J.K. Rowling‘s highly acclaimed Harry Potter series mentions Opal four times: 1). Harry sees the cursed necklace that has killed 19 muggles in Borgin and Burkes in Chamber of Secrets. 2). Madame Maxine the principal of Beauxbatons College consistently wears opals both with regular and dress robes. 3). We see the crystal bottle full of what looked like blood with an opal set in the stopper in Order of the Phoenix. 4). The cursed opal necklace makes another appearance in Half Blood Prince when someone tries to send it to Dumbledore and gets Katie Bell instead.
In today’s cynical modern culture the notorious portrayal of Opal as the embodiment of evil can have the effect of ‘success by scandal’. Particularly when coupled with a concerted publicity campaign to ‘sex up’ Opals.
It can never be said of opals that they are ever boring and their mysterious beauty never ceases to inspire fascination and colourful imaginings!