Opals are Lucky

There are many reports of opal demonstrates that throughout history opal has been regarded as the stone of good fortune.

Isidore Kozminsky in the 1922 edition of his book The Magic and Science of Jewels and Stones states that "perhaps against no other gem has the bigotry of superstitious ignorance so prevailed as against the wonderful opal."

He also cites several historical references to the talismanic qualities of opal including the story of a French baron who resided in London, who owned an opal that had been in the family since the twelfth century. In 1908 he took the opal to the London Pavilion where a soothsayer told him that the opal would bring him good fortune and that he was about to inherit £500,000! The London newspaper "Evening News" reported that within a few days the soothsayers' prediction had come true, it also stated that the ancient opal had a feint inscription in old Spanish, which translated to the words "Good Luck".

One is told about the man who ran the Curio Shop and Opal Store in Sydney, Australia. The owner's father won 3,500 pounds Sterling with a lottery ticket he bought in 1892 to celebrate a profitable deal in opals. He decided he could now afford a family and fathered a son who later went into the opal business. The son went on to success in opals and later won at least 7 major lottery prizes. He always carried an opal for luck.

In Roman times, people believed the opal was a combination of the beauty of all precious stones, and it is well documented in Roman history that Caesars gave their wives opal for good luck. They carried opal as a good luck charm or talisman because it was believed that like the rainbow, opal brought its owner good fortune. It was also referred to as the "Cupid stone" because it suggested the clear complexion of the god of love.

The Arabs believed that they fell from the sky and the Orientals referred to them as "the anchor of hope". Lucky opal - the stone of hope, the birthstone of October.

By Richard O. Martin