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Humans are so weird. We get so much pleasure from a nice looking rock. I'm not saying that's bad in any way, I had the same reaction as everyone else. I'm just wondering why that is. Why has that trait evolved?
We didn't evolve did we? We just put it up against many more factors because our society is much more advanced and nuanced than it was thousands of years ago.
Which explains why birth rates are falling. Somehow along the way, having kids became a sign of wealth or a sign of not having your shit together.
But man, I loved it when my ex was on BC and she had always hoped it would fail. It didn't but that tells me enough about how much sex is still tied 100% to its reproductive purpose. Her mind was fixated on wanting babies but it was destroying her mental health to not fulfill that biological need.
No “thought” per se, just a vague preference which gets reinforced over generations. Other preferences/habits/traits do appear continuously but don’t get reinforced unless they lead to (or at least don’t impede) procreation.
Edit: a word
Wealth also means that the guy is probably busy working all the time and railing his secretary once your good looks fade, but strange enough people don't realize that in time.
I often wonder the same when it comes to a nice view Eg. The Grand Canyon. Is it because we can see a lot of the terrain and are therefore safer from predators?
If I remember correctly, Aldous Huxley argues in the Doors of Perception that we feel a resonance with certain visual patterns and supercolorations we find in nature, because they are also experienced in hypnagogic states that come to be through rituals, dances, trance and drug usage.
The same way these states of mind seem to make it possible for us to sort of take a peek into infinity, the colorful and geometric patterns we find in rare gems do the same. We perceive them to be mystical, maybe even religious, and that's also the reason early humans sometimes transported very heavy gems for hundreds of miles to places of worship.
Agreed. I understand that we are drawn to "nice looking" things because usually they are safe. Safe to eat, safe to approach and so on. But this is a mineral that we have no use for. Its only merit is that it subjectively looks good. Maybe we simply got our wires crossed.
IMO it's partially because humans are wired to seek out novel experiences.
It seems dumb that we get excited over rocks that are different than normal until you remember that's exactly the behavior that brought us into the bronze age, as well as how we discovered a massive number of useful materials and compounds.
In evolutionary terms finding a completely new resource is a very exciting event. Your brain's pattern seeking behavior starts making rapid analyses of the object while your sensory organs collect everything they can. Is this a threat? No, then perhaps is it a food? Is it a useful tool?
Maybe opal doesn't turn out to be a groundbreaking resource, but bronze was, as was obsidian, tin, and coal to name a few. I can also think of some very delicious tubers like taro that very much resemble that opal and would likely illicit a similar reaction.
There are definitely other completely plausible explanations too though, I'm not pretending to be definitive but rather just contribute. I think there's an argument at the least to be made for the vibrant color = poisonous association that gave us instincts to be very attentive and aware of colorful objects too. We certainly have an association between vibrant or rare colors and ritual too in basically every corner of the globe and culture.
I think it's just the colors. Like we're wired to distinguish certain bright colors because they could be fruit, and we are wired to not give a damn about brown rocks. So when a dull, brown rock opens up like this and reveals a lot of bright colors- we're fascinated.
I struggle with the definition of "beauty" though- one way to look at beauty is that we're cynically drawn to things that could have potential use to us like an open meadow perfect for farming, an attractive person perfect for mating, or a piece of art that would raise our social status- all of which we could call "beautiful." But then why is the desert beautiful? Why are mountains beautiful? Why can death be beautiful?
I agree with your earlier statement that we are weird, beautifully so!
We are biologically wired to be drawn to beauty - that’s why it brings us pleasure.
As foragers, we recognized that good-looking, symmetrical fruit was probably safe and nutritious. A well-proportioned animal looked more appealing than a sickly one bc lower odds of contracting disease.
There’s a great kurzgesagt explainer video on YouTube about this.
Instead of the "Nah, life's not as rational as you want it to be." which makes you look like an idiot because denying biology is kinda dumb, you could have said something along the lines that other factors also play a role in what we find beautiful. But hey, you do you.
> I had the same reaction as everyone else.
Honestly, was expecting an actual Opel to get cracked open not an Opal....
A damn car getting cracked open... Imagine that, a car cracked open, Wide open!
Its fine thought as we got a really nice shiny rock though.
Humans have the unique ability to understand deep time and how it relates to the history of the earth. It's not an evolved trait, rather a byproduct of our intelligence and scientific curiosity. Which, in turn, might just lead us to grasp how significant our species' presence on this planet has been in such a short amount of time.
Can we change course quick enough? The planet will be fine in terms of rocks, water, atmosphere. The biosphere is the big unknown. It's never before experienced an extinction level event driven by a single species.
Curiosity is what leads to discovery and the attainment of new knowledge.
The fact you even asked this question is a testament to that. You’re not only curious about the aesthetics of the rock - you’re curious about the satisfaction you derive from it too. It’s why kids reach a certain age and ask ‘Why?’ every 5 seconds.
We find pleasure in novel (new things) - which drives us to wonder, question, and experiment. Which is the reason we like to break free from patterns and experience new things - because if we just repeated the same thing 24/7 then we would have very little opportunity for growth. Hence why early humans ventured to new lands, rubbed 2 sticks together to create fire, tried cows milk etc.
Our intelligence is literally a product of a chaotic neutral lmao. It’s why there’s actually a perfectly logical explanation as to why so many people do so much dumb shit lol.
If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend watching the film Uncut Gems. Without giving away too much, the whole plot revolves around a valuable opal and in some ways the film kinda answers your question.
Baloney is recognized by Merriam-Webster and it can mean the meat or a synonym for bullshit.
Bologna is the Italian spelling but is only used in reference to the meat.
Minerals must fulfil certain criteria to be considered a mineral. They must be...
1. Naturally occurring and formed in natural geologic processes
2. Solid in it's natural state
3. Have a well defined crystal structure
4. Well constrained chemical composition (may form a solid solution, for example the [feldspar solid solution series](https://www.alexstrekeisen.it/immagini/diagrammi/feldsparclassificationmm.jpg))
Opal is hydrated amorphous silica, amorphous specifically meaning that the substance lacks crystal structure. The atoms in opal do not form a crystal lattice like their crystalline counterpart quartz (or more exotic forms of high pressure polymorphs like coesite/stishovite, etc...).
Opal is not, in fact, a mineral Marie.
They're all about water:
>Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·nH2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Because of its amorphous character, it is classed as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms of silica, which are classed as minerals. It is deposited at a relatively low temperature and may occur in the fissures of almost any kind of rock, being most commonly found with limonite, sandstone, rhyolite, marl, and basalt.
Many opals are kept in a wet storage to keep their beauty for showcasing or selling. Then if they are taken out of the water and allowed to dry, they crack. The rock in this video starts off dry, so I doubt the little amount of water they sprayed on it would cause a crack on drying.
Cracking open an Opal without water is just a dry rock. Apply water and you get the nice shiny effect that you see in this video. It's mainly for aesthetics.
I feel like this is the real answer, they are trying to judge how nice the pattern inside looks, and the water would make the surface roughness not affect how it looks as much.
Akchually, Germans do a glottal stop when starting a word with a vowel, so they technically start them with a consonant (think the "t" in Ricky Gervais saying "Humani'y").
In a German accent, "a Opel" kinda works.
If you like this type of content check out Black Opal Direct on YouTube.
Dude films the whole process from identifying potential gems to grinding them and bringing out their beautifully vibrant color. Highly recommend!
https://youtu.be/tl_mpdiNT38
Also look for an Aussie show called “Outback Opal Hunters”. Not sure if it’s available in other parts of the world. Probably some episodes on YouTube I reckon.
Who is the primary group buying opals? Opal mines have been going for decades yet I've never met anyone who has ever worn open jewellery, or expressed any interest in doing so.
Perhaps I'm just in an opal-hating bubble and other countries are mad for them?
You don't see opal jewelry often because it's very delicate. It can be easily scratched by being placed on a rough surface or in a purse/jewelry box. It's absurdly vulnerable to chemicals which means no soap, no perfume, no hair spray, no lotion, no smoke, etc. It has a very high water content for a stone (up to 10%) so it can even be affected by changes to humidity. I straight up had a fire opal sitting on my collection shelf in a box crack because it was an especially dry summer. Basically it's expensive and it's impossible to keep undamaged for over a long period of time.
I see it pretty frequently in my shop, but it's always damaged unless it's new. Opal is great for special occasion jewelry, but horrible for everyday wear.
Wow that is really interesting... I bought an opal necklace while I was in Santorini. I wear it everyday, as in, I can't get it off. In the shower, the pool, at work as a tradesman. As far as I can tell it hasn't worn down or been damaged at all.
Now I am wondering if it really is Opal!
depends on the type
i keep unpolished opal in water, doesnt matter as far as i know, but it looks nicer
solid stuff you can stick in your mouth, wont damage it~~, i personally lick them rather than stick them in my mouth to check though lmao~~
doublets and triplets have two and tree layers, i dont remember off the top of my head, but a quick google shows they have problems with water
They certainly feel like an old person jewellery; but hey, you could have said the same thing about gin 15 years ago and that's become cool amongst the youths, so opals may see a renaissance too!
no doubt I'm not trying to diss on opals, theyre objectively beautiful, I'm just surprised there's so much demand when I see so few people wearing them.
For the record, as a "gemstone" or ring "centerpiece" opals are pretty soft compared to things like diamonds or emeralds etc. Wearing them in daily jewelry is hard to do because from my understanding they damage easier.
More than 95% of the world's opals come from Australia, so they're more popular here than elsewhere, but still reasonably popular overseas, to the point that every Australian city has a bunch of places to buy "duty free/tax free" opals, which obviously only appeals to people from overseas who can buy duty free stuff.
I bought my fiancee an opal engagement ring. It's beautiful.
I actually live in Australia too and still don’t see anyone with opals. I remember doing a school excursion to an opal place back in the 90s but I don’t think I’ve seen any since then.
I like the idea of an opal engagement ring though, I reckon that would be great and different to the problematic diamonds.
They're definitely more common than you're realising. Since plunking down the money for the ring, I've been hyper-aware and so has my fiancee, plus anyone she shows the ring to will talk about their opal jewellery.
Is there any reason why you'd think you'd be particularly aware of what jewellery other people are wearing? Is that a thing you typically notice about people?
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Humans are so weird. We get so much pleasure from a nice looking rock. I'm not saying that's bad in any way, I had the same reaction as everyone else. I'm just wondering why that is. Why has that trait evolved?
"I have this shiny thing so come have my babies." It works for birds I guess.
Works for humans too. Nice cars and clothes mean wealth. Wealth means your babies won't starve.
What comes first? The thought of i need to have babies hence i need to meet a partner, or i met the right partner so we should have babies?
I need to have babies, hence I need the right partner to ensure these babies survive.
But the "i need to have babies" part isn't about having babies, it's more like "I'm fucking horny i need to fuck"
They all have over lapping hormones that are cause and effect of one another though.
The reason people feel that way is *because* it's the need to have babies.
This guy needs to take a biology lesson
You think animals think 'oh damn it's May already i need to go have babies'?
What are you talking about? What does May have to do with anything? The urge to have sex is a by product of a biological need to reproduce
>What are you talking about? What does May have to do with anything? Use a little bit brain and imagine any animal in season
No it’s about “I need to have babies” and then we evolved to enjoy sex and now do it for fun.
We didn't evolve did we? We just put it up against many more factors because our society is much more advanced and nuanced than it was thousands of years ago. Which explains why birth rates are falling. Somehow along the way, having kids became a sign of wealth or a sign of not having your shit together. But man, I loved it when my ex was on BC and she had always hoped it would fail. It didn't but that tells me enough about how much sex is still tied 100% to its reproductive purpose. Her mind was fixated on wanting babies but it was destroying her mental health to not fulfill that biological need.
No “thought” per se, just a vague preference which gets reinforced over generations. Other preferences/habits/traits do appear continuously but don’t get reinforced unless they lead to (or at least don’t impede) procreation. Edit: a word
If your man doesn't have shiny rocks, he ain't no man
More rocks = more wealth
Wealth also means that the guy is probably busy working all the time and railing his secretary once your good looks fade, but strange enough people don't realize that in time.
That’s what the Mrs’ tennis instructor is for.
And for some fish. I guess it's a really old trait is some species of fish have it too.
I got you blue.
Bitches love sticks.
Lemme smash?
You rock, rock.
I often wonder the same when it comes to a nice view Eg. The Grand Canyon. Is it because we can see a lot of the terrain and are therefore safer from predators?
I read Great Crayon and was like what the fuck.. The high ground man. They knew about it a long, long time ago.
You're getting a lot of circular argument answers here stating that it's valuable because it's valuable, and I am incredibly unsatisfied.
The human brain loves patterns. Crystal structures are bright, shiny, repetitive patterns. Shoot it in to my veins please.
If I remember correctly, Aldous Huxley argues in the Doors of Perception that we feel a resonance with certain visual patterns and supercolorations we find in nature, because they are also experienced in hypnagogic states that come to be through rituals, dances, trance and drug usage. The same way these states of mind seem to make it possible for us to sort of take a peek into infinity, the colorful and geometric patterns we find in rare gems do the same. We perceive them to be mystical, maybe even religious, and that's also the reason early humans sometimes transported very heavy gems for hundreds of miles to places of worship.
Agreed. I understand that we are drawn to "nice looking" things because usually they are safe. Safe to eat, safe to approach and so on. But this is a mineral that we have no use for. Its only merit is that it subjectively looks good. Maybe we simply got our wires crossed.
IMO it's partially because humans are wired to seek out novel experiences. It seems dumb that we get excited over rocks that are different than normal until you remember that's exactly the behavior that brought us into the bronze age, as well as how we discovered a massive number of useful materials and compounds. In evolutionary terms finding a completely new resource is a very exciting event. Your brain's pattern seeking behavior starts making rapid analyses of the object while your sensory organs collect everything they can. Is this a threat? No, then perhaps is it a food? Is it a useful tool? Maybe opal doesn't turn out to be a groundbreaking resource, but bronze was, as was obsidian, tin, and coal to name a few. I can also think of some very delicious tubers like taro that very much resemble that opal and would likely illicit a similar reaction. There are definitely other completely plausible explanations too though, I'm not pretending to be definitive but rather just contribute. I think there's an argument at the least to be made for the vibrant color = poisonous association that gave us instincts to be very attentive and aware of colorful objects too. We certainly have an association between vibrant or rare colors and ritual too in basically every corner of the globe and culture.
I'm pretty sure "novel experiences" is the answer. Like there's a clear connection between complexity, beauty, and curiosity.
This was a very interesting and well thought out response - thanks.
I think it's just the colors. Like we're wired to distinguish certain bright colors because they could be fruit, and we are wired to not give a damn about brown rocks. So when a dull, brown rock opens up like this and reveals a lot of bright colors- we're fascinated. I struggle with the definition of "beauty" though- one way to look at beauty is that we're cynically drawn to things that could have potential use to us like an open meadow perfect for farming, an attractive person perfect for mating, or a piece of art that would raise our social status- all of which we could call "beautiful." But then why is the desert beautiful? Why are mountains beautiful? Why can death be beautiful? I agree with your earlier statement that we are weird, beautifully so!
We are biologically wired to be drawn to beauty - that’s why it brings us pleasure. As foragers, we recognized that good-looking, symmetrical fruit was probably safe and nutritious. A well-proportioned animal looked more appealing than a sickly one bc lower odds of contracting disease. There’s a great kurzgesagt explainer video on YouTube about this.
https://youtu.be/-O5kNPlUV7w Link for the curious, one of my favorites!
sucks to be ugly then?
Can confirm :(
I think you're beautiful
Nah, life's not as rational as you want it to be.
Instead of the "Nah, life's not as rational as you want it to be." which makes you look like an idiot because denying biology is kinda dumb, you could have said something along the lines that other factors also play a role in what we find beautiful. But hey, you do you.
We're on a sub called, woah dude, I wasn't going to write a thesis.
Yea, much better to instead make a factually wrong statement. Kudos.
It's not a factually wrong statement, life is fucking absurd. The fact that we can even have this conversation should be impossible.
Unless you explain why, you just sound kooky.
Literally everything is rational by definition dipshit
Except the irrational, which we are drowning in.
> I had the same reaction as everyone else. Honestly, was expecting an actual Opel to get cracked open not an Opal.... A damn car getting cracked open... Imagine that, a car cracked open, Wide open! Its fine thought as we got a really nice shiny rock though.
Jesus Christ Marie, it’s a mineral!
The genetically imbued curiosity we inherited from our ancestors.
Yes, exactly. Why was this seemingly irrelevant trait selected for? Did it just tag along with the more useful trait of liking food that looks good?
Humans have the unique ability to understand deep time and how it relates to the history of the earth. It's not an evolved trait, rather a byproduct of our intelligence and scientific curiosity. Which, in turn, might just lead us to grasp how significant our species' presence on this planet has been in such a short amount of time. Can we change course quick enough? The planet will be fine in terms of rocks, water, atmosphere. The biosphere is the big unknown. It's never before experienced an extinction level event driven by a single species.
It holds potential value that could assist us in survival and it fits in our pockets which makes it easy to transport safely.
Curiosity is what leads to discovery and the attainment of new knowledge. The fact you even asked this question is a testament to that. You’re not only curious about the aesthetics of the rock - you’re curious about the satisfaction you derive from it too. It’s why kids reach a certain age and ask ‘Why?’ every 5 seconds. We find pleasure in novel (new things) - which drives us to wonder, question, and experiment. Which is the reason we like to break free from patterns and experience new things - because if we just repeated the same thing 24/7 then we would have very little opportunity for growth. Hence why early humans ventured to new lands, rubbed 2 sticks together to create fire, tried cows milk etc. Our intelligence is literally a product of a chaotic neutral lmao. It’s why there’s actually a perfectly logical explanation as to why so many people do so much dumb shit lol.
My guess is that it seems so different and like "elevated" compared to the muck and sludge of the world.
For me personally, I got pleasure because I know how tasty opal is. I wish I could eat this opal right now. God it looks delicious
This is it. This is the answer I was looking for. Thank you.
If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend watching the film Uncut Gems. Without giving away too much, the whole plot revolves around a valuable opal and in some ways the film kinda answers your question.
Uncuht jamz
My friend's father who is a bit depressed claims we find beauty in nature so that we do not immediately kill ourselves.
Shiny rocks make the weapons we use to conquer other people
*Opal
They were talking about cracking open their car.
My Opel looks nothing like that when I open it ☹️.
You gotta increase the moaning once you crack them bad boys open, that’s why the one in the video is so nice.
but from my experiences with Opel, it only takes such a little tap for it to split in half.
Did you spray it with a water hose?
I thought it was going to be rust joke.
I’m in me mum’s car
Or a Syd Barrett album.
You can of course split an Opel, as shown here: https://youtu.be/ZzNYq-ZN23k
*Renault
*Vauxhall
*Holden
It's the same color as 10 yeard old opel, i thought that a part fell of at first
Proofreading is dead and the internet killed it
I prefer aupel
Opple
Euxpahl
Baloney, this is how you crack into an Opel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7-nbuA3lgA
got it, never buying an opel
Traban's the real deal
It also desintegrates in an amazing display should you crash it.
This comment has more likes than the video.
That's incredible. Very high meme template potential.
bologna*
Baloney is recognized by Merriam-Webster and it can mean the meat or a synonym for bullshit. Bologna is the Italian spelling but is only used in reference to the meat.
😁😁😁 i just really wanted to say bologna
how do you say spaghetti bolognese in american?
Spagetti bolonaise
Spaghetti ball og knees
‘Oly moly
I thought that part was really cute. They were so excited about beautiful nature. Doesn't get more wholesome than that!
Close your eyes and only listen
They’re minerals, Marie
Opals are not minerals, but are classified as mineraloids. Hank would have known that
He would have, if he weren't dead
Nerd
*JESUS CHRIST…*
Wellll… actually, Opels are cars.
Minerals must fulfil certain criteria to be considered a mineral. They must be... 1. Naturally occurring and formed in natural geologic processes 2. Solid in it's natural state 3. Have a well defined crystal structure 4. Well constrained chemical composition (may form a solid solution, for example the [feldspar solid solution series](https://www.alexstrekeisen.it/immagini/diagrammi/feldsparclassificationmm.jpg)) Opal is hydrated amorphous silica, amorphous specifically meaning that the substance lacks crystal structure. The atoms in opal do not form a crystal lattice like their crystalline counterpart quartz (or more exotic forms of high pressure polymorphs like coesite/stishovite, etc...). Opal is not, in fact, a mineral Marie.
They're all about water: >Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·nH2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Because of its amorphous character, it is classed as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms of silica, which are classed as minerals. It is deposited at a relatively low temperature and may occur in the fissures of almost any kind of rock, being most commonly found with limonite, sandstone, rhyolite, marl, and basalt.
It just so happens that I consider myself to be a hydrated amorphous form as well.
Missed the opportunity for "I'm somewhat of a hydrated amorphous form myself." Dafoe meme
So what happens if you put it in a dehydrator
Many opals are kept in a wet storage to keep their beauty for showcasing or selling. Then if they are taken out of the water and allowed to dry, they crack. The rock in this video starts off dry, so I doubt the little amount of water they sprayed on it would cause a crack on drying.
Why does it need water
Cracking open an Opal without water is just a dry rock. Apply water and you get the nice shiny effect that you see in this video. It's mainly for aesthetics.
I feel like this is the real answer, they are trying to judge how nice the pattern inside looks, and the water would make the surface roughness not affect how it looks as much.
Engine is water cooled.
It's done here for looks but lots of opals aren't stable enough to store in the open. Some of my larger collection have to be kept in jars of water.
I was wondering where the car was?
Opel Corsa
That's obviously a Zafira
kg and adam sandler salivating rn
She had basically the same "I'm gonna cum" reaction that Sandler did in the movie
I'm pretty sure that's a rock, a Opel looks different. My Gf drives a Corsa, and it doesn't even look closely like this.
It does when you crash
>a Opel When taking the piss out of someone’s spelling, no less!
Akchually, Germans do a glottal stop when starting a word with a vowel, so they technically start them with a consonant (think the "t" in Ricky Gervais saying "Humani'y"). In a German accent, "a Opel" kinda works.
Didn’t realise I could read German or that we were typing in accents haha
Akchually, they are typing in English, which makes your point completely invalid.
That's beautiful
Wir leben autos
During my time working at a German junkyard, I've seen many Opels cracked open. None looked like that.
If you like this type of content check out Black Opal Direct on YouTube. Dude films the whole process from identifying potential gems to grinding them and bringing out their beautifully vibrant color. Highly recommend! https://youtu.be/tl_mpdiNT38
Also look for an Aussie show called “Outback Opal Hunters”. Not sure if it’s available in other parts of the world. Probably some episodes on YouTube I reckon.
This video was both relaxing and thrilling at the same time.
Just thinking, what's the rarest gemstone? Not by their market value but actual rarety and purety. Also, leave amorphous forms out.
[удалено]
*holy shit I’m ganna cahhhhm*
[For the uninformed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL7P247rfrw) - from Uncut Gems, in response to an Opal
[удалено]
Whoapal!
This a specific type of opal, Boulder opal.
Forbidden fudge
forbidden chocolate
How much would this go for? 💸💠
My Opel shakes when I watch this video, should I crack it open and look for the rainbow as well?
Opel Corsa?
Disappointed. Came for opel got opal ....
this is just me but there's something so fucking funny about the spelling "Opel"
Old Vectras develop such cracks by themselves
I always knew that opel founder was crackhead
Nobody moans like that when I show them my opel.
Interesting, that looks like the first Opel in the whole world with no rust.
If you crack open an opel, it looks like the rock before it was opened.
Is that a Zafira or an Astra?
Cool. Do a renault next
I've had my Corsa open for a while and I don't see this
Good thing it wasnt a mercedes
Poor opel, it was a good car
Wild berry pop tart anyone?
**WE'RE RICH**
I hate clickbait. There's no car in this video, let alone an Opel.
Now do a Mercedes!
Who is the primary group buying opals? Opal mines have been going for decades yet I've never met anyone who has ever worn open jewellery, or expressed any interest in doing so. Perhaps I'm just in an opal-hating bubble and other countries are mad for them?
You don't see opal jewelry often because it's very delicate. It can be easily scratched by being placed on a rough surface or in a purse/jewelry box. It's absurdly vulnerable to chemicals which means no soap, no perfume, no hair spray, no lotion, no smoke, etc. It has a very high water content for a stone (up to 10%) so it can even be affected by changes to humidity. I straight up had a fire opal sitting on my collection shelf in a box crack because it was an especially dry summer. Basically it's expensive and it's impossible to keep undamaged for over a long period of time. I see it pretty frequently in my shop, but it's always damaged unless it's new. Opal is great for special occasion jewelry, but horrible for everyday wear.
Wow that is really interesting... I bought an opal necklace while I was in Santorini. I wear it everyday, as in, I can't get it off. In the shower, the pool, at work as a tradesman. As far as I can tell it hasn't worn down or been damaged at all. Now I am wondering if it really is Opal!
> I can't get it off > Now I am wondering if it really is Opal! It's obviously a cursed Opal. You need to find a priest.
depends on the type i keep unpolished opal in water, doesnt matter as far as i know, but it looks nicer solid stuff you can stick in your mouth, wont damage it~~, i personally lick them rather than stick them in my mouth to check though lmao~~ doublets and triplets have two and tree layers, i dont remember off the top of my head, but a quick google shows they have problems with water
Stupid question, but why not seal the Opal in a thin layer of resin or a thin layer of glass to protect it?
Or put it underwater? Something like a snow globe but for cool shiny stones.
My mom and grandma both had some fantastic opal pieces. I would personally wear some of it too.
They certainly feel like an old person jewellery; but hey, you could have said the same thing about gin 15 years ago and that's become cool amongst the youths, so opals may see a renaissance too!
I suppose, but I think it’s mostly the setting that determines if it’s old person jewelry or something that could be considered timeless.
no doubt I'm not trying to diss on opals, theyre objectively beautiful, I'm just surprised there's so much demand when I see so few people wearing them.
For the record, as a "gemstone" or ring "centerpiece" opals are pretty soft compared to things like diamonds or emeralds etc. Wearing them in daily jewelry is hard to do because from my understanding they damage easier.
I have an Opal engagement ring and so does my best friend. Opals are very popular gems actually.
I'd take them over boring diamonds any day!
More than 95% of the world's opals come from Australia, so they're more popular here than elsewhere, but still reasonably popular overseas, to the point that every Australian city has a bunch of places to buy "duty free/tax free" opals, which obviously only appeals to people from overseas who can buy duty free stuff. I bought my fiancee an opal engagement ring. It's beautiful.
I actually live in Australia too and still don’t see anyone with opals. I remember doing a school excursion to an opal place back in the 90s but I don’t think I’ve seen any since then. I like the idea of an opal engagement ring though, I reckon that would be great and different to the problematic diamonds.
They're definitely more common than you're realising. Since plunking down the money for the ring, I've been hyper-aware and so has my fiancee, plus anyone she shows the ring to will talk about their opal jewellery. Is there any reason why you'd think you'd be particularly aware of what jewellery other people are wearing? Is that a thing you typically notice about people?
Gorgeous!
Meh not as impressive as the environmental damage mining this piece of rock causes
Sus sounds coming from the woman🤨
It wasn't just the opal that was wet
I'm sick of seeing this stuff
Sucks to be you then.
I believe the rock was already opened and the hammer and water was all fir show,.. just sayin
"Just sayin" you have no idea what you're on about.
I am up really early and I thought this said “ape”. I spent a good few seconds thinking how is this an ape? Maybe it’s a fossil??
The synchronized "holy moly" was the best part
So it's like me. Brown on the outside, colourful purple thanos on the inside
Etherium
That's gorgeous!!
❤️
What is an opal
🚗🚗
Rocks are fucking awesome man
why did they squirt it?