Opal

Colour: Various colours - colourless, white, yellow, red, orange, green, brown, black, blue

Name derivation: Derived from the Sanskrit word “Upala” meaning “jewel”

Symbolism: Vitality

Gemstone family: Silica

Birthstone: October

Hardness: Moh’s Scale 5.0-5.0 (soft)

Interesting facts: The Olympic Australis Opal - the largest and most valuable opal yet found (in 1956) -named in honor of the Olympic Games - weighs 17,000 carats (3.45kgs).

Geography: The finest come from Australia, Mexico and Ethiopia

Cleaning procedure: Clean using warm soapy water with soft cloth. Must not be cleaned ultrasonically or by steam cleaning

Value factors: Rarity, Intensity of colour; Brilliance and “life” of stone; Size of stone