Opals and Pins

honeychile · #1 01-22-2005, 01:32 PM

Whenever a discussion of "what type of pin would you really love to own?" comes up (best thread here), there always seems to be quite a lot of people who say that they'd love to have opals on their pin. This never ceases to amaze me, as I always heard that

1) only people born in October should wear opals and

2) one should never, ever buy oneself an opal.

Am I the only one who ever heard this, or is the beauty of the opal just superseding the above traditions? Cost aside, would you purchase an opal pin for yourself?

33girl · #2 01-22-2005, 01:35 PM

I never heard the October part, but I have heard that you should never buy an opal for yourself - it should be given to you by someone who loves you. If not, it's bad luck.

If I wasn't superstitious I would have bought myself one a log time ago.

carnation · #3 01-22-2005, 01:41 PM

I heard all that too--and I have opals in my pin! But it's cool because I'm an October baby!

RedRoseSAI · #4 01-22-2005, 01:53 PM

I've heard that opals bring bad luck to the wearer.

honeychile · #5 01-22-2005, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RedRoseSAI
I've heard that opals bring bad luck to the wearer.

That's what I heard, with the exceptions I noted above.

ADPi Conniebama · #6 01-22-2005, 02:19 PM

My husband bought me some opal earrings for our first christmas and I think they are beautiful but I didn't know much about them. After seeing this thread I am gonna google opal and see what I can find.

What are they? (showing how much I don't know) I thought they were some kind of pearl. But, I guess they are a gem. Sounds like it would look great on a badge.

Nikki_DZ · #7 01-22-2005, 02:29 PM

I have never heard anything about them being bad luck, besides the fact that they're a very soft stone and are easily chipped, damaged, etc. When I was younger, opals were very popular among my group of friends, and we all begged our parents for opal rings. My mom was the only one who balked, b/c of above stated reasons. But I know quite a few people who buy them, and then coat the stone with clear fingernail polish, and never have a problem.

Now tiger's eye, I've heard supersitions associated with...

PhoenixAzul · #8 01-22-2005, 02:35 PM

I think that the following are my favorite badges
1. Pi Phi's arrow...very unique and quite pretty
2. the quill ove Alpha Xi, also very unique
3. The Key of Kappa Kappa Gamma, an interesting shape/concept.

I'd love to have a badge of my org have pearls, black diamonds and rubies, all of which have significance. Buttttt..being local, its hard to do.

honeychile · #9 01-22-2005, 03:09 PM

I'm surprised by how many sites don't mention the bad luck aspect of opals, especially since I've heard these all my life. Guess that's one of the downfalls of being Irish...

But on www.oldsuperstitions.com, I found this:
"Bad Luck: Unless you were born in October, the wearing of an Opal will be ill-fated."

3DeltaSupernova · #10 01-22-2005, 04:14 PM

I've always had a fascination with superstitions and what I've always heard opals were for tears.

They're still my favorite gemstone and I'd love to have jewelry with opals...but my badge only has one option: pearls. Still love it, though.

AOPIHottie · #11 01-22-2005, 04:28 PM

I am an October baby so I have a couple of opals, but I am so picky and its hard to find one that has such beautiful clear colors in it. I had an ex-boyfriend buy me a opal ring and I had to replace it TWICE. First because the opal fell out of the setting(I got it caught in the lint thing on the dryer) and the second time because I chipped the opal. They are very soft, and you have to take care with them. But its still my favorite stone, next to a diamond of course!

Tom Earp · #12 01-22-2005, 06:13 PM

OPALS!

I have a LXA Badge with Opals. Have only seen one other, A Brother from My Chapter. I paid a pretty $ for it.

Opals are pretty unstable as a Gem. Hard to keep. Matched Opals wow!

If you see a Badge with Opals, it is worth some $$! Probably Old.

Bad Luck with Opals Bah Humbug, or BS.

Opals are Unique as to each one. To have a close matched set, Well, Awesome.

Truely, most people dont understand them!

carnation · #13 01-22-2005, 06:16 PM

You can get some great opals, set and unset, on eBay! I like to look at them--fire opals are gorgeous.

AOIIsilver · #14 01-22-2005, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Only people born in October should wear opals and

I have heard this woe ALL of my life. My mother is not born in October and has a beautiful ring. I always look to see if it is yet chipped!

I was always told that you must rub opals to deposit oils from your skin to keep them hydrated. Anyone else ever heard this?

Silver

Tom Earp · #15 01-22-2005, 06:23 PM

YES!!!!!

They Do Dry Out and then will crack like an egg!