White Opal Meaning and Properties

White opal is a light and magic stone. It has a stunning angelic glow and curious iridescence that makes it highly valuable to jewel lovers. Also known as the white milk opal or porcelain opal, white opal is a stone of calm, balance, and serenity that has gained immense value over the centuries.

In addition, white opal is currently only of the popular and highly produced gemstones worldwide. Below is a guide on white opal and every known fact surrounding it.


White Opal History

Opals come in a wide range of colors, most of which share the same origin and history. Generally, the name opal is derived from the Sanskrit word upala, meaning precious stone. The name may have also originated from Ops, a Roman Earth deity linked with harvest and fertility.

Several myths and legends surround the history of opals. For instance, opal was a result of the anger and jealousy that the Storm god felt towards the Rainbow god. Consequently, the Storm god struck and shattered the Rainbow god, casting his body down in millions of tiny pieces. Upon landing on the ground, the pieces turned into precious opals.

Video source: YouTube / Opal Auctions

In addition, a Greek musician once described opals as the delight of the immortals. The ancient Romans described opals as cupid paedoros (Cupid’s stone) due to their flashing fire and bright color and how it was a love inspiration.

According to Greek mythology, when Zeus won the battle against the Titans, he shed tears of joy. These tears are believed to have turned into beautifully colored opals.


Historically, opals were far much valuable than other precious gemstones like rubies and diamonds. However, upon their discovery in 1915 in Australia, opals flooded the market, contributing to the stone’s reduced value. Regardless, it is still a stone of value, just not anywhere close to diamond prices.

The majority of white opals and opals, in general, are mined in Australia. Other countries with opal mineral deposits include Ethiopia, Peru, Brazil, and some parts of the US.

White Opal Geological Properties

White opal is a variety of common opal that can also be classified as a mineraloid. The stone is classified under the mineral family tectosilicate. It is an amorphous silicate, meaning it is not quite crystalline.

White Opal Meaning and Properties 5

Its chemical composition is SiO2 nH2O, and it has a conchoidal fracture. White opal measures 5-6 on the Mohs Scale of hardness.

The stone has a milky white color. However, white opal can also refer to other precious opals with light body color, including beige, yellow, and white.


Video source: YouTube / Swoopo Gem’S

Precious white opal has pockets of small silica spheres arranged in normal patterns within the gemstone. The spheres are equally sized and evenly distributed in each pocket. The pockets diffract light at varying wavelengths, leading to a play of colors across the surface.

CategoryMineraloid
Formula (repeating unit)Hydrated silica. SiO2·nH2O
Crystal systemAmorphous
Crystal habitIrregular veins, in masses, in nodules
FractureConchoidal to uneven
Mohs scale hardness5.5 – 6
LusterSubvitreous to waxy
Diaphaneityopaque, translucent, transparent
Specific gravity2.15+0.08
−0.90
Density2.09 g/cm3
Polish lusterVitreous to resinous
Optical propertiesSingle refractive, often anomalous double refractive due to strain
Refractive index1.450+0.020
−0.080
Diagnostic featuresdarkening upon heating
Solubilityhot saltwater, bases, methanol, humic acid, hydrofluoric acid

White Opal Healing Properties and Benefits

White opal has been used for many years for several reasons. Of course, the most prevalent reason is jewelry. However, traditionally and in modern times, white opal has been used for several of its healing properties and benefits.

Video source: YouTube / Cosmic Cuts Crystals

Here are ways you can tap into white opal’s healing properties.

Physical Healing

The energies vibrated by the white opal help to clear the energy flow through your physical body. White opals are used during spa treatments, detoxification processes, and fasting. In addition, the stone is believed to reduce insomnia and improve restful sleep.

The stone is valued in medical astrology for its metaphysical properties. These properties are effective in dealing with kidney, liver, and hormonal disorders. Being a healing stone, white opal is also beneficial for psychological problems.


Emotional Healing

White opal opens and lightens your heart. It also shares its sensual and relaxed energy, helping to renew your lightened heart. In addition, the stone has an extremely soothing vibration that plays a vital role in maintaining healthy friendships and relationships.

White opal creates and encourages balance with your romantic partners, be more gentle with them and spread the healing vibrations. According to ancient Hindusim text, the Venus’ weak placement in the horoscope is a sign of disagreement and conflict in the native’s marriage, often leading to divorce. Milky (white) opal stimulates harmony, love, and mutual understanding between couples and eradicates any marital issues.

It elevates all your relationships with people you interact with, including colleagues, business partners, and other work ties. The stone duly reminds you how important of a role every person plays in your life. It implores you to treat these people with respect and dignity.

Mentally, white opal stimulates your discernment, allowing you to easily manage complex data and single out certain aspects that demand your attention. Additionally, it attracts like-minded people, especially business-oriented people. The stone encourages you to make wise financial decisions.

This gemstone helps you to think clearly and act wisely, especially in times of stress and chaos. Furthermore, it creates a pleasant and effective environment to help you accomplish your plans. Lastly, the stone also helps to maintain one’s social status and luxurious lifestyle.


Spiritual Healing

White opal is a spiritual stone that shares with users a cool, clear-sighted worldview and their place in the universe. The stone directs you to your calling, whether it is a long-term activity/task or an immediate activity to be done at the moment.

In addition, white opal cleanses your energy field. It also attracts spirit guides and angels to your life. More importantly, the stone enhances a more fruitful meditation process. You can use the white opal to align your chakras or balance your female/male energies.

The stone stimulates your natural psychic abilities and urges you to utilize these abilities in alignment with discernment and integrity. Are you an artist facing a creative block?

White opal has gained massive success in creative ventures. It is linked with the planet of innovation and creativity. As such, it is highly beneficial for you if you are facing creative blocks, insecurities, and a lack of inspiration. It is believed that wearing opal gains you an extra push to the artistic expressions. It aligns your creative energy to help achieve improved results.

White Opal and Chakra

White opal is linked to the Crown Chakra, also known as the bridge to the Cosmos. The crown chakra is the most spiritual of all chakras, which is why the white opal is generally considered a spiritual stone. In addition, the crown chakra is the center of your universal consciousness, wisdom, enlightenment, spirit, and connection to superior guidance.


White opal stimulates the crown chakra that governs interaction and communication with the universe. The stone helps to nourish your sense of inspiration and devotion. The stone helps you to tap into and gain a deeper understanding. Additionally, it stimulates your crown chakra for a healthier spiritual life.

The crown chakra possesses masculine energy. It is typically represented by the colors white and sometimes violet. While the crown chakra is linked with thought and silence, you can use the white opal during meditation as you speak the mantra I Know.

Common chakra problems that you can help eradicate with the help of white opal include spiritual disinterest/boredom, feeling disconnected, difficulty meditating, feeling disconnected from your purpose, and wishing for isolation. Use the stone to balance your chakra if you notice symptoms of unbalanced chakra such as stubbornness, narrowmindedness, excess sarcasm, apathy, skepticism, and depression.

How to Use It

White opal can be used in several ways, including:

Jewelry

White opal can be cut and made into beautiful jewelry such as rings, necklaces, or earrings. Wearing white opal jewelry close to your heart spreads positive energies and makes you feel lighter. It helps you feel protected, energized, and achieve more clarity. In addition, wearing a white opal jewel equals having a direct ticket to good luck.


White Opal Meaning and Properties 6

Meditation

White opal is a spiritual stone that can be used in a spiritual journey. The stone is perfect for meditation and helps you achieve spiritual awakening, especially since it is attuned to the Crown chakra.

Zodiac Connection

White opal is connected to the astrological signs of Pisces, Scorpio, Libra, and Cancer. It is connected to the Water and Earth elements and vibrates to numbers 8 and 9. Generally, it spreads its positive energies and vibrations to all individuals. White opal also serves as the official birthstone for individuals born in October. The stone has long since been associated with goodness, love, nurturing, and purity.

White Opal Value

Generally, the value of opal largely depends on several factors, such as clarity, color, origin, and the stone’s carat weight. Opal value and cost are largely impacted by the demand and supply cycle, owing to the popularity of the stone in the international market.

White opal is often considered the cheapest in the common opal family. White opal is highly abundant in the market, thus affecting its market value. Expect different price quotations that largely depend on the factors mentioned above.

Differences between white opal and crystal opal

Video source: YouTube / Black Opal Direct

Bottom Line

White opal is a beautiful variety of common opal that is believed to have been discovered in Australia. It is among the most popular opals and is easily accessible in the market. This ease of availability tends to affect its value in the market.

Regardless, white opal still maintains its worth as an attractive option for jewelry. More importantly, astrologers believe white opal carries significant health properties and benefits.

Emoche ᛜ Gemstones & Jewelry
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