Each month brings with it a different beautiful birthstone, but October highlights two—opal and pink tourmaline. So, October babies, take your pick! These stones are lovely as individual pendants on necklaces, bracelets, a pair of earrings or hair clips. They can also be placed together with others of the same stone for uniformity, or chosen to add contrast to a piece. Opal and pink tourmaline are each in their own rights a standout jewelry enhancer, but it’s your choice how you wear them as jewelry.

After learning about opal and pink tourmaline, you might be curious to see what they look like and how they feel. Head on down to your local jewelry store in Sterling Heights, MI to find out!

Here are some interesting facts about the two birthstones.

Opal

• The word opal comes from the Greek word opallios, which means “to see a change in color.” This makes sense, since opals are an iridescent gemstone, meaning that they seem to change colors when you look at the stone from different angles.
• Although there are dozens of opal varieties, opals are typically characterized by their background color, which is either black or white.
• A top characteristic of opals is the “play of color.” Submerging the stone in water or oil is a way to enhance the play of color.
• The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) states that play of color is one of the most important factors when opals are being valued. This characteristic includes a range of colors, patterns, color intensity and the percentage of colors when compared to the background shade of the opal.
• Each of the gemstone’s colors is represented by mystical properties, and it’s said that the wearer is filled with whatever those properties may be.
• Australia’s national gemstone is the opal. Interestingly enough, many of the world’s most precious opals are found in Australia.

Pink tourmaline

• The word tourmaline hails from the Sinhalese word turamali—sometimes written as two words, tura mali—meaning “stone of mixed colors.” There are very few gemstones that come in as many colors as tourmaline. Because of the vast color options, pink tourmaline has been assigned to October as a birthstone.
• Tourmaline gemstones are mostly classified by color—red, blue, green or pink.
• There is a prized variety of red or pink tourmaline known as rubellite. A true rubellite will display the same vibrant red or pink shade whether in artificial light or natural daylight, while the average pink tourmaline can appear brown in artificial light.
• Those who use gemstones in the spiritual sense say pink tourmaline reduces stress, anxiety and clumsiness in adults, and soothes and calms children.

Owning jewelry with your birthstone—like a watch, necklace, ring or another piece—adds a little something more to your identity, and it doesn’t even have to be a piece that you wear all the time. Visit the team at Howard’s Fine Jewelry to learn more about these October birthstones, or feel free to browse our jewelry cases. We hope to see you in our jewelry store in Sterling Heights, MI soon!