L'Opale
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Symbols of a poetic and mysterious stone

The ancient Greeks associated Opal with prophecy and purity.

In ancient Rome, it was a symbol of love and hope. The artist, philosopher and scholar Pliny the Elder described its play of colors as bringing together the fire of garnet, the crimson of amethyst and the green of emerald, reflecting in his poetry the taste of the Romans, who saw in Opal a condensation of the beauties of all stones.

Arab traditions, which attributed it a divine origin, had it falling from the sky in the midst of lightning. In North Africa, Opal was thought to be a fragment of lightning trapped in the rock.

In the Middle Ages, it was a stone of luck and protection.

The Australian aborigines called it the "rainbow snake", as legends tell us that it was created from its colors.

In India, the goddess of the rainbow is said to have transformed herself into Opal to escape her many suitors and finally be at peace.

Opal, known to mankind since the dawn of time, has fascinated many civilizations. Highly sought-after by collectors and prestige jewellers (for noble Opals), today Opal is a symbol of creativity, mystery and transformation of the spirit. It is also the birthstone of the month of October.
 

Spiritual significance and benefits

Opal enhances the expression of feelings, creativity and intuition.

Its symbols relate to transformation along the path of transcendence and ascension.

Opal, carrier of the energy of water, balances and invites suppleness and fluidity. It can help you to welcome your emotions and live them consciously, reminding you how they are precious messengers that it's wise to listen to.

Its invitation to emotional and spiritual renewal manifests itself first as an amplification of emotions, a sudden heightened sensitivity, which can help you reveal, then overcome, emotional wounds taking shape in inner blockages. Then, by raising awareness and renewing a connection with the sublime, accompany you in your quest for creative and liberating expression.

Her presence stimulates good humor and contagious joy.
 

Fire Opal

Desire - Creativity - Joy - Pleasure - Sexuality - Fertility

It marries and balances the elements water and fire in you and acts as a purifier of bodily fluids.
It acts mainly on the second chakra. The properties of Fire Opal are used to increase libido, overcome fears and inhibitions that prevent a fulfilled and self-respecting sexuality.
Fire Opal helps regulate the menstrual cycle and can be a valuable support during childbirth, increasing the effectiveness of contractions.
Chakra: Sacral
Zodiac signs: Cancer, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Pisces

White Opal

Softness - Peace - Serenity - Fluidity - Optimal money management

Very soft and luminous, White Opal calms, soothes and invites serenity and peace of mind.
Chakra: Coronal
Zodiac signs: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Virgo

Blue Andean Opal

Empathy - Creativity - Self-affirmation - Understanding - Soothing

By fluidifying the link between the heart and the throat, Blue Opal is ideal for encouraging the expression of feelings, especially when a flood of emotions prevents one from expressing oneself clearly. It is also an aid for those who would do better to think before they speak, as it invites us to explore our own feelings to prevent inappropriate reactions. It is also welcome for soothing the grief of young children.
Chakra: Throat
Zodiac signs: Cancer and Taurus

Yellow Opal

Energy - Balance - Willpower - Self-confidence - Mental clarity - Soothing - Sentimental expression - Optimism - Concentration

A stone with powerful gifts of Optimism in lithotherapy. It helps balance the mind, calming excess emotions and encouraging the expression of feelings. Explore the spiritual virtues of Yellow Opal
Chakras: Solar Plexus and Heart

Kiwi Opal, Pistachio Opal or Green Opal

Detox - New start - Confidence - Freedom from guilt

Spring-like, luminous and joyful, Kiwi Opal gives you a new lease on life and invites you to open your heart to welcome light and renewal. It soothes anger and dissolves blockages that could prevent you from moving forward harmoniously.
Chakras: Solar Plexus and Heart
Zodiac signs: Aries, Cancer and Sagittarius

Pink Opal

Love - Cordiality - Freedom from shyness and shame - Renewal - Intuition

Pink Opal invites love, creativity and spirituality. It softens hard and closed hearts and helps you realize that it is necessary to allow yourself softness, that it is possible to forgive yourself. It helps to free oneself from old patterns that repeatedly lead to painful sentimental experiences and encourages connection to feminine energies.
Chakra: Heart
Astrological sign : Cancer

Opal dendritic moss

Spiritual connection to Nature - Inner security - Transformation, regeneration, growth - Harmony in relationships - Emotional balance - Mental clarity

With its inclusions of dendrites that take on the appearance of trees or moss, Dendritic Opal carries the energy of nature. It is soothing, reassuring and regenerating for body and mind, inviting change and renewal. To find out more about the benefits of dendritic opal, visit our dedicated page.
Green dendritic opal and moss has the added virtues of Kiwi opal.
Chakra: third eye, coronal

Noble Opal

Positivism - Alertness - Joie de vivre - Flexibility - Visions - Creativity

Noble Opal and its many luminous colors invite you to cherish every facet of your life. It's a stone that pushes you towards joie de vivre and creativity.
Chakra: All
Zodiac signs: Scorpio, Cancer and Libra

Black Opal

Introspection - Truth - Repressed emotions - Honesty

Black Opal helps to manifest emotions and desires that have been repressed, buried and ignored for too long. With it, you can no longer say that everything's fine when it's not; it will make you understand the importance of being honest with yourself and that it's time to look within.
Chakra: Root
Zodiac signs: Scorpio, Sagittarius and Aquarius

Boulder Opal

Clarity - Anchoring - Security - Sexual attraction - Enthusiasm

Boulder Opal is the only Opal that promotes anchoring. It's an ideal stone for increasing one's sense of security and stability; and also for promoting sexual attraction and fidelity. It is also highly appreciated for its enthusiastic energy, linked to mental clarity and spontaneity.
Chakras: Root and Sacral
Zodiac signs: Scorpio, Virgo and Libra
 

What are the physical properties of Opals?

These are not scientifically established applications, but long-established and shared traditions:

• All Opal varieties are said to have beneficial effects on circulation, eyesight and the digestive system.
• Fire Opal may be effective for men with erectile dysfunction. It may promote fertility in and men and women, stimulate hormone production and nutrient assimilation.
• pink opal may help with heart problems
• White Opal moisturizes and increases skin elasticity (ideal for preventing stretch marks) and supports breastfeeding by accompanying the mother with its softness.
• dendritic moss opal and kiwi opal may have detoxifying properties for the body and help in cases of liver disease.
• Green Opal may be beneficial for colds, fevers and hypothermia.

How to use Opals in lithotherapy

• In case of difficult emotions, emotional shock, heartache or betrayal, place a Blue Opal on your throat and a Pink Opal on your heart.
• for a better circulation of energies in your body, place a black or boulder opal under your feet, a fire opal on your 3rd chakra, a pink or green opal on your heart, a blue opal on your throat, and a white opal above your head.
• contemplate a noble opal when you're feeling down, when you're experiencing conflict or when you need clarity or inspiration
• hold a Fire Opal in your hand for a few minutes each day to increase your vitality and connect with your desires.

What stones or crystals should Opal be paired with?

Opal combines very well with most stones. Here are a few ideas for combinations that will reveal its full potential, depending on the desired virtues:

• To accompany breastfeeding, pregnancy, postpartum or to promote feminine energies, soothing or gentleness, combine White Opal with Pink Opal and Moonstone or Opalescent Orthoclase or Blue Chalcedony or Blue Microcrystalline Quartz.
• Opal boulder pairs well with black or ferrous Tourmaline
  or Spinelle "ruby" for anchoring and protection
• to promote luck and prosperity, tradition associates Green Opal with Citrine or Citrine Quartz
• to support fertility, sexuality or courage, the combination of Fire Opal and Red Jasper or Red Jasper Quartz can be very beneficial.
• for hypersensitivity, shyness or difficult emotions, try the combination of Blue Opal and Green Aventurine or Green Aventurine Quartz.

Opal mineralogy

Opal belongs to the class of oxides, composed of silicon dioxide, and can contain up to 25% water (usually between 3 and 20%). Opals come in a huge variety.

It is formed when silica released during an erosion process forms a more or less transparent or opaque gel. Depending on its inclusions, it can take on different hues. It has no crystalline system, is a mineraloid and not a mineral in the strict sense.

Noble Opals are the most sought-after Opal varieties. Tiny silica spheres diffract light, giving them a phenomenon called "opalescence" (multicolored reflections), which is achieved by the random arrangement of microscopic patches of tridymite or cristobalite spheres acting as a light diffraction grating.

Fire Opal: this opal is formed by hydrothermal processes from silica-rich magmatic liquids. It can be almost colorless, yellow, orange or dark red, with a vitreous luster. Its color comes from the iron dioxide present in its composition.

The other best-known varieties of noble opal are: boulder opal, black opal, image opal, harlequin opal, leopard opal and matrix opal.

The best-known common opals (without reflections) are :

Andean Opal or Chrysopale: this is an opal from Peru, pale blue with a milky appearance, pink, blue or blue-green in color.

Green opal or kiwi: green in color, containing chlorite and nickel.

White opal: milky white in color.

Dendritic moss opal: with inclusions of manganese or iron oxide crystals called dendrites, which form tree-like formations reminiscent of a forest or moss.

Opaline: Not an Opal, but a synthetic stone imitating the opalescence of noble Opals.

The most famous noble opals come from Australia, in particular white, boulder and black noble opals. Fire Opal generally comes from Mexico. Noble and common opal deposits can be found all over the world, the main ones being in Australia, Ethiopia, Mexico, Brazil and the United States.

Its hardness is between 5.5 and 6.5 on the Mohs scale - a stone to be treated with care to avoid scratching or breaking.