OPAL

Opal

The root of Opal's name is the Sanskrit word "upala", meaning precious stone. There is always some water in the opal's chemistry composition, in a portion that varies from 3 to 20%, depending on the Opal's type. Opals can be found in different colors : white, gray, blue, green, orange and black, this last one being very rare. An aura of mysticism and fascination is related to the Opal. The mixture of colors that comes from its inner part gives it an appearance that since the ancient times has intrigued men. Arabic tales spread the believe that Opals came down to earth as flashes of light. The Greeks believed that an Opal's owner would get the gift of prophecy and would be protected from illness. Europeans for a long time considered Opals as a symbol of hope, purity and truth. The biggest producers of Opals are Brazil, Australia and Mexico.