Are there any legends about the gemstone, Opal? If there is, please tell me!
138842
Here's what I found: \n\nAborigines believe they have lived in Australia since the beginning of all creation. This culture has produced many myths and legends about opals over this span of time and the Aborigines believe the opal has a spiritual value. They believe the opal represents something an ancestor left behind as a sign of his or her presence. The Wangkumara people have a legend which tells how their people gained fire from opal stones, with the assistance of a Muda - a Creator who switches from human form to pelican. \n\nThis story is preserved in a book of Aboriginal legends, titled 'The Opal that Turned into Fire', compiled by Janet Mathews and published by Magabala Books. This legend recounts how the Wangkumara people decided to send a pelican (Muda) to explore the Northern Territory, so he could return and tell them what was there. The pelican set off with all the fish and water he would need for the journey stored in the pouch beneath his beak. After flying a while the pelican felt ill and landed on top of a hill that the Wangkumara later named Bildimini. While resting the pelican observed the ground beneath him and was amazed by its magnificent array of colors.\n\nAlthough he did not know it, what he saw was opal. The pelican was so curious he began to peck at the colored stones with his beak. Suddenly, a spark flew out and lit the dry grass nearby. The flames rose and spread slowly across the plains approaching a group of Wangkumara who were camping near Cooper's Creek. The people were able to use the fire to cook their meat and fish for the first time, and were grateful for this new gift. \n\nAnother legend tells how an earlier Muda, also in pelican form, created Cooper's Creek for the Wangkumara and filled it with fish. Wounded by a spear, this Muda died on the hill that would be called Bildimini. His blood and the water in his pouch flowed down the hillside, soaking into the earth and hardening into opal and gold.\n\n(From: http://www.bernardine.com/birthstone/opal.htm)\n\nThe ancient Greeks believed the opal gave the wearer protection from disease and was a sought after gem for its gift of prophecy and foresight. Greek astrologers, mediums and soothsayers also used the stone for divination. As well as its mystical significance and psychic vision properties, opal was also thought to aid in digestion, stomach disorder, and to cure all disease associated with the eyes. It was believed that when a person was to suffer a minor illness, the stone became dull and grey it would turn a sickly yellow when an injury or accident was about to occur. \n\nSuperstitions associated with opal continued throughout the Middle Ages, when opal was widely believed to be beneficial to eyesight, while others thought wearing opal would render the wearer invisible to the eye. It was for this reason thieves held opal in such high regard, using it as their symbol, due to this superstition. Blond haired women wore necklaces of opal to protect their hair from loosing its colour, while opal amulets were worn to attract happiness, love, good fortune and favour.\n\n(From: http://searchwarp.com/swa8911.htm)\n\nMark Antony loved opal. Indeed, it is said that he so coveted an opal owned by Roman Senator Nonius that Mark Antony banished the Senator after he refused to sell the almond sized stone, reputed to be worth 2,000,000 sesterces. (US $80,000) Mark Antony is said to have coveted the opal for his lover, Cleopatra. Legend states that one Roman Emperor offered to trade one-third of his vast kingdom for a single Opal. \n\nThat and a lot more really cool facts and lore can be found here: http://www.opalsdownunder.com.au/articles/history.htm\n\nI hope this is helpful :)
210329
Gemstone quality crystals can be made into jewellery and so are vauable. Others are useful for their ores (hematite Fe2O3 iron ore, malachite copper ore etc.) I also heard somehing about using crystals for resonance but I'm not sure what that means lol hope this helps\n\nP.S. Quartz ie. silicon used for glass
74746
my friend does. she said she saw a fairy. but thats hard to believe. anyways. not really. my fav. character is tinkerbell. that little fairy.
383738
1. Amethyst \n2.Emerald \n3.Ruby\n 4.Pearl \n5.Diamond \n6.Tiger's eye \n7.Cubic Zirconium\n 8.Black Opal \n\nAmbrosia-food for the gods
299995
Here are some questions that will help you:\n\nFirstly, are they natural or synthetic?  \nSome synthetics can look amazingly similar to heat-treated naturals.  \n\nIf they are synthetic, what kind of synthetics are they? Flame-fusion? Flux-grown? Flame-fusion synthetics can be had for a few cents a piece.  Some flux-grown synthetics cost over a $100/ct.\n\nIf they are natural, you'll need to judge their quality:\n\nColor - Is the color saturated? Is the tone balanced? Do they show undesirable brown modifiers? \n\nClarity - Are there inclusions? How distracting are they? Where are they located? Do they improve or adversely effect the aesthetics of the stones?  Do they affect durability? \n \nCut - Are the stones faceted or cabachon-cut? Are they transparent, translucent or opaque?  What shapes are they?\nAre they cut well? ie balanced & symmetrical, good length-width ratio, good polish and finish.  There is a premium for matched pairs and lots.\n\nCarat - 13 rubies totalling 50 carats makes each piece about 3.85cts.  Hmmm...that's considered large for rubies.  \nFine stones above 3 carats are considered rare.  Commercial & utility quality stones can be hundreds of carats in size and still not be very valuable.\n\nOrigin - Where were they mined? There is a premium for Burmese stones, especially from Mogok.\n\n------------------------------------------ \n\nBased on the information you have provided, it is not possible to accurately say what they are worth.  You could have a jeweller look at them, but it's probably better to send them to a professional colored stone appraiser.  \n\nAs a very rough estimate, here are some price ranges for faceted rubies in the 3ct range (in Bangkok): [Commercial/Good/Fine]\nRuby [25-300/300-1000/1000-6000]\nPink Sapphire (low saturation rubies) [50+/100-250/250-1500]\n\nBTW, 99% of all rubies available in the market are heat-treated.  A premium is put on stones that are not heated but only if they are of fine quality material.  All other things equal, washed out stones that have not been heat treated are never worth more than heated material with good color.
509159
I found two, I hope they can help. \n\nhttp://www.collectorsconnection.com/imagesd/32a895.jpg\n\nhttp://www.lambdapsiphi.com/daft/daft/images/muses4.jpg
128158
Hi Dotti! I got your message, thanks for contacting me. \nIf you're interested here are some other bits of info I've gathered. The stone of scone is also known as the lia fail which is Irish for the stone of destiny, it's believed that Jeremiah brought it with him to Ireland from Israel before the Irish monks took it to the Scottish island of Iona etc.\nOllamh Foladh was the Irish name given to Jeremiah and is mentioned in several places in the annals of Ireland. Now there are two Scotias mentioned in the Irish annals - one of them was the daughter of the pharoh Hectonibus/Nectonibus so that's just something to watch out for when you're researching. You mentioned the flag, another interesting thing is that in Northern Ireland, okay... how to explain this... Ireland is made up of four provinces, three of them are in the republic of Ireland and one of them, Ulster is ruled from Westminster and is part of the United Kindom. The symbol for the province of ulster is a red hand - remember Zarah and Pharez and the midwife tieing a red thread on the hand of one of the babies? The symbol of Ireland is the harp of David which is also on the queen of Englands coat of arms, at one point the king of England was also the king of Ireland which is why the harp is on their coat of arms. And of course the lion of Judah, symbol of Scotland. One last thing, Scotia is the ancient name for Ireland. In the time of Jeremiah Scotland was a province of Ireland and ruled by the Irish high king in much the same way as Northern Ireland is now ruled from England.The Scots retained the name Scotia when the Romans renamed Ireland as Hiberia. The romans often referred to the Irish as the Scotti. Scotland was also mainly populated by Irish migrants. The native language of both the Irish and Scots is Gaelic, the Scots speak an older version of the language but there are still amazing similarities right up to the present day. Scotland also had a native people called the Picts. I hope you find this helpful and I'll try to dig up some of my old notes and web sites over the next few weeks and I'll get back to you if you like. Gb Esther.
46085
Emerald (Be3Al2SiO6) is a variety of the mineral beryl, Chemically, it is a beryllium-aluminum silicate whose color is due to small quantities of chromium compounds.\n\n It is highly prized as a gemstone and by weight is the most valuable gemstone in the world. Emerald is regarded as the traditional birthstone for May. According to legend, the emerald has the power to protect the chastity of the wearer and to ward off evil spirits.  \n\nThe emerald was highly esteemed in antiquity; the stones were used for ornaments in early Egypt where some of the first emeralds were mined. The finest emeralds are found in South America in Colombia, where they have been mined for over 400 years.   Colombia is the preeminent exporter of emeralds in the world.\n\nIndia, Zimbabwe, and Australia are minor sources of the natural stones. Synthetic emeralds are also manufactured in Germany, France, and the United States.\n\nEmerald is a rare and valuable gemstone and, as such, provided the incentive for developing synthetic emeralds. Both hydrothermal and flux-growth synthetics have been produced and a method has been developed for producing an emerald overgrowth on colorless beryl. Synthetic emeralds fluoresce a dull red with long wave UV light due to an indicator added during the process of synthesizing the emerald, whereas natural specimens do not
136026
The precious stones are diamond; some forms of corundum (ruby, sapphire, Oriental emerald, Oriental topaz, and Oriental amethyst); and emerald. The chief semiprecious stones are aquamarine, amethyst, topaz, garnet, tourmaline, spinel, peridot (see olivine), zircon (see zirconium), chrysoberyl, quartz, opal, turquoise, moonstone, and jade. The organic gems are pearl, amber, coral, and jet; of these, pearl is usually counted as a precious stone.\n\n=)
364133
I like this one I heard about the watch. If you found a watch on a rock in the middle of a field, how do you know someone made it? If you are like most these days, you'd point to the manufacturing mark on the back (or inside the cover if it was a pocket watch). So, how do you find proof of God or the Mother Goddess? If she is a creator wouldn't she continue to create? What on earth continues to create through a means which they really don't fully control? Life of course. So, we ourselves are the watch. Now what about ourselves proves that there must be an intelligent creator? Maybe our own intelligence (or lack there of at this moment in history) and maybe own uncanny ability to 'hear' inner wisdom. This wisdom has led many to extraordinary things. So, I disagree with Carl (Goddess I never thought I'd ever do that) that claiming the existence of Goddess is extraordinary. I have seen her work miracles in countless lives and there is record (yes, verifiable record) of millions more. I think the real miracle of this age isn't in finding Goddess, but in realizing how common she really is. Just as common as every watch still built with a crystal movement. I'm sorry, I think it is a small miracle that a tiny quartz crystal would be willing to vibrate that regularly so that we can all keep time.
164014
There a boron salt known as borasite, but it's not a gemstone, more of an industrial mineral.\n\nThe gemstone tourmaline is formed from boron as well, but it is one of the few gemstones that Australia is not noted for producing.\n\nOver 90% of the world's opals come from Australia, but I don't know of any varieties of opal that have a name like barrasite.\n\nEmerald is a form of the mineral beryl, and its chemistry is beryllium aluminum silicate.  It is also mined in Australia.\n\nThere is a mining company in Australia called Barra Resources Ltd. and a city called Barra, so it is not outside the realm of possibility that there is indeed a variety of gemstone known as barrasite, I'm just not sure what it is.
275657
http://www.inner.org/gematria/gemchart.htm
86541
try this page ;-)\nhttp://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/ruby.html
186199
Peridot is not normally treated. There is also no commercial synthetic for Peridot.  It is a lovely stone but it is a little soft (hardness about 6.5) and brittle.  It is susceptible to certain chemicals (acids) & thermal shock so it needs a bit of care, especially if it is set as a ring.\n\nI need to see your stone to be sure, but here are some questions that might lead you to solve this mystery:\n\nFirst off, are you certain this stone is a Peridot? Most jewellers are not gemologists and may not be able to correctly identify a stone.  If proper gemological tests have not been conducted on this stone, it could turn out to be anything! \n\nIf you are certain it is a Peridot: \nDo you wear your ring often? Do you use creams or sprays? Do you cook or clean with it on? Observe the surface of your stone.  Is the polish dull? Are the facets abraded? These cut factors can affect the quality of color of your stone and may cause a stone to look "cloudy".\n\nHope this helps!
625470
My favorite is opal b/c it is my birthstone & I love the play of colors. Opal is amorphous in that it doesn't have crystals but instead has water inside it's structure. That is what gives it that fiery range of colors.\n\nI love moonstone which is the mineral feldspar that has been cut & polished. Pictured here:\nhttp://www.samsilverhawk.com/silver/moonstone.jpg\n\nPurple, rose & smokey quartz are all the same, SiO2 that comes in different colors. I like them all. By the way, most people don't know that amethyst is purple quartz!\n\nIf you have ever seen rutilated quartz, it is awesome as well. It has the mineral rutile which looks like tiny needles inside the quartz. It makes for some interesting jewelry. See for yourself:\nhttp://www.gemjewel.com/images/learn/quartz_rutilated.gif
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I have a created alexandrite and I love it. I need to get the prong on my ring fixed but it's a beautiful stone. Need some details how can I see a picture and how much do you want for it and so on and so forth... I most likely won't buy it but for others interested those are needing info's
216538
A student from New Delhi showed me some Kashmirs he had purchased last year.  They were indeed Kashmirs (we checked the inclusions) but they were one of the worse cut stones I'd ever seen.  Plus they were badly zoned with (at best) a fair color grade.  \n\nMy point is, the finest Kashmirs (and I've seen some at the Christies auctions) are the most beautiful, vivid yet velvety blue sapphires on the face of this earth.  But your average Kashmir could be as average as a sapphire from any other locality.  \n\nI understand the buzz about origin (Golconda Diamonds/Kashmir Sapphires/Mogok Rubies etc), but we shouldn't judge gemstones by their "genetics".  I've seen fine Burmese sapphires that would have knocked the socks of Kashmir enthusiasts.  \n\nPrices for fine Kashmirs? It's a seller's market! That's the best (and worse) thing about fine quality colored gemstones.  They are so genuinely rare (as opposed to diamonds) they are worth whatever someone will pay for them!