Chronological History of Opal
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65 Million Years AgoTowards the end of the Cretaceous period sea levels receded, dinosaurs became extinct & the vast desert sandstones were layed down which host Australia's National Treasure
30 Million Years AgoBy the mid Tertiary period the process of Opalisation had begun
50,000 Years AgoAustralian Aboriginal 'dreamtime' regards the birth of Opal as sacred
79 ADPliny the Elder describes Opal as a multi-coloured gem, he refers to Nonius' stone and paste imitations of Opal in his Historia Naturalis
1100 ADFirst commercial Opal mines Olbayana Hungary, now Czechoslovakia
1280 AD
 Albertus Magnus exults the many virtues of the Orphanus Opal which was set into the Crown of the Holy Roman Emperors1540Bernardino De Sahagun describes a stone used and named by the Aztecs in his Florentine Codex
1597In Dubnik Slovakia Emperor Rudolf II issues the first Opal mining lease
1840First discovery of Australian Opal at Angaston South Australia 80km NE of Adelaide by Professor Johann Menge did not prove to be commercial
1851Opal found by a peasant farmer near Querétaro Mexico
1869Queensland’s first recorded Opal find at Listel Downs near Adavale
1871First Opal lease in Australia Pride of the Hills mine Toompine Queensland
1873
 Opal Miners Berkleman & Lambert attend London International Gem Exhibition |
 Australian Olympic polevaulter Tatianna Grigorieva parading an Opal encrusted gown at the 2001 Opal Symposium held in Coober Pedy S.A. |
First literary record of 'Opal' by Ancient Greek scholar 1889Light Opal discovered by Kangaroo hunters at White Cliffs NSW
1901Tully Wollaston takes Boulder & White Opal to the Empire Exhibition in London
1902
Black Opal found at Lightning Ridge NSW
Black Opal found at Lightning Ridge NSW1912 Opal proclaimed October birthstone by American National Association of Jewelers
1915The world’s largest Opal deposits, found at Coober Pedy South Australia
1930Andamooka, famous crystal Opal fields, discovered by boundary riders in SA
1930'sThe Fire Queen Opal stone is sold to J.D. Rockefeller fetching a record £75,000
1945Opal found at Pedro II Piaui State in Brazil
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Australia Post issued Opal Stamps on two occasions: Firstly in 1974 an 8c stamp was part of a gemstone series. Then in 1995 two denominations were issued depicting Australia's National Gemstone; a Light Opal $1.20 and a Black Opal $2.50 stamp, Boulder Opal featured on the cover of the Stamp pack. |
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1990Opal industry reaches historical peak worth $500m to Australian economy
1993
Opal proclaimed Australia’s National Gemstone
Opal proclaimed Australia’s National Gemstone1999First National Opal Symposium held at Lightning Ridge NSW, now a biennial event
2008Black Opal announced as the new Emblem of the State of New South Wales
