For centuries the opal has been plagued by cautionary tales and warnings of dire consequences befalling their owners. Opals were said to have the power to maim or even kill anyone foolish enough to wear the gemstone. While much of this reputation is probably due to early jewellers’ mishandling of the brittle and fragile opal, one fictional tale, written in the 19th century, caused the collapse of Europe’s opal market for the next fifty years.