Birthstones
Opal
Known as the rainbow stone and prized for its beautiful display of colours, Opal stones are believed to bring luck and success to the wearer. Because each stone is so individual, opals are a particularly romantic, personal gift. Napoleon famously presented his wife Josephine with a beautiful opal called "The Burning of Troy”, so named for its brilliant red flashes.
Opal is formed of tiny silica spheres, which break up white light into its constituent spectral colours. The colours seen in each stone will depend on the size of the spheres. A stone with smaller spheres will shine mostly blue, whereas the largest spheres can show red – as in Josephine’s stone.
Most of the world’s opal is mined in Australia.
As it is quite a soft gem, opal should be stored carefully to avoid being scratched or chipped by other jewellery and gems. Avoid exposure to heat or acidic substances.
In some birthstone calendars Tourmaline is also associated with October.
To ensure that your birthstones stay looking as beautiful as ever, follow the Annoushka jewellery guide to Jewellery Care Gemstones >
