Opal is a gem formed from silica-rich waters. It takes its name from the Sanskrit word Upala which means precious stone. Later, it would be called Opallios during Roman times. There are two kinds of Opal – the common opal and the precious opal. Opal meaning is amplification, hope, and purity.If Opal doesn’t invite your heart to dance, check out our essential gemstone guide to healing crystals and find a stone that calls to you.Flashing in a thousand shimmering shades and with the dance of fire gleaming beneath its surface, the Opal stone is an enigma of light, purity, and mystical play. This gem is pure eye candy, with its spectral colors shining and its cool weight sitting in the palm of the hand. It’s a hugely amplifying stone and also known for its connection to fable and folklore.Opal re-entered our modern world when it was found in Queensland Australia a century ago. A young boy who was out searching for gold and quartz with his father stumbled upon the shimmering delights and filled his sack with fistfuls of these fallen stars. The dream of collecting Opal tempted few men to battle the harsh elements of Australia’s backcountry, with Opal miners penning tales of desperation, extreme heat, thirst, stabbing bushlands and larger than life bugs. But Opal was such a precious prize to be won. Beyond the far corners of Australia, Opal is also mined in Mexico and Brazil.But the Opal stone goes back further than this relatively recent discovery in Australia. The first notes of Opal mining can be traced back to the winding Carpathian Mountains in 400 BC and the gem was even penned into tales spun by the Ancient Greek Philosopher Plato. Roman Historian Pliny the Elder also talked about Opalus holding the garnet flame, the purple essence of amethyst, and the shimmering sea greens of emerald. It was a bewitching gem.