Apparently Pearls symbolize tears, and opals are known as 'the stone of tears', so looks like you're both right. and apparently, you're not ever supposed to give someone a gift of pearls

I found that info by googling--hadn't heard it before, myself. The thing I've always heard is that you should never wear opals if they're not your birthstone because it's very bad luck.

Opal is my birthstone, but I've never heard anything about tears and opals.
Leslie

Hmmmm. What'd I'd heard about Opals, is that you should never buy them for yourself. They must always be a gift or they bring bad luck.

I've never heard anything superstitious about Pearls.

I have never heard about these two stones bringing tears, and both are very nice gifts. Both require care in handling and cleaning.

At one time, pearls were rare because finding one was happenstance. Thus, assembling a string of pearls of graduated size and color required the finding of many pearls. This made the sting very valuable. Today, most pearls are cultivated by pearl farmers. These pearls are very bit as good as the "natural" ones because both are natural and made by the same process inside a pearl oyster. Farming for pearls has reduced the cost.

Opal is a mined gem stone and it wasn't until the last century when the secret of its irridesent color was understood. Poor opal, or pooch, is relatively plentiful but has no gem value. It is collected as a mineral specimen. Much of gem quality opal is mined in Austrailia.

Opal is relatively soft, about the hardness of a pocket knife blade. Because of its softness, it would not nornmally be consided a gem. However, its great beauty is unmatched by any other stone, it takes a high polish, and therefore, has become a prized stone with a price tag attached.

Opal is hydrolitic, e.g., water makes up part of the matrix. If an opal looses this moisture, it may crack and/or become dull. Opal that does not change is said to be "stable' opal, and is sought for jewelry. (Go to rock shows where opal is present and often you will find the rough opal kept in a jar of water.)

Because of its soft nature. opal should not be mounted in a ring unless it is a 'doublet', a piece of opal with a harder crown cemented to it. Pure opal is most often mounted in a pendant for a necklace, or as earrings, or a pin.

A tale developed that opal had to be worn ocassionaly to keep it in shape. There was some truth in this fable. When opal is worn against the skin, it picks up skin oils and moisture. However, this feature would be missing if a black stone backing has been applied. But if the opal is atable, this is of no concern.

Some rockhounds think that opal should be soaked in water for 2 weeks once or twice a year. The water should be free of minerals.

Stoney--that's interesting, because the stuff I found on the internet said you were never supposed to give either as a gift. If you did, the recipient should give the giver a quarter, so that they 'bought' them. Odd how different superstitions crop up, sometimes directly opposed to each other.

Back to opals--anyone like, have or collect 'floating' opals? I love them and can't resist buying a new one, if I see one at a flea market. If you're not familiar--they're chips of opals, put in a glass drop with some oil. They sort of look like a miniature snow globe. The chips will move and redistribute as you move. I think they're lovely, and a great way to protect a very delicate stone. And no--opal isn't my birthstone, but even so, I find that really nice things happen to me when I wear my floating opals.

Thanks, jemdandy! That was both interesting and informative.