Opal Gemstone – The Queen of Gems

Category: Fashion

Iridescence or goniochromism is a phenomenon that is loved by everyone. You would be wondering what that is, right? Put a drop of petrol on water, the display of lovely color like a rainbow you will see floating above is one good example of iridescence. Putting it to a definition, the phenomenon in which the surface of a certain object tends to change its colors with the change in its viewing angle is known as iridescence. Now imagine, how beautiful it looks and you may wonder if you could see that all day. And what if that is actually possible? There is a gemstone that has the quality to display this phenomenon and we know that rock by the name of Opal gemstone. Wear it on your finger as a ring and cherish the beauty all day long. In the simplest terms, when Silica has a lot of water content, such rocks are known as Opals. Talking science, the hydrated amorphous form of Silica that has water content up to 21% forms Opal gem. This gem is not termed as a mineral, but a mineraloid, due to its amorphous character. The beauty of this gemstone is something so mesmerizing that it has been awarded the title of the national gemstone of Australia. Opal is found in a plethora of colors, ranging from white, gray, red, black, brown, olive, to orange, yellow, green, pink, rose, magenta and blue. The Opal gem prices are the highest for the ones of white, black and red color, the rest are moderately priced. This gemstone is semi-transparent to opaque in nature;hence, it is usually given cabochon shape for best looks. What makes this gemstone so special is its ability or property to display iridescence. When viewed under the light, Opal gemstone presents a play of iridescent colors, which is termed as Opalescence in this case. This display of colors is so beautiful that it has made Opal one of the most desired gemstones across the globe. Apart from this, if we consider Opal gemstone astrology, this gemstone is very powerful and acts as a healer. As per the astrologers, Venus is the ruling body of the Opal gemstone that provides it not only with astonishing beauty but with a number of beneficial properties as well. Some of the best Opal stone benefits include the enhancement of love, hope, happiness, calmness, purity, and good luck. Lucky are those who took birth in the month of October as this gemstone serves as the birthstone for the same month.