Written by Elie Ammoun, Graduate Gemologist (IGI) — Luna Dura, Al Durrah Tower, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Reviewed for gemmological and historical accuracy.
October is one of the two months with more than one birthstone, and its pair could hardly be less alike. Opal is ancient, soft, full of water, and no two stones are the same. Tourmaline is hard, comes in more colours than any other gem species, and only became October's stone in the twentieth century. This guide covers what opal actually is, how to tell a solid opal from a doublet or a triplet, whether opal really is unlucky, what opal costs in Dubai, and the 925 sterling silver opal jewellery we hold in the studio on Sheikh Zayed Road.
What is opal, and why does it flash with colour?
Opal is hydrated silica — silicon dioxide with water locked inside it, typically between three and ten per cent by weight. It is not a crystal like ruby or topaz; it has no crystal structure at all. What it has instead is a microscopic arrangement of silica spheres stacked in an orderly grid, and when those spheres are close to the wavelength of visible light they split it, throwing back flashes of green, blue, pink and gold as you move the stone. That effect is called play-of-colour, and it is the thing you are actually buying when you buy opal.
It follows that no two opals are alike, that the colour is a physical structure rather than a pigment, and that the same stone can look quite different across a room, at a table, and under the sun. Opals with strong, broad flashes across the whole face cost far more than stones where the fire appears only at one angle.
Opal in the Gulf — الأوبال
In Arabic the stone is الأوبال, and October's birthstone is described as حجر بخت شهر أكتوبر. The name traces back through Latin opalus to Greek opallios, carrying the sense of a stone that changes colour — which is as good a one-word description as the gem has ever had.
Opal has no deep mining history in Arabia the way pearl does, but the idea behind it is entirely at home here. A stone that shifts and flashes as light moves across it belongs naturally to a region whose decorative tradition is built on iridescence, glazed faience and the play of light on water. It is why our opals sit where they do: at the pupil of the Eye of Horus and at the protective eye of the Hamsa — كف فاطمة — where a stone that seems to move is doing something no flat gem could. Teal enamel around a warm yellow opal is a direct descendant of the turquoise-and-gold palette Egyptian workshops reserved for protective objects. For the meaning of the symbols themselves, see our evil eye, Hamsa and Eye of Horus guide.
White, fire and black — the main kinds of opal
- White opal — a pale, milky body colour with play-of-colour across it. The most familiar type in jewellery and the easiest to wear.
- Fire opal — warm orange, yellow or red body colour, sometimes transparent. Some fire opal flashes and some does not; a stone can be a perfectly genuine fire opal with body colour alone.
- Black opal — a dark body tone that makes the colours leap. The rarest and by far the most expensive.
- Boulder and matrix opal — opal still attached to the host rock it formed in, cut as one piece.
Our pieces use warm yellow and fire opal, chosen because that body colour holds its own against teal and white enamel rather than disappearing into it.
Is opal bad luck?
No — and the superstition has a traceable, embarrassingly recent origin. For most of recorded history opal was a lucky stone: the Romans treated it as a symbol of hope and purity, and the Greeks associated it with foresight. Then in 1829 Walter Scott published the novel Anne of Geierstein, in which a character's opal loses its colour when holy water touches it, and she dies shortly afterwards. The book was enormously popular, readers drew the obvious conclusion, and opal sales are said to have halved in the years that followed.
The question still comes up here — Gulf lifestyle press runs the حجر ملعون question most Octobers — so it is worth saying plainly that a nineteenth-century novel is the entire basis of it. There is a grain of practical truth underneath: opal contains water, it is softer than most gems, and a badly treated stone can craze or crack. A stone that damages easily gets a reputation. Handle it sensibly and the reputation evaporates.
Solid opal, doublet, triplet or synthetic — how to tell
This is the single most useful thing to know before buying opal anywhere, and it is where most buyers lose money.
- Solid opal — one piece of natural opal all the way through. This is what our pieces use.
- Doublet — a thin slice of genuine opal glued to a dark backing to deepen the colour. Genuine opal, but far less material and far less value.
- Triplet — the same, with a clear cap on top. The cap magnifies the fire and hides how little opal is there.
- Synthetic opal — laboratory-grown, often with a tell-tale regular columnar pattern in the colour rather than the random drift of a natural stone.
- "Opalite" and similar — glass or resin. Not opal in any sense, whatever the counter says.
How to check: look at the stone from the side. A dead-flat back with a dark line or an obviously separate layer means an assembled stone. A perfectly straight join between colour and backing is a giveaway; natural opal does not form in flat sheets with sharp boundaries. Natural opal also feels cool against the skin because of its water content, where glass and plastic warm quickly to body temperature. Regular, repeating colour patches suggest a synthetic. Above all, ask — and expect the answer in writing.
Every opal in our pieces is a solid natural stone, not a doublet or a triplet, verified in-house by Elie Ammoun, Graduate Gemologist (IGI). Independent certification is available upon request.
Opal in astrology — a cultural tradition
In Vedic tradition opal is Upal, and it is the gemstone of Venus (Shukra) — the planet associated with beauty, art, comfort and partnership. Because the primary Venus stone is diamond, opal is widely recommended as its upratna, or substitute, for those who cannot or would rather not wear one. It is customarily worn on the ring finger, set in silver, and first put on a Friday, and it is associated with Taurus and Libra.
We present this as cultural and astrological tradition, valued as such by the people who follow it. It is not a medical claim. You will find opal sold in this market with promises that it treats specific organs or conditions — we do not make those claims and would treat any seller who does with caution.
October's second stone: tourmaline
Tourmaline joined October's list far more recently than opal, and it is opal's opposite in almost every respect: hard, crystalline, and available in a wider colour range than any other gem species — the name comes from the Sinhalese turmali, roughly "mixed stones." The most collectible colourway is watermelon tourmaline, where a single crystal grades from pink at the core to green at the rim.
An honest note on our tourmaline piece. Our Watermelon Tourmaline Drop Earrings use a laboratory-grown simulant, not natural tourmaline, and they are labelled that way on the product page. A natural watermelon slice of that size in that quality runs to four figures and beyond; the simulant gives the colourway at a giftable price, and we would rather say so than let the word tourmaline do quiet work. No gemologist verification applies to that stone, because there is no natural stone to verify. If you want natural tourmaline, we source it as a bespoke commission — see below.
How much does opal cost in Dubai?
Loose opal is priced by the strength and coverage of its play-of-colour first, then body tone, size and whether it is solid. Black opal sits at the top, white and fire opal well below it, and an assembled doublet or triplet below that again — which is precisely why the distinction matters at the point of sale.
In the UAE the loose-stone dealers cluster in Karama and at Gold & Diamond Park on Sheikh Zayed Road, selling certified material by the carat. At the other end, opal set in 18K gold runs into the thousands. Our own opal pieces sit between the two, from AED 589 to AED 1,180, in hand-finished 925 sterling silver with solid natural stones.
How should opal be worn and cared for?
Opal is roughly 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and holds water in its structure, which makes it the one stone where care genuinely changes the outcome. It scratches more easily than quartz, and sharp temperature changes can cause fine surface cracks known as crazing.
Pendants and earrings are the natural formats, which is why most of our opal sits there. An opal ring is a pleasure to own but a poor choice for an engagement ring worn through every day of a life. Keep opal away from ultrasonic cleaners, steam and solvents entirely; wipe it with a soft damp cloth and nothing more. Put it on after perfume, not before. In Dubai the practical rule is to avoid the jump from a hot car to cold water, and to store it out of a safe-deposit box's dry heat rather than in it.
Opal jewellery in Dubai — what we hold
Five opal pieces, all solid natural opal, all set in 925 sterling silver.
- 925 Silver Hamsa Kaf Fatimah Bracelet — Teal Enamel Opal — AED 589. Twin-bypass band, opal at the protective eye of the hand.
- Teal Enamel Hamsa Pendant — Natural Yellow Opal — AED 595. Openwork round frame, warm opal against cool teal.
- Eye of Horus Pendant Necklace — Teal Enamel Natural Opal — AED 821. A 19.6mm disc with a 4mm opal at the pupil, on a 40cm chain.
- Eye of Horus Yellow Opal Ring & Earrings Set — AED 975. Matched signet ring and drop earrings on a white enamel ground.
- Eye of Horus Fire Opal Pendant — AED 1,180. Our largest opal, set at the iris of the wedjat.
For October's second stone, the Watermelon Tourmaline Simulant Drop Earrings at AED 849 — a lab-grown simulant, as described above. Everything sits within our wider gemstone jewellery collection. Order now and WhatsApp +971 52 220 0582 to confirm same-day delivery in Dubai. Other emirates take one to two business days, and you are welcome to see the stones at the studio in Al Durrah Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road, opposite the Museum of the Future.
Bespoke and loose opal
We source loose opal, and natural tourmaline, for bespoke commissions on the same terms as our other stones. Tell us the body colour and the kind of fire you want, an approximate size, and what you want it set into, and we will bring options to the studio to compare side by side before anything is committed. Solid stones only, with independent certification available on request. WhatsApp is the fastest route.
Frequently asked questions
What is the birthstone for October?
October has two: opal and tourmaline. Opal is the older and better known of the pair; tourmaline was added in the twentieth century and is prized for its colour range.
What is opal called in Arabic?
Opal is الأوبال, and October's birthstone is described as حجر بخت شهر أكتوبر. The month's second stone, tourmaline, is التورمالين.
Is opal bad luck?
No. The superstition dates to Walter Scott's 1829 novel Anne of Geierstein, in which an opal loses its colour and its owner dies. Before that, opal was widely considered a stone of hope and good fortune. The only real basis is practical: opal is soft and water-bearing, so it needs sensible handling.
How do I know if my opal is solid, and not a doublet or triplet?
Look at it edge-on. A flat back with a dark layer or a razor-straight line between the colour and the base means an assembled stone. Solid opal shows irregular, natural boundaries. A clear cap over the top indicates a triplet. If you cannot see the sides because of the setting, ask the seller in writing.
Is opal natural or lab-created?
Both exist. Synthetic opal is grown in laboratories and often shows an unnaturally regular, columnar colour pattern. "Opalite" is glass and not opal at all. Every opal in our pieces is a solid natural stone.
Can I wear opal every day?
Pendants and earrings, yes. Rings need more thought — at Mohs 5.5 to 6.5 opal scratches more easily than most gems, so it is a poor choice for a ring worn through daily work. It is not the stone we would recommend for an engagement ring.
How do I clean opal jewellery?
A soft, slightly damp cloth. Never an ultrasonic cleaner, never steam, and no solvents or harsh detergents — all of these can craze the surface. Put opal on after perfume rather than before, and avoid sudden temperature changes.
Which finger is opal worn on?
In Vedic tradition opal is worn on the ring finger, set in silver, and first put on a Friday, as the stone of Venus and a substitute for diamond. This is cultural practice rather than a rule — most people wear it wherever they like it.
Is your watermelon tourmaline natural?
No, and we say so on the product page. Our watermelon tourmaline earrings use a laboratory-grown simulant that reproduces the pink-to-green colourway at a fraction of the cost of a natural slice. Natural tourmaline is available through our bespoke service.
Is opal a good gift?
Yes, particularly for an October birthday, and it is the traditional gem of the 14th wedding anniversary. Because every opal is different, it reads as a personal choice rather than an off-the-shelf one. Pendants and earrings make the safer gift since they need no sizing and are gentler on the stone.
How much does opal cost in Dubai?
Loose opal is priced mainly on the strength and coverage of its play-of-colour, with black opal at the top and assembled doublets and triplets well below solid stones. Our finished opal pieces in 925 sterling silver run from AED 589 to AED 1,180; opal set in 18K gold elsewhere in the city runs considerably higher.
Where can I buy opal jewellery in Dubai?
For loose certified stones, the dealers are concentrated in Karama and at Gold & Diamond Park on Sheikh Zayed Road — ask whether the stone is solid, and ask for certification. For finished opal jewelry, our solid natural opal pieces in 925 sterling silver are available online with same-day delivery in Dubai, or to view at our studio in Al Durrah Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road. Message us on WhatsApp at +971 52 220 0582.
More birthstones
Opal is one of twelve months. For the full month-by-month guide to birthstone meanings, jewellery and gift ideas in the UAE, see our Complete Birthstone Guide.
Read also our December tanzanite guide, the July ruby guide and the August peridot guide, or the full evil eye, Hamsa and Eye of Horus protection guide.
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