Opal: October birthstone gift ideas
Shimmering opals are associated with those born in October: unlucky for some, but not for others
The iridescent gemstone can take on a wide range of colours which makes it an incredibly versatile stone in jewellery and presents many options to the notoriously indecisive Libra. Since Victorian times, the superstitious have branded the pretty, colour-changing gem unlucky, but these pieces are gorgeous enough to make anyone change their mind.
From left to right: necklace £275, E. W. Adams; ring £1,750, Stephen Webster
Delicate pieces like E. W. Adams' necklace or Stephen Webster’s gold ring provide the perfect setting for the white opal, which seems plain until it catches the light as you move, and its rainbow hues emerge. 
From left to right: bracelet £12,880, Amrapali; necklace £695, The Alkemistry
Amrapali and Alkemistry both use green-blue opals, a distinctive hue which evokes the northern lights or a world map in a single gem. They set these appealing opals in simple pale gold-toned contexts to let the striking colour do the talking.
From left to right: earrings £29, Ted Baker; earrings £1,521, Wwake; earrings £4,875, Brooke Gregson
Brooke Gregson, Wwake and Ted Baker wisely place the relatively fragile gem in supportive but attractive earring settings. The Wwake earrings bring out the glow of the marquise-shaped opals by setting it them combination with a subtle gold bar that tapers into lightweight wire. 
Earrings £47,800, Kimberley McDonald
Kimberly McDonald creates an especially memorable set of earrings from large examples of the rarest kind of opal: the black opal. The shifting galactic colours of these contemporary-looking earrings provide the ultimate look for birthstone chic.
