Opal: A sunset… the Aurora Borealis… the Caribbean Sea…
Whichever you prefer, opals allow you to keep it with you for all time. This gem is the perfect accessory to reflect a dynamic personality. The colors are always changing as the light shifts over the opal’s surface.

A legend is born…
The Australian aborigines believe that the creator came down to Earth on a rainbow, in order to bring a message of peace to all the humans. At the very spot where his foot touched the ground, the stones became alive and started sparkling in all the colors of the rainbow.

Opals love to be close…
That’s right: the ideal place to wear an opal is against bare skin. Opals must always contain water in order to prevent cracks. Therefore, in order to receive the necessary humidity, the more often you wear your opal the happier it will be.

G’day mate!…
You guessed it… over 90% of the world’s opals are found in Australia’s outback. It has taken man until the 20th century to unravel the secret of the opal's fire. When a team of Australian scientists analyzed opals with an electron microscope, it was discovered that small silica gel, which are arranged in more or less compact structures, dissect the light on its passage through the gemstone and turn it into the myriad of colors we see: always new, always different and always changing.

Thus, if stored in too dry an environment or exposed to heat over a long period of time, opals will show fissures and the play of color will become paler.

Opals are not very hard; they only achieve 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs’ scale. Therefore they appreciate a protective settings. In earlier days the opal’s sensitive surface was often oiled, but today sealing them with colorless artificial resin has become quite popular.

Opals and emotions
For ages people have been believing in the healing power of the opal. It is reported to be able to solve depressions and to help its wearer find true love. Opals are supposed to further enhance the positive characteristics of people born under the zodiac sign of Cancer. Black Opal is recommended to those born under Scorpio, and Boulder Opal is a lucky stone for Aries.

The fantastic color play of opal reflects peoples' changing emotions and moods. Fire and water, the sparkling images of Boulder Opal, the vivid light flashes of Black Opal or the soft shine of Milk Opal – striking contrasts characterize the colorful world of this fascinating gemstone. Maybe this is why it depends on our daily mood which opal we prefer. Opals are like human emotions: you always experience them as different and new.

• View our Opal jewelry collection