While many gemstones are prized for their positive qualities, no gem has endured more vilification over the centuries than the opal. In medieval times, it was maligned for its resemblance to the Evil Eye, its alleged use by witches and sorcerers, and its overall "bad luck" that it could inflict upon the wearer. Even in the 1890s, diamond merchants continued to stoke the myths about opals being bad luck, which may have been due to the difficulty jewelers had working with the b