The colours of the rainbow
Throughout most of history, opals have been regarded as the luckiest and most magical of all gems. With its play-of-colour, caused by the sub-microscopic spheres diffracting and bending light waves breaking them into all the colours of the rainbow, opals have always been a cause of fascination. No less today, with jewellery designers incorporating precious opals in contemporary pieces. Opals draw people to them with their translucence and
full spectrum of iridescent colours and make for unique and eye-catching jewellery pieces. From ELHANATI’s intricate and magical creations to WWAKE’s unexpected arrangements and modern silhouettes, opals not only have a strong and mythical history, but their endless expressions also make them perfect for some of today’s most cult and avant-garde jewellery.
From Cleopatra to Shakespeare
Australian Aborigines call it ‘Rainbow Serpent’ and have appreciated its unique energy and beauty since beginning of times, and throughout history and different cultures, opals have been credited with supernatural origins and powers. The name opal though is believed to have originated in Sanskrit where it was called upala, which means precious stone. In many civilisations, from ancient Greeks to Europeans in the middle ages, opals have been worn by some of history’s most influential figures: from Cleopatra to Queen Victoria. Even Shakespeare mentioned opal as a miracle. Sometime along the way, the opal hit a curve on the road, and its reputation took a tumble, when it was believed to bring bad luck to its wearer. But that’s nothing but a myth created as a reaction to Sir Walter Scott’s 1823 novel Anne of Geierstein, which even triggered a fall in the sale of opals in Europe that lasted for 20 years. Luckily, opals prevailed, and whether you wear it for its incredible beauty or its magical powers, they are unbelievably mesmerising stones.
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