October’s Birthstone: The Story of Opal
If you were born in October, you lucked out. You actually get two birthstones — opal and tourmaline. But today, we’re talking about opal, because honestly, it likes the attention.
Opal is one of those stones you can look at over and over and still see something different. Blue, green, yellow, orange, red — the colors seem to move depending on the light.
A little turn, a little glow,
You never know what an opal will show.
Where Did Opal Get Its Name?
The name opal is believed to come from the ancient Greek word opallios, meaning “to see a change in color.”
Pretty fitting.
Throughout history, opals have been associated with creativity, inspiration, hope and good fortune. And because no two opals look exactly alike, they’ve always had a little mystery to them.
So, What Makes an Opal Do That?
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Unlike most gemstones, opal doesn’t have a traditional crystal structure. It’s made up of tiny spheres of silica that interact with light. That’s what creates those beautiful flashes of color you see moving across the stone.
Some opals are soft and subtle. Others look like someone trapped a rainbow inside them.
And every single one is different.
No two are the same, and that’s part of the fun.
When you find the right opal, you’ve found the only one.
Here’s Something You Probably Didn’t Know
Opals actually contain water — sometimes as much as around 20%.
Yes, water.
So your opal may officially be better hydrated than you are.
Another fun fact: red is one of the rarest colors to see flashing through an opal. A beautiful opal with strong red play-of-color can be especially desirable.
Opals Need a Little TLC
Opals are beautiful, but they’re not quite as tough as diamonds and sapphires.
In other words, this is not the ring to wear while planting azaleas.
Keep your opals away from harder jewelry that could scratch them, and take them off before working out, cleaning, gardening or doing anything rough with your hands.
Avoid extreme heat and sudden temperature changes, too.
When it’s time for cleaning, keep it simple — mild soap, water and a soft cloth. No harsh chemicals and no ultrasonic cleaner.
Come See the Opals at Blue Water Jewelers
We love opals because they have personality. Some are soft and elegant, some are bright and colorful, and some are just plain show-offs.
At Blue Water Jewelers, we hand-select opal jewelry for its color, character and beauty. Whether you’re shopping for an October birthday, looking for a meaningful gift or simply see one you can’t live without, we’ll help you find the right one.
And really, do you need to be born in October to buy an opal?
Absolutely not.
Birthday or not, one thing is clear:
There’s always a reason for jewelry around here.
October Is a Big Month Around Here
This October isn’t just about opals — Blue Water Jewelers is moving into our brand-new location!
We’ve been working hard behind the scenes getting everything ready, and we cannot wait for you to see it. Along with our new home comes hundreds of new pieces of jewelry — and yes, even more opals.
New store, new jewels, and more sparkle to show,
And because it’s October… plenty of opal!
As we celebrate October, our new location and the beautiful opal, we also want to say thank you. For 20 years, you’ve trusted Blue Water Jewelers to be part of birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, milestones and plenty of “I wasn’t planning on buying anything today” moments.
Those might actually be our favorite.
We can’t wait to welcome you into our new home, show you everything we’ve been working on and start the next chapter of Blue Water Jewelers together.
Thank you for 20 wonderful years, and stay tuned for next month’s gemstone spotlight.
If you were born in October, you lucked out. You actually get two birthstones — opal and tourmaline. But today, we’re talking about opal, because honestly, it likes the attention.
Opal is one of those stones you can look at over and over and still see something different. Blue, green, yellow, orange, red — the colors seem to move depending on the light.
A little turn, a little glow,
You never know what an opal will show.
Where Did Opal Get Its Name?
The name opal is believed to come from the ancient Greek word opallios, meaning “to see a change in color.”
Pretty fitting.
Throughout history, opals have been associated with creativity, inspiration, hope and good fortune. And because no two opals look exactly alike, they’ve always had a little mystery to them.
So, What Makes an Opal Do That?
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Unlike most gemstones, opal doesn’t have a traditional crystal structure. It’s made up of tiny spheres of silica that interact with light. That’s what creates those beautiful flashes of color you see moving across the stone.
Some opals are soft and subtle. Others look like someone trapped a rainbow inside them.
And every single one is different.
No two are the same, and that’s part of the fun.
When you find the right opal, you’ve found the only one.
Here’s Something You Probably Didn’t Know
Opals actually contain water — sometimes as much as around 20%.
Yes, water.
So your opal may officially be better hydrated than you are.
Another fun fact: red is one of the rarest colors to see flashing through an opal. A beautiful opal with strong red play-of-color can be especially desirable.
Opals Need a Little TLC
Opals are beautiful, but they’re not quite as tough as diamonds and sapphires.
In other words, this is not the ring to wear while planting azaleas.
Keep your opals away from harder jewelry that could scratch them, and take them off before working out, cleaning, gardening or doing anything rough with your hands.
Avoid extreme heat and sudden temperature changes, too.
When it’s time for cleaning, keep it simple — mild soap, water and a soft cloth. No harsh chemicals and no ultrasonic cleaner.
Come See the Opals at Blue Water Jewelers
We love opals because they have personality. Some are soft and elegant, some are bright and colorful, and some are just plain show-offs.
At Blue Water Jewelers, we hand-select opal jewelry for its color, character and beauty. Whether you’re shopping for an October birthday, looking for a meaningful gift or simply see one you can’t live without, we’ll help you find the right one.
And really, do you need to be born in October to buy an opal?
Absolutely not.
Birthday or not, one thing is clear:
There’s always a reason for jewelry around here.
October Is a Big Month Around Here
This October isn’t just about opals — Blue Water Jewelers is moving into our brand-new location!
We’ve been working hard behind the scenes getting everything ready, and we cannot wait for you to see it. Along with our new home comes hundreds of new pieces of jewelry — and yes, even more opals.
New store, new jewels, and more sparkle to show,
And because it’s October… plenty of opal!
As we celebrate October, our new location and the beautiful opal, we also want to say thank you. For 20 years, you’ve trusted Blue Water Jewelers to be part of birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, milestones and plenty of “I wasn’t planning on buying anything today” moments.
Those might actually be our favorite.
We can’t wait to welcome you into our new home, show you everything we’ve been working on and start the next chapter of Blue Water Jewelers together.
Thank you for 20 wonderful years, and stay tuned for next month’s gemstone spotlight.