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October 2001

"For in them you shall see the living fire of ruby, the glorious purple of the amethyst, the sea-green of the emerald, all glittering together in an incredible mixture of light." Pliny, 1st century AD

October is opal month, and Lost Sea Opals is having a sale to celebrate!

Opal has been a treasured gemstone for many centuries - and no wonder, with the incredible range of colours that flash and change as each opal is moved in the light. Today, high quality opal is rarer and more valuable than diamonds. Fortunate is the person born in October, for their birthstone is opal - the Queen of Gems.

The word 'opal' evolved from the Roman word 'opalus', which itself was derived from the Greek 'opallios', meaning, "to see a change of colour". Even further back in time, the ancient Sanskrit name for opal was 'upala', which meant, "precious stone".

Early Greeks thought opal gave powers of foresight and prophesy, while Romans regarded opal as a symbol of hope and purity, calling it 'Cupid Paederos' - a child beautiful as love. The Romans thought opal kept its wearer safe from disease. People of the Middle East said opal fell from heaven in flashes of lightning.

Precious opal has adorned the crowns of kings. Mark Antony's desire to possess one famous and brilliant opal gemstone was so great that its owner, Senator Nonius, was forced to flee Rome. The crown jewels of France included fine opals, and the crown of the Holy Roman Emperor contained opal. Napoleon presented his Empress Josephine with a magnificent opal called The Burning of Troy. England's Queen Victoria loved opals, wearing them throughout her reign and presenting her friends and daughters with fine opals. Today, gem opals are owned and worn by the royals and heads of state of many nations.

Until the late 19th century, opal was known chiefly in its light variety, in which beautiful colours sparkle from within a pale, sometimes milky stone.

How amazed, then, would the ancients have been by black opal - discovered in the arid inland of Australia many centuries later?

Black opal is the most valuable and spectacular form of opal, with a dark body colour that shows opal's spectacular colours to brilliant advantage. Ninety-five per cent of world opal supply now comes from Australia, and nearly all commercial black opal comes from Lightning Ridge in the north-west of New South Wales, on the edge of the Australian outback.

Lost Sea Opals uses quality Lightning Ridge opal in all of its beautiful Lost Sea Jewels range of jewellery. During the Opal Month of October, we are delighted to celebrate our love of opal with you by offering a 10% discount our entire range of beautiful opal inlay jewellery. Enjoy browsing through our online catalogue to find a piece of opal jewellery for yourself, or for someone special.

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