Opal was formed many millions of years ago, when a combination of silica and water flowed into cracks and spaces in the ground. This then gradually hardened and solidified to become opal. Opals contain water, which makes them very sensitive to heat. They are soft and can be cracked or chipped easily. Opals should be stored in moist absorbent cotton.
White Opal is a stone of angelic connections. It is often used for clearing emotions to create more positive vibrations. It is useful in balancing all chakras.
The opal is said to be many things including the most powerful of healing stones, the stone of hope, the stone of great achievement and even the “stone of the Gods”. Ancient Romans associated opal with hope and good luck.
Design Possibilities
Precious and Gilson imitation opals display a unique visual phenomena–they flash rainbow-like colors. Depending on the background color and the predominant “fire” display color, opals can be “framed” by either silver or gold. The natural iridescent luster of pearls complements the fire of opals. White opals work well with light, pastel-colored gemstones. Dark opals can be beautifully mixed with darker stones that match the opal’s background color, or that pick up the flashing colors. The natural gemstone is soft and will wear better as earrings or pendants than when used in bracelets or in rings.
Fire opals are yellow to orange-red and do not display fire. For a startling complementary color scheme, mix the orange-red fire opal with a greenish-tinted turquoise or Swarovski® crystal. Or try combining fire opal with gemstones that are close in hue: citrine, carnelian and red aventurine. A beautiful harmony is created by a split-complementary scheme: fire opal with blue and green aventurine.
History/Background
The name “opal” comes from the Sanskrit word for “upala,” meaning precious stone. In Indian mythology, the virgin Goddess of the Rainbow was turned into an opal by the Mother Goddess because she was being chased by suitors Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. During Roman times, the Latin word “opalus” came into use.
Metaphysical/Healing Properties
It is said that precious opal, with its display of fire, can spark creativity, and that the “dance” of its fire can help people enjoy their lives. The light-colored stones have long been associated with helping people become less visible to others and also in improving eyesight. The gemstone has been associated with the sacral chakra, imbalances of which can cause problems with addictions. Some believe that opal can help moderate and harmonize sexual desires.
Scientific Description
Opals come in three natural varieties: the opalescent precious opal, the fire opal (yellow to red-orange), and the generally opaque common opal. A French manufacturer, Gilson, created the first “opalescent” imitation opal in 1973. The natural opals are non-crystalline gemstones that can contain up to 30% water. They are actually a hardened silica gel. It’s possible for them to dry out and crack, and they are relatively soft and fragile gemstones. They rank between 5.5-6.5 on the Mohs’ hardness scale.
The precious opals display a unique opalescence. Depending on the angle of view, rainbow-like flashes of different colors appear, caused by light reflecting off of extremely small spheres of cristobalite within the silica gel. The phenomenon is called interference. The flashing of color is called “fire” or “play of light.” The precious opals appear in a range of white to black (usually dark gray, green or blue backgrounds).
Fire opal is named for its color and does not display opalescence. It can range in color from yellow to red. It is usually milky, 
but the best examples can be transparent.
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Bowls, dishes, decanters and stemware are available in glass or crystal. So how is it possible to tell the difference? Basically, manufactured glass consists of silica, soda and lime that is heated at 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit then poured into molds or blown into a desired shape. Glassmakers supplement chemical agents during firing to enhance the color and quality of the product. The addition of lead oxide results in leaded glass, popularly known as crystal. Other ways to tell the difference between glass and crystal include the cut, clarity, shape and weight.
