Opal may be the traditional birthstone for October, but there’s a secondary gemstone to celebrate birthdays during this tenth month of the year. Pink Tourmaline is a newer addition to the birthstone list, but is no less impressive. Both gemstones have attributes, histories, and meanings that are equally unique and compelling.
Both are Stones of Many Colors
Tri color tourmaline from Brazil.
Interestingly, both opal and tourmaline are known for being multicolored gems. Opal’s name comes from the Greek word, “opallios,” which means “change of color;” tourmaline’s name is derived from the Sinhalese word, “toramalli,” which means “stone with mixed colors.” The many colors contained in a single opal stone have inspired comparisons to fireworks or galaxies; tourmalines are known to come in almost every color of the rainbow, sometimes in striated colors within one stone.
There are Many Types of Opals
From white opals (with a white background) to black opals (with a black or dark background), water opals (which appear transparent or colorless) to fire opals (those that appear transparent or translucent with a red, yellow, orange, or brown color tint), opals come in many styles and appearances. One thing to note is that all opals are notoriously difficult to cut and set, due to their brittle nature and tendency to “dry out” and crack. This difficulty in handling is said to be part of the reason opals once experienced a reputation for being unlucky.
Ethiopian “water” opal.
Both Birthstones Carry Special Significance
Although superstitions developed during the 17th and 18th centuries that opals were a source of bad luck (in large part due to a fictional novel containing a magic opal), the stone has since regained its reputation as a source of positivity and inspiration. Opal is now celebrated for promoting creativity and imaginative abilities, protection from disease, and as a symbol of hope and truth. Pink tourmalines have long been known for embodying love, compassion, and gentleness, and ancient mystics believed tourmaline could inspire artistic expression.
Much of the Sourcing for Pink Tourmaline is Domestic (and Close to Home for Mainers)
Two locations are noted as primary sources of pink tourmaline, and Maine is one of them with its many deposits of pegmatite granite. The other is the San Diego area, where the Himalaya Tourmaline Mine is located. During the early 1900’s, huge amounts of pink tourmaline were exported from San Diego to China, since the Empress of China was known to be consumed with adoration for the stone. Each time the imperial court placed an order, California miners were commissioned to dig and ship the requested amount, totalling around 120 tons of tourmaline during the years before the Empress died in 1911.
Classic pink tourmaline from Maine.