What is opalite: production of artificial stone, properties and features

Opalite is an artificial stone made from glass and multi-colored shiny elements. Real minerals are rarely found in jewelry stores. As a rule, products are inlaid with high-quality artificial elements. I recently bought a piece of jewelry with a moonstone, and the seller assured me that it was a genuine gem, but the tag said “scorch.” I became interested in finding out what he really was, and the result surprised me.

Physical properties

Opalite is a fairly rare variety of feldspars that contains potassium. Depending on the type, the mineral has a variety of colors - from white to black. Due to its thin-plate structure, moonstone exhibits an iridescence effect—shining tints of bluish or light blue color. In some cases, the shimmering shimmer of the mineral may have a golden or reddish hue. Looking at it from different angles, you can observe a constant change in the play of light.

The stone will scorch

Due to its low hardness and low density, opalite is characterized by softness and fragility: impacts can lead to damage to the stone, and it can break under mechanical compression. This semi-precious mineral is often used in jewelry making. Due to the peculiarities of its structure, it cannot be cut and is polished in the form of a cabochon. This processing of opalite makes it possible to reveal its luminescent characteristics to the maximum extent.

Pyrope

This elegant mineral of rich red color is widely used in the European jewelry industry.
Even with the naked eye you can see the resemblance of this pretty gem to the garnet family. Most often, pyrope is found intergrown with diamonds; there are samples where the mineral is completely embedded in the diamond. Researchers also found pyrope in the meteorite, which indicates the presence of this noble stone on other planets. Lithotherapists use pyrope for disorders of the circulatory system, during difficult childbirth and to facilitate pregnancy in general . The stone also affects the heart chakra. The mineral plays a major role in yoga practice. There is an opinion that pyrope helps to establish a connection with cosmic energy, which makes it an indispensable attribute of meditation. It brings happiness in love, helps protect its owner from external negativity and establish a happy home life. Pyrope is ideal for people born under the sign of Gemini.

Medicinal properties

The healing capabilities of opalite have been known since ancient times; mention of them is found in the works of the famous Iranian scientist Avicenna. According to lithotherapists, this mineral helps the body cope with inflammatory processes and stress. In combination with traditional medicine methods, it is effective in the following cases:

• reduces the frequency of epileptic seizures;
• eliminates nervous tension, prevents emotional breakdowns;
• improves sleep quality, eliminates nightmares;
• treats diseases of the digestive and urinary organs;
• relieves inflammation of the respiratory tract.

Necklace with opalite

Opalite is advised to be worn by expectant mothers as a talisman to facilitate pregnancy and birth of a baby. It is believed that adularia prevents the formation of kidney stones and the deposition of salts in the body. According to esotericists, this mineral improves hematopoietic processes, normalizes blood composition, and restores disrupted hormonal levels.

Story

The East treated opal with slight caution. It was believed that the gem makes the owner indulge in empty dreams (but the work is worth it!). But in general it is a stone of hope and fidelity.

The popularity of opals in Europe was promoted by the tender love for gems of the English Queen Victoria.

• Literature played an unfortunate role in the popularity of opals. Oscar Wilde first said in his tragedy “Salome” that the stone “makes the soul sad and instills fear of darkness.”
• The 19th century bestseller “Anne of Geiernstein” generally blamed opal for all the troubles of all the heroes of the novel (and hinted at the same role for any owner of the gem).

These novels “helped” some jewelers go bankrupt.

Expert opinion

Semenishcheva Polina

Specialist in mineralogy. Graduated from St. Petersburg Mining University.

The unfortunate gem was even blamed for the death of the family of Nicholas II, the last Russian Tsar.

Who knows how much is superstition and how much is truth...

Among myths and legends

A lot of them.

1. Pliny the Elder suggested that the name (Latin) of the gem is related to the goddess Ops. This is the wife of Saturn (Crona in Greek mythology). Saturn's father (whom his son castrated with a sickle) predicted that he, too, would come to an end from one of the children. Therefore, Saturn regularly ate his newborn children. The wife got tired of this chaos, and she replaced the next baby (Zeus) with a stone. Cronus swallowed the stone like a seed, and Zeus lived, grew, and in the end pushed daddy off the throne. True, not right away. It was a real war, called the Titanomachy.
2. Australian Aborigines say that opal was formed where the Creator of the World walked on the earth.
3. For the Arabs, opal is a trace of lightning striking the ground.

origin of name

Most experts believe that etymologically the name comes from Sanskrit, from the word “fell” (stone).

Another version is that the name is derived from the Latin opalus (“change of color”).

Ancient Greek version ὀπάλλιος.

Magic properties

The moon gives opalite powerful energy. Its magical properties increase during the full moon and decrease during the darkening of the lunar disk. People who use dark forces to their advantage avoid this mineral for fear of losing their abilities.

Opalite has the following magical properties:

• protects its owner from witchcraft spells;
• prevents quarrels, outbursts of anger and aggression;
• develops softness, tenderness and sensuality, strengthening love and family ties;
• provides inspiration to creative people;
• increases vital energy and attracts luck;
• enhances extrasensory abilities, revealing pictures of the future to the inner gaze;
• eliminates vanity and arrogance, restores mental balance, awakening kindness and tolerance.

Silver earrings with opalite

Perunit

The unusual blue perunite stone is an artificially created beauty of jewelry. Unfortunately, nature was unable to develop a unique variety of blue quartz, so man took on this creative process on his own. The color scheme is set by the creators themselves, so it can be different, ranging from pale blue to deep blue. At the moment, perunite is very popular when creating unique jewelry.

Lithotherapists, using perunite in medical practice, are guided by its color scheme.
Blue material calms the human nervous system and helps fight emotional stress and excessive psychological fatigue .
Daily contemplation of the mineral helps lower blood pressure. It can be argued that, thanks to its blue color, perunite helps its owners discover the bright divine principle within themselves and inspires them to search for the meaning of life. But it’s still worth remembering about the artificial conditions for creating this mineral, so it’s difficult to talk about any unusual magical properties. This same fact makes it difficult to attribute perunite to any specific zodiac sign.

Colors and types of stone

The most common opalite is white and blue. One of the deposits of this mineral is located in the Adula Mountains, part of the Alps in Switzerland. In the iridescence of adularia there are not only blue, but also green or reddish shades. Blue opalites are the most popular. They can be transparent (jirasol) or have a milky sheen (Peruvian). According to legend, the blue moonstone is able to fade, warning its owner of approaching danger.

Black opalite (its color can also be purple, gray or dark brown) is found in Australia. It is characterized by bright warm shades of iridescence: orange, red, bright yellow. Much less often, black moonstone has cold tones of glow. There are also fiery adularia. Such stones are distinguished by their uniform red, orange, yellow color, and can have varying degrees of transparency and adularescence (light tints).

Prehnite

A translucent, delicate stone, prehnite is most often light green, gray-green or white in color, sometimes with a “cat’s eye” variety. The researchers note that prehnite is one of the first minerals to be named after a real person. This gem received its name thanks to the Danish captain Hendrik von Pren, who discovered the mineral to the world. Synonymous names: Cape emerald, adilite, Cape chrysolite, edelite, chiltonite.

Lithotherapists recommend using beads made from this stone to improve the immune system.
Prehnite in bracelets helps with anemia, and a simple sample of the mineral will help its owner with gout. Earrings or pendants based on stones help to cope with absent-mindedness. In case of kidney failure, traditional medicine recommends wearing prehnite in the kidney area every day. It is generally accepted that the mineral has a special effect on the weaker sex. It reveals attractiveness in women and helps them find their place in society . It is recommended to use prehnite for meditation and to dive into the past. In the zodiac plan, the stone is difficult to attribute to any sign.

How to spot a fake?

You can often find fake moonstones on sale. This is due to the gradual depletion of valuable mineral reserves in the deposits of Sri Lanka, the USA, Mexico and other countries of the world. Glass or plastic is used to produce artificial opalite. Every year, technologies for manufacturing unnatural semi-precious stones become more and more advanced. The majority of such products come from India.

You can distinguish a natural moonstone from a fake in the following ways:

• Real opalite looks less bright compared to artificial opalite; shining highlights in the mineral appear when viewed from a certain angle.
• By turning the stone along its axis, you can observe a change in the play of light refracted in its layers. The radiance of artificial opalite does not change when the position of the gem changes. Its highlights are sharper and more geometrically defined.
• Moonstone is associated with the element of Water, so it is enough to hold the mineral in it for several hours to enhance the brightness of its tints. A fake product does not change its properties after immersion in water.
• The surface of opalite is silky in appearance, the stone is cold to the touch and takes a long time to heat up in your hands.
• When viewed in the light, even stripes are sometimes visible on the sides of the artificial moonstone at the junction of layers of material. And also, against the background of the upper, lighter and more transparent layers, a darker colored substrate can stand out.
• In synthetic opalite that has undergone high-temperature treatment, under a microscope, and in some cases with the naked eye, small cracks filled with air bubbles are detected.
• The buyer should be wary of the low cost of the mineral - the price of natural moonstone is not inferior to prices for gold products.
• The color of natural adularia is not deep pink, blue or green.

The most accurate way to verify the authenticity of a mineral is gemological examination in laboratory conditions.

Opal deposits

A unique mineral is mined in Australia (97% of all deposits). In 1909, it was in an Australian mine that a sensational discovery was made: the skeleton of a reptile made of opals of the highest grade and incredible beauty. All parts of the skeleton were petrified and turned into a noble mineral, and the forms were perfectly preserved. This copy ended up in a private collection.

The second most important exporter is Ethiopia, followed by Mexico, Brazil, etc.

An amazing fact connecting opal, deposits and space was confirmed by NASA - these gems were discovered on Mars.

How to care and wear?

Opalite should be protected from falls and impacts: it is easily damaged by mechanical impact. This fragile stone is no less sensitive to chemicals, in particular to household chemicals and sudden fluctuations in air temperature.

Opalite care includes:

1. Periodic soaking in water (preferably distilled) to neutralize the negative energy accumulated in the mineral and restore its healing properties.
2. Gently clean with a sponge in warm water with a small amount of liquid soap, followed by rinsing and drying with a cotton cloth.
3. Rubbing with a piece of velor to enhance the iridescence of the moonstone.
4. Storing opalite away from sunlight; When keeping a moonstone in a box shared with other jewelry, it is advisable to place it in a special fabric case to prevent scratches when it comes into contact with harder materials.

It is necessary to use opalite taking into account its magical properties. The healing effect of moonstone is more active when it comes into direct contact with the skin. Those who want to improve matters of the heart should wear it on the ring finger or as a pendant. You can also place the mineral in the left breast pocket of your clothing so that it is close to the heart. To unleash your creative abilities, it is recommended to wear an opalite ring on your right hand.

The best materials for setting items with moonstone are considered to be silver and gold. The properties of opalite reach their maximum strength during the waxing and full moon periods, then they dry out in natural stone. At this time, wearing the mineral does not bring any benefit; it can even be fueled by the energy of its owner. Therefore, when the moon is waning, this stone is not recommended to be worn.

When choosing the style and shade of clothing, you need to take into account the color of the stone. White, milky and blue adularia will suit classic outfits in pastel colors. Warm shades of mineral go well with business style clothing. Avoid using other types of gemstones at the same time as opalite. Moonstone is not suitable for unsociable people, as wearing it makes this character trait even more pronounced.

Synthetic opal

Synthetic opal

Scientists in many countries have learned to reproduce opals in laboratories. The Austrians were the first to create synthetic gems, and the Swiss were the next to distinguish themselves. These countries have introduced artificial opals in colors that do not exist in nature to the market.

Russia also has its own “craftsmen,” whose research centers are located in Novosibirsk and St. Petersburg. They, together with the Japanese and Chinese, produce synthetic gems from materials found in natural stones. The technology is strictly classified; the “particularly curious” are only told that in the laboratory conditions are created and processes similar to those that a stone experiences when being born in nature are reproduced. The only difference is that to obtain a full-fledged gem, scientists need not millions of years, but only one and a half to two years. Special opalescent glass can also be used to create imitations.

Synthetic opals cannot be criticized too much, because they are almost as beautiful and even more varied than natural ones. They are much harder and stronger, and have good resistance to heat. There are many of them, they are available to everyone.

But! Synthetics are energetically empty, which means they have absolutely no healing or magical properties.

Jewelers have a lot of tricks, for example, they also create:

1. Doublets, that is, two-layer stones, with a plate of natural gem on top, and a black metal backing on the bottom, which makes the stone more impressive.
2. Triplets are the same doublets, but supplemented with a top layer of quartz or glass, designed to protect the natural part from damage and give the product its shape.

Who is opalite suitable for?

When choosing gemstones, it is advisable to take into account personal compatibility with them. You need to take into account your date of birth, name, and recommendations of astrologers for representatives of various zodiac signs.

By name

Together with the name given at birth, minerals influence a person’s health and life path. By wearing opalite, you can enhance positive character traits, compensate for missing traits and minimize negative personality traits. Moonstone is most suitable for owners of the following female names: Anastasia, Irina, Elena, Olesya. This mineral is able to ward off bad luck and promote good luck in the lives of men with the names Roman and Ruslan.

According to zodiac signs

Opalite is suitable as a talisman for people born under the zodiac signs of the element of Water: Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio. Moonstone gives them emotional balance, protecting them from unnecessary worries and worries. He patronizes those born on a full moon, helps representatives of the Virgo sign find love and supports the creative inclinations of Libra. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius should avoid wearing opalite. These signs belong to the element of Fire, so contact with adularia causes increased nervousness and anxiety in their representatives.

A variety of opalites allows you to choose a stone to suit your taste. But if you expect support and help from him, you should take into account which zodiac sign is your patron, and not be mistaken in determining the authenticity of the stone.

Petersit

The unusual beautiful stone Petersite is a very rare variety of tiger's eye, which is distinguished by its unusual colors and silky iridescence of colors and highlights. It has a rather exotic yellowish or yellowish-green color scheme. It is highly valued as specimens of this stone are extremely rare.

In folk medicine, Petersite is used for the prevention and treatment of the thyroid gland.
The stone helps concentration and inner enlightenment, which is why Petersite so often becomes an attribute of a meditative session. There is an opinion that the mineral is able to calm inner feelings and relieve stress. Petersite helps its owner achieve inner harmony and balance . The magical capabilities of the mineral manifest themselves in balancing the emotional state of its owner. Petersit can reveal oratory talent in its owner and strengthen his teaching abilities. Regarding zodiac predisposition, the stone is suitable for absolutely all signs.

Characteristic

It is extremely interesting what kind of stone fell and what it represents. Scientists say that natural material consists of petrified parts of trees and skeletons of small animals. The place of formation is the earth or the crater of a volcano. According to their characteristics, nuggets are classified as mineraloids.

Table - physical and chemical features

The natural substance is usually found among sandstones, basalts or limonites. From small scattered opal particles, opoka, tripolite and diatomite are formed. The structure of minerals is kidney-shaped or grape-shaped aggregates. Sometimes specimens are found in powder form.

Large deposits are rare. Mining has been going on in Australia for a long time. The mainland remains the main supplier to this day. Deposits are found in smaller quantities in Mexico, the USA, Japan, Peru and Turkey.

Areas of application

Fine and some common opals are used by jewelers.

Diatomite is a rock that consists mainly of opal. It is used in the chemical industry.

Diatomite