Are you intrigued by the mesmerizing beauty of Purple Opal? Do you want to learn more about this unique gemstone and how to incorporate it into your jewelry collection? Look no further! In this article, we will dive into the fascinating world of Purple Opal, exploring its meanings, properties, and more.
Purple Opal is a captivating gemstone with a mysterious aura. Its purple hues can range from deep violet to soft lavender, making it highly sought-after by jewelry enthusiasts and collectors. Understanding the different aspects of Purple Opal will enhance your appreciation for this beautiful gem.
Join us on this journey as we uncover the secrets of Purple Opal, from its origins and symbolism to its physical and metaphysical properties. By the end of this article, you will have a comprehensive understanding of Purple Opal and be equipped with the knowledge to make informed decisions when purchasing this captivating gemstone.
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What is Purple Opal?
Purple Opal is a gemstone that is characterized by its vibrant purple color and unique play of colors, making it highly sought after in the world of gemstone enthusiasts. This beautiful color is one of the main reasons why purple opals are considered precious stones.
Purple opal is a variety of Opal that displays stunning shades of purple, making it highly sought after for beautiful jewelry. Its formation can be traced back to millions of years ago when silica-rich fluids filled cracks and cavities in sedimentary rocks. Over time, these fluids solidified into opal, with the presence of trace elements giving rise to the unique purple coloration.
Referred to as the Mexican Violet Flame, this alternative name adds an air of mystery and allure to the vibrant gemstone combination known as purple opal. History of Purple Opal
Throughout the ages, the historical background of purple opal has remained a subject of fascination for researchers and gemstone enthusiasts alike.
This beautiful stone, also known as Morado opal or purple crystal, holds a significant place in the world of colored stones. Its history can be traced back to Coober Pedy, Australia, where it was discovered in the early 20th century.
Since then, purple opal has gained popularity due to its mesmerizing play-of-color and metaphysical gifts.
Purple Opal Geological Properties
Purple opal, with its pearly sheen and colorful flashes, possesses a distinct internal energy and play-of-color effect due to the presence of silica inclusions. These physical characteristics contribute to its unique qualities and potential applications.
- Hardness: The hardness of purple opal ranges from 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, indicating its relatively moderate resistance to scratching and abrasion.
- Toughness: Purple opal is considered to have poor toughness, meaning it is susceptible to breaking or chipping easily under impact or pressure.
- Luster: This gemstone exhibits a pearly sheen and a vitreous (glass-like) luster, adding to its visual appeal.
- Specific Gravity: The specific gravity of purple opal typically ranges from 1.98 to 2.20, indicating its density compared to an equal volume of water.
- Water Content: The presence of water within purple opal is crucial to its physical properties. It can contain water up to 20% by weight.
- Inclusions: Silica inclusions give purple opal its distinct internal energy and play-of-color effect.
- Fracture: Purple opal shows a conchoidal fracture, meaning it breaks with smooth, curved surfaces resembling the interior of a seashell.
- Cleavage: Purple opal does not exhibit any significant cleavage, meaning it lacks preferred planes along which it tends to split.
- Carat Weight: The carat weight of purple opal can vary, ranging from small sizes suitable for jewelry accents to larger sizes used for statement pieces.
- Color: As the name suggests, purple opal typically displays a range of purple hues, but it can also exhibit flashes of other colors due to its play-of-color effect.
- Shape: Purple opal can be found in various shapes, including cabochons, beads, and freeform or irregular shapes, depending on the desired use and cutting style.
Purple Opal Meaning
Purple opal, with its captivating color, holds a deep meaning in various cultures. Here are five important aspects associated with purple opal:
- Color Purple: The vibrant purple hue of this gemstone represents spirituality, royalty, and inner strength.
- Energy of Stillness: This stone is said to possess the energy of stillness, allowing individuals to find inner peace and connect with their spiritual selves.
- Guardian Angels: In some traditions, purple opal is considered a protective stone that attracts guardian angels and offers divine guidance.
Overall, purple opal carries significant spiritual energy and serves as a potent symbol for emotional healing and protection.
Purple Opal Healing Properties
One fascinating aspect of purple opal is its ability to promote emotional, physical and spiritual healing and provide a sense of inner tranquility and balance.
Emotional Healing
Purple opals are considered excellent stones for those who struggle with anxiety, stress, or emotional trauma. They have been used by metaphysical healers to aid in releasing negative energy and promoting self-acceptance.
This gemstone is known for its positive influence on the emotional body, helping individuals navigate through difficult emotions and find a state of calmness.
Physical Healing
It is believed that purple opal can aid in healing physical ailments such as headaches and insomnia by balancing energy flow within the body.
Spiritual Healing
Purple opals are believed to enhance one’s psychic gifts and connect them with their spirit guides. These gemstones are also said to assist in improving eye conditions by emitting a spiritual light that promotes healing.
Purple Opal & Chakra
Purple Opal specifically resonates with two primary chakras: the root chakra and sacral chakra. The root chakra, located at the base of the spine, governs feelings of stability, grounding, and security. By working with Purple Opal, one can stimulate this energy center and promote a sense of inner strength and balance.
Similarly, the sacral chakra is situated just below the navel and influences emotions, creativity, and sexuality. Through its vibrational qualities, Purple Opal can help activate this chakra to enhance passion and ignite creative expression.
By aligning these important energy centers with Purple Opal’s guidance, individuals can foster a deeper connection to their physical body while accessing higher realms of wisdom offered by spirit teachers in the spirit realm.
It’s important to note that regular and proper cleansing and recharging your chakra stone is essential to ensure its continued strength and effectiveness. Read our beginners guide on chakra and learn more about recharging and cleansing your opal.
Zodiac Connection
Purple Opal is believed to have a strong connection with the zodiac sign of Libra. Libras are known for their diplomatic nature, artistic abilities, and desire for harmony in relationships. The Purple Opal aligns with these characteristics by promoting balance, creativity, and emotional healing. It is said to enhance a Libra’s ability to express themselves creatively and find inner peace.
Additionally, the Purple Opal is also associated with the zodiac sign of Pisces due to its calming properties and its ability to enhance intuition and spiritual awareness.
Combining Minerals
When combining minerals, the unique blend of hues and textures creates a visually captivating and harmonious composition. This process allows for the creation of stunning pieces that showcase the beauty and individuality of each mineral.
The combination of purple opal with other minerals can result in breathtaking jewelry or decorative items that exude elegance and charm. Here are three reasons why combining minerals is an exciting endeavor:
- Enhanced aesthetics: By combining purple opal with other minerals, you can create a mesmerizing play of colors, patterns, and textures that captivate the eye.
- Increased symbolism: Different minerals carry their own meanings and energies. When combined with purple opal, these symbolic properties can be enhanced, resulting in a piece that not only looks beautiful but also holds deeper significance.
- Unique properties: Each mineral possesses its own set of physical properties such as hardness or transparency. By combining purple opal with complementary minerals, you can create a piece that showcases a range of intriguing characteristics.
Overall, the art of combining minerals offers endless possibilities for creating distinctive and meaningful pieces featuring purple opal.
Crystal Pairing
There are several crystals that can be paired with purple opal to enhance its energy and vibration. Some crystals that complement purple opal include:
- Amethyst: This crystal shares a similar purple color and enhances spiritual growth, intuition, and protection.
- Lepidolite: Known for its calming and soothing properties, lepidolite can enhance the calming and balancing energy of purple opal.
- Clear Quartz: Clear quartz amplifies the energy of other crystals, making it a great companion for purple opal to enhance its healing and spiritual properties.
- Labradorite: Labradorite’s iridescent play of colors can complement the shimmering effect of purple opal, enhancing its mystical and spiritual properties.
- Selenite: Selenite is a high-vibration crystal that can cleanse and purify other crystals, including purple opal. It can help maintain the clarity and energy of the opal.
- Fluorite: Fluorite can enhance mental clarity, focus, and intuition, making it a suitable crystal to pair with purple opal for deepening spiritual insights and understanding.
- Charoite: Charoite is a purple stone that resonates with spiritual transformation and can support the energy of purple opal in facilitating inner growth and spiritual evolution.
It’s important to note that crystal pairings are subjective, and the best combination ultimately depends on personal preference and intention. Experimenting with different crystals and trusting your intuition can help you find the perfect combination for your needs.
Buying Guide
Color and fluorescence play a significant role in the visual appeal and value assessment of gemstones such as the purple opal. Understanding the color and fluorescence characteristics of this gemstone is crucial for individuals looking to buy a high-quality purple opal.
Read our comprehensive buying guide and valuing opals to help you make informed decisions when purchasing these beautiful gemstones for your collections or jewelry pieces.
Understanding these aspects will help buyers make informed decisions when purchasing purple opals.
Care and Cleaning
One important aspect to consider when owning a chocolate opal is the proper care and cleaning required to maintain its beauty and longevity. These beautiful stones, with their desirable colors, are delicate gemstones that require special care.
To ensure that your chocolate opal retains its shine and luster, read our step by step guide on how to properly care for your opals plus tips of storage.
Morado Opal vs. Tiffany Stone
Now that we have explored the color and fluorescence of purple opal, it is worth delving into a comparison between two similar gemstones: morado opal and Tiffany stone.
While both stones share a striking resemblance in their vibrant purple hues, there are notable distinctions to consider.
Morado opal, also known as Andean opal or pink opal, originates from Peru and showcases a mesmerizing blend of pink and purple tones.
On the other hand, Tiffany stone, also called bertrandite or ice cream opal, is found in Utah and exhibits a wider range of colors including purples, violets, whites, and even greens.
In terms of properties and meanings associated with these gemstones, morado opal is believed to promote emotional healing and tranquility while Tiffany stone is said to enhance intuition and spiritual connection.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, purple opal is a unique and beautiful gemstone with a rich history and fascinating geological properties. Its vibrant color and fluorescence make it highly sought after by collectors and jewelry enthusiasts. The stone is also known as Mexican Violet Flame or Morado Opal, which adds to its mystique.
Whether you are interested in the science behind its formation or the deeper meanings associated with this gem, purple opal is a captivating choice for anyone looking to add something special to their collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Purple Opal compare to other opal varieties in terms of price?
Purple opal is priced similarly to other opal varieties. Factors such as color, clarity, size, and origin influence the price of opals. However, without considering specific details, it is difficult to make a direct comparison between purple opal and other varieties in terms of price.
Can Purple Opal be used for meditation or spiritual practices?
Purple opal can be used for meditation and spiritual practices. Its calming and soothing energy helps to promote relaxation and connect with higher consciousness. It aids in emotional healing, enhances intuition, and facilitates spiritual growth.
Are there any specific rituals or traditions associated with Purple Opal?
There are no specific rituals or traditions associated with purple opal. While opals in general have been used in various spiritual practices, there is no evidence to suggest that purple opal has any unique ceremonial significance.
Can Purple Opal be used in combination with other gemstones for enhanced healing properties?
Purple opal can be used in combination with other gemstones to enhance healing properties. By pairing purple opal with specific gemstones that complement its energy, a synergistic effect can be achieved, amplifying the overall healing benefits for the individual.
Chermaine’s journey into the world of gemstones and crystals began as a child, collecting shimmering stones on family vacations. Today, she’s a certified gemologist and spiritual healer, intertwining the physical beauty of jewels with their metaphysical properties.
Chermaine has traveled to mines in Africa, marketplaces in India, and spiritual retreats in Bali, always seeking to deepen her understanding.