...opal is the birthstone of October and the National Stone of Australia?

...Queen Victoria wore opals throughout her reign?

...Romans regarded them as good luck charms because of the likeness to a rainbow?

...opals are often also referred to as "Cupid's Stone"?

...Shakespeare described opal as "The Miracle and Queen of Gems"?

...Arabs believe that they fell from the sky & the Orientals referred to them as "The Anchor of Hope"?

Aboriginal Dreamtime Beliefs

The history of opal is long and colourful stretching back beyond the days of Christ. The Aborigines have known of opals since the Dreamtime. The Australian Aborigines have a tradition that "The Creator took the colours of the rainbow, and put them into stone to make opal".

During the Dreamtime Bhiamie (the Supreme Spirit) and his two wives Birring Ooloo (Mother Nature) and Cunnum-Biellie (Law Maker/Teacher) were travelling through the outback. The two wives went for a swim in a spring, not knowing that Gurria (the crocodile) was following them.

Gurria was in love with the two and wanted their spirits. He swallowed both women. Having achieved this Gurria went down the Narran River where he hid from Bhiamie. Bhiamie tracked Gurria to where he was hiding in a lake, and speared him at Wetalibah water crossing.

As the crocodile lay dying he rolled onto his back, and this squirming caused two holes to be made - one by his tail, which is now Cochorane Lake, and the other by his nose, which is now Angledool Lake. It is said that as Gurria was dying a shower of rain fell and a rainbow appeared. The colours of the rainbow were trapped in the scales of the dying crocodile - which is how opal came to be.

These two areas Cochorance and Angledool at Lightning Ridge is where some of the finest gem quality opal has been found. After Gurria's death the women were freed by their husband Bhiami and taken to Ghee-Jar the little black ant who brought them back to life.

The legend from this story is that opal is believed to bring love, luck, peace and happiness. Both to the one who gives, and the one who receives.

Love and Good Luck

This is also shown in the story of Caesar, Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. Caesar and Mark Anthony were passionately in love with Cleopatra. Mark Anthony had a beautiful Hungarian opal, and won the heart of Cleopatra.

Napoleon presented his Empress Josephine with "The Burning of Troy" - a magnificent opal with brilliant red flashes. These are but two of the many love and good luck stories told throughout history regarding opal.

Australian opal has been incorporated in many pieces of Royal Jewellery. One such piece was made for the Queen of the Shin Dynasty dating back to the turn of the century. This was a white opal from Coober Pedy which was embedded in her headdress. Queen Victoria also wore opals throughout her reign, and opal became sought after as the Royals of Britain were regarded as 'models of fashion' at the time.

A pair of 9ct gold scissors, made with 6 beautiful doublets, were used to cut the ribbon at the official opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on 19th May 1932. The very same scissors were again used to cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel on 29th August 1992.