The Rich History of Opal & Tourmaline
Opals have been treasured throughout history, with the earliest known opal artifacts discovered in Kenya dating back to 4000 BCE. The ancient Romans prized opals above all other gemstones, calling them "opalus," meaning "precious stone." They believed opals contained the powers of all gemstones whose colors appeared within their play-of-color.
In medieval times, opals were considered lucky stones that could grant invisibility when wrapped in a fresh bay leaf. However, in the 19th century, opals gained an undeserved reputation for bad luck after the publication of Sir Walter Scott's novel "Anne of Geierstein," in which a character dies after her opal is touched with holy water. This superstition was later dispelled, and opals regained their popularity, especially after the discovery of Australia's rich opal fields in the 1850s.
Tourmaline has a more recent history in Western jewelry, though it has been known in China since ancient times. The name "tourmaline" was derived in the 18th century from "turamali," a word used by gem traders in Sri Lanka. Dutch traders brought tourmaline to Europe from Sri Lanka in the 17th century, but it was often confused with other gemstones until advances in mineralogy in the 19th century.
Tourmaline gained significant popularity in the late 1800s when Tiffany & Co. gemologist George Kunz began promoting the gem. The discovery of vibrant pink and green tourmalines in Maine and California around this time further increased its appeal. In the 1980s, the discovery of the electric neon-blue Paraíba tourmaline in Brazil created a sensation in the gem world, establishing tourmaline as one of the most coveted colored gemstones.
