October • Opal & Tourmaline

Opal & Tourmaline are the birthstone's for the month of October

Opal’s name is believed to have originated in India (the source of the first opals brought to the Western world), where in Sanskrit it was called upala, a “precious stone”. In ancient Rome, this  became opalus. Most opals are valued for their shifting colors in rainbow hues - a phenomenon known as “play-of-color”. It is said to aid in the release of one’s deepest fears. 

Tourmaline, the name comes from the Sinhalese word toramalli, which means “stone with  mixed colors,” because it often has multiple colors in one crystal. Very few gems match  tourmaline’s dazzling array of colors. Perhaps this is why ancient mystics believed tourmaline  could inspire artistic expression – it has a color palette for every mood. Among the most  popular are the pink and red rubellites, the emerald green “chrome” tourmalines, and the neon  green and blue-to-violet “paraíba” tourmalines.