Gemopedia | opal

Name Origin and Meaning

The modern word for opal is probably derived from the Sanskrit upala meaning "valuable stone." Upala was likely the root of the Greek term opallios, which means “color change," or the Roman opalus, which means "precious stone." Mayas and Aztecs had a name for opal that meant "bird of paradise stone." Based upon these names, the flashy play-of-color in opals must have mystified the ancients just as it does us today.

Discovery and History

The discovery of opals is ancient and uncertain. It is believed that opals were first mined around 400 B.C. in Ethiopia, but their popularity did not grow until the Romans embraced them around 100 B.C. By then, the majority of opals were mined in Hungary. For about 1,000 years, Hungary was the opal supplier of choice for European rulers and clergy.

Precious opals were discovered in South Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales, Australia, in 1887. Rare black opals were found in the Lightning Ridge field in New South Wales in 1905. By the end of the 19th century, Australia had taken over as the world's primary source of precious opals.

An example of bad luck in an 1829 Sir Walter Scott novel led the public to believe that an opal had caused misfortune to befall the heroine. This reinforced an old idea that opals were bad luck, and the opal market dropped in the aftermath. At the same time, Australian opals began appearing in the market, but dealers were hesitant because the Australian opals were so brilliant, some assumed they were fakes. Fortunately Queen Victoria fell in love with opals, and her passion for them helped restore opal's popularity.