October’s birthstone: 23 colourful tourmaline and opal jewellery pieces

The October birthstone is a twin affair, with both mesmeric tourmalines and opal jewellery representing the autumn month, their riotous hues bringing a flash of cheery warmth to the cooler days and longer nights. Available in a dizzying array of kaleidoscopic shifting colours, with a range of shimmering shades that move when caught in the light, here’s our edit of the most alluring tourmaline and opal jewellery pieces to celebrate October birthdays. 

The dramatic, ever-shifting colours contained within opals have been a source of fascination for centuries, with ancient civilisations revering them as the result of lightning storms, or as magical talismans capable of warding off disease. Royals have long adored them, from the ‘Burning of Troy’ opal given by Napoléon to his wife Joséphine, to Queen Victoria, who often gave opal jewellery as gifts, as well as wearing it herself.  

Tourmalines, too, have always captivated us, their marvellously rainbow-like shades reflected in their very name, which is derived from the Sinhalese word toramalli, meaning ‘stone with mixed colours’. Whichever stone draws your gaze, read on for our selection of the most sensational pieces to invest in now.