Australia boasts the highest percentage of valuable opal in the world, which could be the reason for its being the national gemstone. Opal has had a long and varied history, not all of it positive. There was a time that people believed in the superstition that opals were the unlucky stone, so sales dropped.

Interesting that a parallel exists with many gemstones on similar lines, for example, turquoise was believed to aid in stopping a person from falling from a horse. Where is much turquoise found? It is found in in Native American Indian land where horse riding was not only common but necessary for life and war. Amethyst has the power to prevent the wearer from getting drunk, so they once believed, but many Australian pub owners will disavow such a belief.

So, purchasing a stone that is full of colour and reflects flashes of blues, greens and reds in the Australian sunlight can only reflect on the buyer as having discernment and being free from superstition, and as appreciator of one of the treasures of this glorious planet earth and sunburnt country. Guest Post.