Opal, commonly known as "opalus" (meaning "a stone") in Latin is the birthstone for the month of October. Opal is found in various shimmering colors with elegant flashes of yellow, orange, green and many more. The opal is often considered to be the most beautiful and desirable of all gems because it is highlighted with all the colors of the rainbow.

Opal is formed from particles called amorphous silica which is found between the cracks in rocks. This birthstone is very brittle and sensitive to heat so this gemstone can be molded in any form.

Opals were first discovered in 1872 in the deep caves of Australia. Opals are also found in Mexico, U.S and many other countries. This gemstone captures the imagination and inspires legends - a fantastic gem for jewelry and gifts.

Ancient Traditional Birthstones:

• Arabic: Aquamarine
• Guardian Angel: Tsuriel
• Hebrew: Aquamarine
• Hindu: Coral
• His Talismanic Stone: Agate
• Polish: Aquamarine
• Roman: Aquamarine

An alternate birthstone for the month of October is Tourmaline. With its rainbow of colors, tourmaline is an endless source of artistic inspiration and so it is called the "rainbow gemstone".

Tourmaline comes in a variety of colors depending on the minerals present when the gemstone was formed. Tourmalines are found in many countries having the major deposits in Brazil, Sri Lanka and many more.

Tourmaline is considered as one of the best gemstones in terms of jewelry, as you can get the best jewelry without breaking your budget.