The Most Spectacular, Precious, and Magical Beauty of Stones: The Magnificent Opal

Opal, a stone of ill omen. Associated with death, as this gemstone reacts to body temperature and becomes dull when life passes from the body!

The opal is a gem of magical beauty; in its depths flash brilliant sparks of constantly changing colors that have entranced and fascinated people for centuries. Considered by many to be the most precious of stones, the opal is also the most fragile, and it’s sensitively to light, atmosphere, and temperature has given it an air of unpredictable that has added to its appeal.
But despite its unique properties – or perhaps because of them – the opal, more than any other stone, has inspired bigotry and superstition. Over the centuries it has waxed and waned in public favor, being viewed alternately as a charm for good luck and as an object of fear and dread.

Link, Via: Neatorama

Four Gemstones Rarer and More Beautiful Than Your Average Diamond

Paraiba Tourmaline

I can picture myself floating adrift on a raft in the center of this stone, just off shore a deserted island. Relaxing with this crystal clear blue ocean beneath me. Paraiba is one of the most magnificent natural gemstones in the world. First found in Paraiba, Brazil, it’s color varies from intense blue to green. It gets this beautiful color from copper being added to its composition. As the rarest and most expensive of all Tourmalines, this bad boy can easily reach tens of thousands per carat. LINK