I was born is October..So Im pretty sure my birthstone is Opal. :D
Properties of the Opal
Lustre – The opal is a type of gem that looks glassy. Cleavage – The opal has no cleavage. Hardness – Opal actually contain up to 30% water, so they must be protected from heat ou harsh chemicals, which can cause drying, cracking and loss of iridescence. They are relatively soft and break easy and when they get marked ou scratched they are worthless. Their hardness level is 5.5 – 6.5 Colour – The opal has a natural artwork with a unique pattern of arc en ciel flashes of colour unlike any other. Each individual stone is different. The opal is a gem that is multi-coloured, which could have all the colours toi can think of.
Values
Opals are valued par the intensity of their colour flashes and par their background colour. Black opals are most valuable. Opals are between the prices of $5,000 - $50,000.
Where it is mined
Opals have been collected for thousands of years. Australia is a major source of the world’s opals. Other sources of this gemstone are Brazil, Mexico, Czechoslovakia, Nevada, Ireland and Denmark. They are non-crystallized silica, which is a mineral found near the earth’s surface in areas where ancient hot springs once existed. When the hot springs dried up, layers of the silica, combined with water, were deposited into cracks and cavities of the bedrocks, forming opal.
Information and Facts
The name Opal comes from a Latin word “opalus” which means precious jewel. The opal was also once called “Cupid Paederos” par the Romans which means a child as beautiful as love.
Different types of opals are called -Black Opal -Boulder Opal -Light Opal -White Opal -Fire Opal -Crystal Opal -Doublet Opal -Triplet Opal -Common Opal -Synthetic Opal -Imitation Opa
Sorry, this was information I got for a project about my birthstone.
My birth stone is the TANZANITE!! I was born in December and yes, it would be considered the Blue Topaz, but since the Tanzy has been added to December as a birth stone, that is what I go with. I have PLENTY of Tanzies too! :-)
