colors, many people often choose Opal as their main jewelry stone for making all types of custom jewelry and jewelry designs.
• Opal brings comfort to people wearing it. For balance of your life, opal may help releases fear and build trust.

Tourmaline Benefits

• It has the power to balances, such as the right-left sides of the brain,  male-female energy within the body. 
• Tourmaline helps to promotes self-confidence and diminishes fear. 
• Tourmaline improves inspiration, compassion,  and tolerance

GIFT IDEAS

• Because of the colorful spectrum of opals, the October birthstone works well in collaboration with many various types of jewelry and settings.
• Those people who born in October are very lucky to have a birthstone that has a universal look along with an interesting history.
• Opals and tourmaline make stunning gifts for birthdays, anniversaries and other special celebrations.
• Opal is also the stone given to celebrate the 14th wedding anniversary.
• Tourmaline is given to celebrate the 8th wedding anniversary.