OPAL, a stone of magical beauty.

In its DEPTHS a flash BRILLIANT SPARKS of constantly CHANGING COLORS fascinated people for ages. It is also the MOST FRAGILE, and its SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT, ATMOSPHERE,
and TEMPERATURE has given it a sense of unpredictability.
The OPAL STONE has been an inspiration for OBSTINACY and INTOLERANCE and NARROW- MINDEDNESS in people devoted to their own beliefs.
OPAL come in many colors and varieties. Although once mined exclusively in Hungary, today they usually come from Australia and Mexico. They are found in the seams of volcanic rock and the cohesion between the molecules is FAIRLY EASILY DESTROYED BY A SUDDEN STRESS, causing FRAGMENTATION.
At first the STONE was considered to be a LUCKY STONE with HEALING POWERS. Greeks believed the STONE ENDOWED ITS WEARER with FORESIGHT and VISION. Romans the STONE represented MAJESTY and POWER. In the MEDIEVAL TIMES, the STONE was REGARDED as a PROTECTION AGAINST EVIL EYES and HEART, and against DISEASES such as CHOLERA.
The stories of ILL OMEN BEGAN IN THE 11th CENTURY. Then the STONE was EVIL GAINED CURRENCY in the 14th CENTURY at the time that thousands were dying of the BLACK
DEATH.
The STONE was a FAVORITE with ITALIAN JEWELERS. In VENICE, where the plague was particular virulent, it was observed that the STONES BECAME MORE BRILLIANT WHEN THEIR WEARERS CONTRACTED THE DISEASE, BUT DULLED WHEN THEY DIED. The change was brought about by changes in body temperature, which affected the stone's brilliant luster.