The word Opal is derived from the Latin word "opalus" which means "a stone". The precious opal presents a peculiar play of colors of delicate tints, and is highly esteemed as a gem. One kind, with a varied play of color in a reddish ground, is called the harlequin opal. The fire opal has colors like the red and yellow of flame. The Common opal has a milky appearance. Menilite is a brown impure variety, occurring in concretions at Menilmontant, near Paris. The modern name of the gem opal is derived from ancient sources: the Sanskrit Upala - which means "precious stone"; the Latin Opalus; and the Greek Opallios which both mean"to see a color change". The opal occurs in several types of color. The White opal has a white body color with pastel glints of rainbow color. Black opal has a blue, gray or black body color. The black Boulder opal contains ironstone. Crystal or water opal is The transparent or colorless opal contains brilliant flashes of color within it. Fire opal is a transparent or a translucent opal with a yellow, orange or red body color that may also have a flash of color.

    In the fourteenth century the Opal was known as the Ophthalmius, or Eye Stone, because it was believed to sharpen and strengthen the eyesight. It was also believed that its flashes of coloured fire were especially helpful in arresting the glance of envy. In India, the passing of an Opal across the brow is believed to clear the brain and strengthen the memory. The idea of opals being unlucky stones had its origin in the misfortunes that befell Anne of Geierstein, or The Maiden of the Mist (1829) in Sir Walter Scott's novel, her principal jewel consisting of a large Opal.  In the East opals are regarded as a sacred stone which contains the Spirit of Truth.

In the Middle Ages, the opal was known as the "eye stone" due to a belief that it was vital to good eyesight. Blonde women were known to wear necklaces of opal in order to protect their hair from losing its color. Some cultures thought the effect of the opal on sight could render the wearer invisible. Opals were set in the Crown jewels of France and Napoleon presented his Empress Josephine a magnificent red opal containing brilliant red flashes called "The Burning of Troy."In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, opal began to fall out of favour in Europe. It was wrongly branded as bringing 'bad luck', and was associated with pestilence, famine and the fall of monarchs. Queen Victoria, however, did much to reverse the unfounded bad press. Queen Victoria became a lover of opal, kept a fine personal collection, and wore opals throughout her reign. Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester, gave an opal ring to her niece Queen Victoria in 1849. This opal ring had been previously owned by Queen Charlotte since about 1810.

    The first discovery of common opals in Australia was made near Angaston (SA) by the  German geologist Johannes Menge in 1849. Both the Queensland Boulder Opal and Lightning Ridge fields attracted miners in the 1880's. Production of precious opal began at White Cliffs (NSW) in 1890, from Opalton (Qld) in 1896, and at Lightning Ridge (NSW) in 1905. A study of the many written accounts of the time suggests that most of those early Australian discoveries were accidental - a horse's hoof kicked up opal-bearing rock, a boundary rider's wife discovered a pretty pebble in a creek bed, a flock of sheep was struck by lightning during a rainstorm and the run-off from the storm uncovered opal at 'Lightning Ridge'. A number of Queensland locations also came into their own during the Depression years, when men without work were willing to chance their luck. In a cave in Kenya, Louis Leakey, the famous anthropologist, uncovered the earliest known opal artifacts. Dating back to about 4000 B.C., they most likely came from Ethiopia. 

    Opals require special care. Never use an ultrasonic, never use chemicals and avoid heat. Don't put your opal ring on the window sill when washing your hands or the dishes as strong sunlight can dry out the water in opals which could cause hazing or color change.