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OPAL Gemstone. In ancient times opal was included among the noble gems and was ranked second only to emerald by the Romans, who sometimes referred to opal as the "cupid stone". The original ancient source of opal gemstones, known in Roman times, was in what is now East Slovakia. Early Arabs believed opals fell from the heavens in flashes of lightning that gave them their fiery play-of-color. Ancient Greeks, amongst many other ancient cultures, thought opals gave their owner the gift of prophecy and prevented diseases. The name "opal" is derived from the Latin "opallus", and from Sanskrit "upala", both of which translate to "precious stone". Opals are generally divided into two groups, white and black. Both share the similar appearance where a spectrum of colors can be seen in the depths of the stone. Black opal, with a body color from a dark gray to black, containing within the full play of iridescent colors, is the most valuable variety of all. For a while in the 18th and 19th centuries, opals were considered to be amongst the world's most desirable gemstones, and literally a king's ransom was on occasion paid for a particularly handsome specimen.
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