Opaland tourmalineare two magnificent birthstonesthat honor those who were born in October. Both Octobers birthstonesfeature stunning hues and many color combinations. Discover the ideal present for folks born in the tenth month by learning more about these two Octobers birthstones.
Octobers Birthstones - Opal Overview
The Greek term Opallios, which meant "to notice a shift in hue," is where the name "opal" comes from. When describing this gemstone's kaleidoscopic "play" of rainbow hues that could mimic the tones of any stone, the Roman scholar Pliny coined the term "Opalus."
When researchers in the 1960s found that opals are made of small silica spheres that diffract light to exhibit a range of rainbow hues, their distinctive "play-of-color" was finally understood. These glitzy gems are referred to as "precious opals." "Common opals" are those that lack play-of-color.
There are many different types of opal, but just a few, including fire opal and boulder opal, are well-known worldwide. Opals are often identified by their background "body color," which is either black or white.
Australia is the traditional place of origin for opal. Seasonal rains wet the dry Outback and carried subterranean silica deposits into gaps between rock strata. These deposits transformed into opal as the water evaporated. Fossils that are opalized are sometimes the consequence of silica seeping into the gaps of wood, seashells, and bones.
Australia has generated 95% of the world's opal since it was found there in the area in about 1850. Additional countries where opal is mined include Mexico, Brazil, Ethiopia, Honduras, the Czech Republic, and Nevada and Idaho in the United States.
Opal gemstonesmay have a water content of three to twenty-one percent; gem-quality material typically has a water content of six to ten. This makes opal a fragile gemstone that may break or "craze" in severe temperatures, dehydration, or direct light. Its hardness ranges from 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale. However, taking additional care while wearing opal jewelryis worth it. For generations, people have continued to favor this birthstone for October.
Opal’s Color
Black or white opals are the most well-known types, although there are also opals with red, purple, and orange as their primary colors. The background color of the diamondis produced by the presence of certain compounds.
However, the opal is more renowned for its kaleidoscope-like look, which is characterized by flashes of blue, green, orange, and red. This identity-defining dance of colors is what makes the opal so distinctive.
A grid-like arrangement of small spheres causes the play of color in opals. The lightwaves diffract or bend as they travel across the space between the spheres. The lightwaves split into the rainbow's many hues as a result.
Opals are divided into two categories: valuable and common. Common opals lack the brilliant dance of colors, while precious opals do. Opals may be clear, translucent, or opaque.
Opal Jewelry
Opals have a 5.5 to 6.5 Mohs Hardness grade, making them scratch-prone and more appropriate for special events than daily use. However, despite the additional care required to clean and secure it, opal jewelry's flexibility and beauty make it worthwhile. Keep opal jewelry apart from other stones in storage to avoid damage.
Make use of warm, soapy water to clean opals. Other techniques—particularly in opal doublets and triplets, man-made stones where pieces of opal have adhered together—can harm your opal or the filler material used.
Octobers Birthstones - Tourmaline Overview
The Sinhalese words tura mali, which translates as "stone of mixed hues," are where the term "tourmaline" originates. Tourmaline, as its name suggests, stands out from other gemstones due to the wide range of hues it exhibits in all the colors of the rainbow.
Instead of being a single mineral, tourmaline is a highly complicated collection of minerals with a range of chemical and physical characteristics. Many of the resultant types have names of their own, and some trace elements yield clearly defined hues.
Iron-rich black tourmaline sometimes referred to as "schorl," has dark colors ranging from deep brown to bluish-black. Even though the majority of it is not gemstone-quality, this kind makes up 95% of all tourmaline.
Magnesium is abundant in dravite, or brown tourmaline, which results in a range of hues from brown to yellow. The Drave District of Carinthia (now Slovenia), where this stone is discovered, inspired its name. Due to the presence of lithium traces mixed with other coloring agents, elbaite provides the broadest variety of gem-quality tourmaline hues.
Manganese is the root cause of rubellite or red tourmaline. However, pink tourmaline may be used if the hue fades under various lighting conditions. Depending on the presence of iron and titanium, indicate or blue tourmaline may have a purplish blue or bluish-green appearance. Emerald-like stones might resemble very elite or green tourmaline. However, it is referred to as a chrome tourmaline if its hue is brought on by chrome and vanadium.
A striking form of greenish-blue or purple tourmaline called Paraba tourmaline may be discovered in Paraba, Brazil. It's the most recent discovery and one of the most precious due to its desirable bright hues. Its vibrant hues are caused by the metal copper. Mozambique and Nigeria are only two places in the globe where copper-bearing tourmaline may be discovered, but only tourmaline from Paraba, Brazil, is referred to as "Paraba tourmaline."
The uncommon stone achroite or colorless tourmaline. Due to chemical variations during crystallization, tourmaline that has undergone partial coloring has more than one hue. Pink and green are a typical color combo. The name "watermelon tourmaline" comes from the fact that they are often sliced into slices to expose a red core around a green ring.
Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Mozambique, Madagascar, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States, primarily Maine and California, all have tourmaline mines. Due to its enormous variety of colors, tourmaline is coveted. Tourmaline is a highly wearable birthstone since it has an excellent hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.
This gemstone's capacity to become electrically charged by pressure and heat (pyroelectricity) is among its most striking features (piezoelectricity). Tourmaline may function as a magnet by oscillating and attracting or repelling dust particles when charged.
Tourmaline’s Color
Tourmaline has a spectrum of hues that very few gems can equal, including every color of the rainbow, from reds, pinks, and emeralds to neon green, deep blues, purples, and yellows. Even some stones have more than one hue.
A wide category of boron silicate minerals includes tourmalines. The jewels have comparable physical characteristics and a common crystal structure, but their chemical makes up varies widely. The presence of several components is what enables the gems to display such a variety of hues. Additionally, certain gems exhibit a phenomenon known as cat's eye, which often consists of green, blue, or pink.
All 12 Birthstone Colors & Meanings
Tourmaline Jewelry
a preferred material for jewelry makers because of its incredible spectrum of colors, durability, accessibility, and affordability. All sorts of jewelry may be manufactured using tourmaline, and it can be placed in any jewelry metal. Given the wide variety of colors and shades, many color schemes and designs are possible, and like with other gemstones, they look gorgeous when set with diamonds.
People Also Ask
Where Is Tourmaline From?
Brazil, Pakistan, Russia, Burma, Sri Lanka, and the USA are all tourmaline producers. Congo, Madagascar, Namibia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi, and most recently Kenya are the continent's top producers.
Why Does October Have 2 Birthstones?
October's opal was considered overly feminine and fragile. Tourmaline was added by the association. Opal and pink tourmaline became October birthstones lately.
Why Is October Birthstone Pink?
Pink tourmaline became October's birthstone in 1912. Heart-centered pink tourmaline signifies friendship, compassion, and harmony.
Conclusion
This article's goal is to help you get a deeper comprehension of the implications of Octobers birthstones by supplying you with the necessary background information. We would be very interested in learning about your experience with birthstones. Feel free to leave a remark below. It was a pleasure for us to react to you.