Opal

The October birthstone: Opal

October has two birthstones: opal and tourmaline. Opal is famous for its shifting play-of-colour, flashing every hue at once, and was called the queen of gems. Tourmaline offers the widest colour range of any stone, so no two Octobers look alike.

As a colour, Opal sits in the iridescent play-of-colour range, which is part of why it feels so tied to the season. If you were born in October, this is the gem most jewellers and birthday charts will point you to, and the one that appears on a modern birthstone card.

What the October birthstone means

In the older lore, Opal was linked to creativity, hope and imagination. That symbolism is a tradition rather than a fact, but it is the reason the stone has stayed meaningful as a birthday gift for so long. Different cultures added their own associations, yet the core meaning has held remarkably steady.

Alternative October birthstones

October is not limited to a single stone. Alongside Opal, the month is also linked to Tourmaline. Any of these is a valid October birthstone, so you can pick the colour and meaning that suits you best.

October birth flower and zodiac signs

A birthstone is only part of the picture. The October birth flower is the Marigold, and anyone born this month falls under Libra or Scorpio. For everything about the month in one place, see the October overview.

Frequently asked questions

Birthstones for other months