Birthstone of the Month : October Edition:
Birthstones share a distinct yet intriguing history that has always fascinated humans from ancient times. These mesmerizing birthstones and their natural brilliance have long been a way to connect zodiac signs with rare and unique gemstones.
Luckily, few birth months enjoy the supremacy of owning two birthstones. If you and your loved ones are born in October, you are incredibly fortunate to possess two extremely ravishing and versatile gemstones, including dazzling soft Opal and tantalizing Tourmaline.
Discover more about your October birthstones and their unique meanings.
What is the idea behind birthstones?
Before digging deeper into the meaning of your birthstone, here is a background of the birthstones and their significance in our lives.
The universe has a master plan for everything. Since our birth, the universe has aligned our birthstones with us to help us in knowing who we are and what we may become.
The legend of the birthstones dates back to primitive times when many civilizations including Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Persians, and Indians dedicated different gemstones to each month of the year.
These precious stones bear certain astrological and healing powers to attract positive energies and perfectly align you to your environment. Wearing these gemstones enhances healing and therapeutic powers.
October Birthstones
October has two spectacular gemstones associated with it, rendering a wonderful opportunity to the fortunate people born in this month to choose between opal and tourmaline, each radiating an endless colorful spectrum and beautiful characteristics.
The ornamental Opal is the traditional birthstone for October. They are one of the most colorful gems. The stunning stone possesses color-shifting properties. Opal’s color-shifting play in an eclectic variety of colorful hues, unlike any other gem, is unsurpassed. Opal’s fine beauty has often inspired writers to compare the valuable stone with other elements of nature including, fireworks, galaxies, lightning, and volcanoes.
Tourmaline is the modern alternative that adds to the October repertoire of birthstones. These beautiful stones are found as amazing prismatic crystals, often forming hexagonal pencils in their host rocks. These gemstones possess the widest range of colors in the whole gem kingdom.
Now, let’s unravel the origin and meanings of these significant gemstones.
Opal
Origin: The exquisite stone shares a mysterious yet conflicted history. While some believe its origin can be traced back to Latin culture, there are others who think it comes fr
om Ancient Greek culture. But there are many who also suggest that in reality, Opal originated from India.
Initially, the references to these gemstones were found in the Roman culture around 250 BC. According to the early records, these rare stones
were introduced to the Western World by traders from Bosphorus who claimed that their source of supply was from India.
The name of these valuable stones also comes from India from the Sanskrit word Upala which means ‘precious stone or jewel’. Opal later found its Greek derivative opállios which means ‘to observe color changes’. Opal was also called Opalius among Romans.
Since the stones flashed in brilliant colors, Bedouins and Arabs believed that opal held the power to control lightning and dropped from the celestial dome during thunderstorms as a bolt of lightning.
Ancient Greeks claimed that opals endowed the gift of prophecy and also granted protection from various diseases. In European culture, the stone embodied purity, faithfulness, hope, and truth. Some centuries back, it was believed that opals possess the virtues and power of all colored gemstones.
Meaning
When we talk about the meaning of Opal, the elegant birthstone symbolizes loyalty, commitment, faithfulness, hope, purity, and confidence. The resplendent stone is ingrained with beneficial healing powers that are linked with vision, in terms of eyesight and spiritual vision including, imagination and dreams. Lore has it that if you see opals in your dream, it is a sign of good luck.
The stone also signifies that you are someone extremely calm on the surface but your adventurous side is concealed beneath the surface.
Opal is highly reputable for keeping away bad energies and negative intentions. The stone keeps you in a low profile and protects you from harm and danger. Besides this, Opal awakens positive emotions and motivation within you that instills hope and a positive outlook among Opal people. As a consequence, they are always looking forward to the best things in life.
Tourmaline
Origin: The modern birthstone of October, Tourmaline takes its name from the Sinhalese word toramalli, which means “stone mixed with colors”. It shows different colors within a single crystal. Throughout its historical records, Tourmaline has been mistaken for other gemstones due to its colorful occurrences. During the 16th century, a Spanish conquistador confused the green Tourmaline in Brazil with Emeralds. Besides this, Russian Empress Catherine the Great also possessed the famous egg-sized Tourmaline which was mistaken for Ruby at that time. Such errors continued until the 19th century when mineralogists finally recognized Tourmaline as its own unique mineral species.
As a consequence of these prevalent errors, Tourmaline doesn’t have a rich historical record like other gemstones. However, folklore reveals that Tourmaline serves as the peace stone that dispels fear and attracts tranquility.
Meaning
Since Tourmaline possesses the broadest spectrum of colors, many people link the stone with creativity and artistic expression. As we delve deeper into the healing properties of the stone, it boosts self-awareness and understanding. The regal stone also promotes inspiration, tolerance, and compassion.
Besides its generic healing properties, Tourmaline has specific attributes related to its colors. Black Tourmaline removes negativity and enhances physical vitality. Blue Tourmaline is used for clearing and protecting the aura. Pink Tourmaline defines gentleness and love. Green Tourmaline gives you courage and strength.
At a glance, October birthstones unveil a splendor of dramatic colors, awe-inspiring beauty, and impressive healing properties for all the Libras and Scorpios out there.
Looking for more information? If you are interested and eager to know more about your birthstone and how you should set it up, give us a call at 810.229.5335. You can even visit us at our location in Brighton, MI to see our birthstone rings firsthand. For more information, check out our Jewelry 101 blog or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.