Silver and gold jewelry made with opal gemstones have long intrigued the human race. Opals have been used to make tools for millennia in North Africa but this mineraloid did not really take on significance as a gemstone until Australians started to export it in the mid-19th century. These days, opal is highly prized in many of its configurations. Here are just a few of the reasons why you will want to buy opals:

• Opals are actually quite colorful – While most people would describe opals as being purely white in color, they are actually “opalescent.” This fact means that the internal structure of precious opal makes it diffract light across the entire spectrum from clear and the most notable white through red, orange, green and blue to gray slate and pure black. For practical purposes, this opalescence of the stone means that it will look like a white stone in most highly lit environments, but display a dazzling array of back lit colors in soft and more darkly illuminated spaces.

• They are the October birthstone – In ancient times, opal was known as the Queen of Gems because it would subtly incorporate all of the colors of the other gemstones against a relatively white background. These days, the more colorful stones such as the fire opal and the relatively even-toned black opals are more highly prized. Either way, your loved one, born in the month of October, will appreciate the time and effort it took to find a piece of jewelry that incorporated the gemstone associated with their birth month.

• They are versatile – Since antiquity, opals have embodied everything of  human value from truth and purity to luckiness. This versatility has served the stone well as it has been used to adorn all manner of high-end jewelry from rings and bracelets to brooches and necklaces. The most recent iteration of opal versatility is its use in matched heirloom pairings. These pricey pieces of jewelry are as renowned for their artistic value as they are for their expensive lineage.

• They are a great investment – The type of opal, its pattern and color tone plus, its brilliance, the play of color across its face as well as lack of faults will all play an important role in determining the value of an opal. With these factors in mind, it should be remembered that opals are less common than diamonds and appreciate at a much steadier rate. In fact, their relative availability means that they are far more convertible into other goods than more highly prized precious stones.

• They are relatively affordable – Without a doubt, some opals are fantastically expensive, especially the most sought after black ones. Still, there are so many mid-quality opals being mined that there are any number of beautiful stones available in the price range of the average consumer. Any reasonably respectable jeweler will be able to point you in the right direction for getting an opal stone that not only fits your aesthetic sensibilities but also your budget.

Opal is a visually captivating stone from its pristine white base color, plus its other multiple layers of complementary hues. For more detailed information on opal and how to obtain the finest jewelry made with it, please contact us at Ralph Mueller & Associates. You can visit us online at ralphmueller.com or reach us directly at 480.949.9299.