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Dendritic Opal (Merlinite): Complete Guide (2024)

dendritic opal

In this post, we reveal everything you need to know about dendritic opal, including its meaning, properties, and uses. Let's get started!

Introduction

White denotes innocence and purity. It is the color commonly used to convey a bride's virginity. 

In feng shui, a concept of arranging your environment to promote harmony, white is considered a powerful hue. Colors are associated with specific feng shui components, and white represents the element metal. Accents of wood and glass, as well as black to balance it out, look fantastic with white.

Let’s get a sneak peek into the world of one such white gemstone called the ‘dendritic opal’. 

  • Dendritic Opal Meaning
    • What is Dendritic Opal Good for?
    • Dendritic Opal Spiritual Meaning
    • Dendritic Opal Metaphysical Meaning
    • Where is Dendritic Opal Found?
      • Turkish Dendritic Opal
      • Dendritic Opal in Australia
  • Dendritic Opal Properties
  • Dendritic Opal vs Dendritic Agate
  • Dendritic Opal Jewelry
    • Dendritic Opal Earrings
    • Dendritic Opal Pendant
    • Dendritic Opal Cabochon
    • Dendritic Opal Necklace
    • Dendritic Opal Bracelet
  • Dendritic Opal Uses
    • Dendritic Opal Beads
      • Dendritic Opal Beads for Jewelry Making
  • Dendritic Opal Price
  • Conclusion

Dendritic Opal Meaning

Dendrite derives from the Ancient Greek dendrits, which means "tree-like", and is derived from dendron, which means "tree". The name "opal" is derived from the Latin opallus, which means "precious stone", or the Ancient Greek opallios, which means "to witness a color shift". 

Dendritic is a term that can be found in a few gemstone kinds. Dendritic opal, a variety of opal with black inclusions that produce magnificent fern-like patterns over the stone's surface, is one such gemstone. 

Dendrites are the branching terminals of nerve cells that communicate with other dendrites along synapses to send messages throughout the body, according to biologists. Dendrites are tree-like marks on a gemstone or rock, according to gemologists. Gemologists refer to opal or any gemstone that has tree-like inclusion patterns as a "dendritic" variation.

Dendritic opal is a type of common opal with mossy or branch-like inclusions and no play of color. The variant names "moss opal" and "mossy opal" come from the inclusion patterns. Any substance that becomes trapped in another mineral during its development is referred to as an inclusion. Metallic oxides, like manganese and iron, are the most common dendritic inclusions in these opals. 

Dendritic opal has a milky, opalescent gloss and resinous luster and is often white or yellowish-brown. It has dark, generally black, dark green, or brown inclusions. The stone is usually opaque, although it can also be translucent or a mix of both. Natural opalite, which has a mossy green body color and may display chatoyancy, can also have black, gray, or bluish-black dendritic inclusions. Dendritic opalite is the name given to this type of gemstone. 

As with other opals, dendritic opal development occurs over time. Groundwater collects silica spheres and deposits them in subsurface pockets, eventually solidifying into opal. The water-mineral mix that finally produces dendritic opal‌ contains manganese and iron minerals, which solidify into the stone's inclusions. The dendritic opal's raw shape resembles a grape or kidney once it has solidified.

What is Dendritic Opal Good for?

Dendritic opal's vibrations resonate at the same frequency as one's inner energies, specifically targeting them to align physical and spiritual energy. Dendritic opal is thought to promote not just spiritual but also physical growth. 

The stone has properties that activate a person's third eye chakra, enhancing their intuition and allowing them to perceive the world more clearly. The presence of the stone in your aura may open your eyes to the natural sensations you encounter daily. Increasing your awareness of your surroundings is one way to achieve both external and internal peace.

If you have been feeling depressed or out of touch with your inner self, employing dendritic opal will bring your energies back into balance and ease any worries you may have. Dendritic opal's energies are also very helpful for self-evaluations because they help restructure and regroup a person's thoughts and emotions. 

If you have come to a fork in the road in your life, you can use the stone to gain perspective and better determine right from wrong. You may ‌figure out which option to take more efficiently because you may have a better idea of what outcome it might or might not bring.

Another significant advantage of dendritic opal is that it makes you more accepting of others. It may open your mind to the possibility of making new friends. The stone may help people who have been feeling especially suspicious of everyone around them, since its vibrations will help them recognize the good in everyone. These vibrations also serve as a reminder that everything happens for a reason. 

Your duty in the universe should be to concentrate on your blessings and share them with those who are less fortunate than you. Furthermore, the stone will harmonize your masculine and feminine energy, allowing you to develop a greater feeling of inner harmony.

Dendritic Opal Spiritual Meaning

dendritic opal

Dendritic opal may support your creativity by working with your power chakra or solar plexus. You may effectively invite a deeper contact with the higher spiritual energy around you when you open your mind to new experiences and push the boundaries of your mental capacity. This new perspective on the world will allow you to recognize what is and is not good for you and act accordingly. 

The sacral or navel chakra is also ‌influenced by the stone. These chakras' vibrations are significant since they are linked to your intuitive abilities. You may ‌see through circumstances and people more clearly if your intuition is strong. 

You may be more conscious of the spiritual direction you receive regularly if you have strong psychic and intuitive abilities. Many people ignore spiritual cues from the divine realm, while others cannot seem to detect them, no matter how hard they look. Dendritic opal facilitates this process so that communication between you and your guardian angels is not hampered. 

The stone draws positive energy and spirits to you, producing a positive atmosphere in your surroundings. The stone connects your inner spiritual energy with heavenly forces, allowing you to stay educated and connected to your deepest levels of consciousness at all times. Keeping the crystal in your home or around your body will enhance your higher sense of self and purpose, directing and manifesting all of your inner energy for significant results.

Dendritic opal may alter your love life by drawing good fortune into all areas of your life. It will not happen by a cupid's love arrow striking your lover. Instead, focus your stone's energy on growing your personality so you may better manage interactions with others. 

The stone helps with the organization of your ideas, which may impact your life. You may give your partner the attention and love they deserve if you learn how to divide your time between your business and personal life. These energies also make you emotionally secure and stronger, allowing you to deal calmly with any problems or disagreements.

You might even ‌avoid a fight with your partner since your enhanced judgment and clarity will allow you to address a problem before it explodes in your face. Dendritic opal's energies will also make you more tolerant of others, which means you will appreciate your mate more. Your significant other may sense these shifts in your attitude toward them and will become closer to you‌. 

Keeping the stone in your home may influence everyone who lives there. The crystal is said to help people become more humble and less judgmental of others by allowing them to see things from their perspective. When you recognize the value of individuals around you and learn to accept them for who they are, not only will you grow as an individual, but your relationship with your loved ones will also expand and strengthen.

Dendritic Opal Metaphysical Meaning

The crown chakra is represented by the dendritic opal. The seventh and highest chakra is positioned in a swirling halo of energy just above the head. It governs both your spiritual connection and communication with the universe, as well as abstract thought. 

The crown chakra oversees the neurological system, which contains our biological dendrites, therefore it is only natural that the stone would bring it into equilibrium. You may feel disillusioned, ungrounded, or resistant to new ideas if your head chakra is blocked. Dendritic opal may ‌reopen the chakra, allowing you to embrace the wisdom of the universe once more.

Dendritic opal is ‌referred to as "merlinite" in jewelry stores, so you should not have to go to great lengths to find it. Because it is free of toxins, you can hold it or keep it in contact with your skin for as long as you wish. However, you should know the stone might lead you to have out-of-body experiences, which can be beneficial or harmful. Because the stone may facilitate astral travel and create shamanistic visions, ‌expect some powerful journeys into past lifetimes. 

If these abilities detect ‌you need closure from the individuals in your life, they can transport you to that time and place. You can get a good night's sleep by placing the crystal under your pillow. If you have been having trouble sleeping because of restless evenings, dendritic opal may help you sleep well. 

The stone also generates incredibly vivid dreams, especially those of life in the past, because of its ability to operate with your vision. It is crucial to realize that to attain the stone's ultimate purpose, you may have to put in a lot of effort and direct your spiritual and emotional energies toward it. 

To successfully go on that journey, you must direct a precise path of thinking towards the stone. The stone may not know what you wish to improve if your thoughts are unfocused. You may have to work closely with the stone, telling it what you want for yourself. Remember that to begin any spiritual journey, your energies must unite with their frequencies.

Finally, because of dendritic opal's strong spiritual properties, it is recommended that you carry protective stones with you when working with it to keep you safe from bad psychic energies.

Where is Dendritic Opal Found?

Dendritic opal is a reasonably common gemstone, with mines located all over the world, though most of these stones are still produced in Australia. Mexico and the United States are two more notable locations with miners, especially in Virgin Valley, Nevada, that produce fluorescent dendritic opals, which glow in brilliant green hues. 

Austria, Brazil, Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Japan, Russia, Slovakia, and Spain all have dendritic opal deposits.

Turkish Dendritic Opal

dendritic opal

In Turkey, dendritic opal is extracted from the chalcedony deposits situated at Eskişehir.

Dendritic Opal in Australia

Dendritic opal was initially discovered in Australia in the 19th century when German geologist Johannes Menge identified the first common opal in 1849. The stone's worldwide fame grew as miners discovered massive Australian opal resources. The stone was worn by royalty and commoners equally, leading to Australia's current position as the world's top opal producer.

Dendritic Opal Properties

A dendritic opal is a form of opal with a dark tint and tubular or dendritic structures on its base. Although black and white are the most common colors, the black color can range from blueish black to a dark gray hue. 

The dendrites of this stone have a characteristic leaf-like shape that resembles a fern, and the stone's composition includes a black mineral known as manganese. Merlinite is another name for dendritic opal, which is frequently used when discussing the stone's metaphysical characteristics. 

The stone is exceptionally uncommon because in the US it can only be found and manufactured in New Mexico, where there is only one dendritic opal mine. 

Dendritic Opal vs Dendritic Agate

You may come across the similar-looking stone dendritic agate while shopping for gemstones. What makes dendritic agate different from dendritic opal? 

Both dendritic agate and dendritic opal are silicates with dark, tree-like inclusions, yet they differ in several ways. 

Dendritic agate is a type of banded chalcedony, whereas dendritic opal is an opal variant. Dendritic agate has a hexagonal crystal structure, whereas dendritic opal has an amorphous structure (without a crystal structure). 

Agate is classified as a mineral, but dendritic opal is classified as a mineraloid. Mineraloids resemble minerals but lack crystalline structures and exhibit a larger range of chemical compositions than minerals. 

Dendritic agate has a Mohs hardness of 7, whereas dendritic opal, like most opals, has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6. 

Dendritic agate is mostly found in Brazil, India, and Mexico. Dendritic opal is mostly found in Australia, Mexico, and the United States. 

Dendritic opalite acquires its inclusions from the presence of dendritic agate during its creation. 

Dendritic Opal Jewelry

Because of its wearability, dendritic opal can be used in any type of jewelry, including pendants, earrings, bracelets, and rings. Because of its neutral tint, this stone goes nicely with a wide range of gemstones and metals. 

One of the major disadvantages of purchasing dendritic opal jewelry is the limited selection. Dendritic opal, unlike most other gemstones, has a limited number of jewelry styles, restricting your possibilities.

Dendritic Opal Earrings

Earrings made of dendritic opal come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including studs and drop earrings that move with you. You can choose the one that best fits your unique style and the occasion. Dendritic opal stud earrings are timeless and classic.

Dendritic Opal Pendant

dendritic opal pendant

Dendritic opal pendants are delicate enough to wear to parties, formal meetings, dinner dates, and for everyday use. The color of your gem pendant will complement your ensemble.

Dendritic Opal Cabochon

Instead of being faceted, a gemstone has been sculpted and polished. One side of these stones is usually flat, while the other is domed. Cabochons come in a variety of shapes and sizes and also in geometric and asymmetrical cuts. 

The sugarloaf cabochon is one of the rarest and thus most coveted. It has four sides, a flat base, and a rounded apex, resembling a pyramid. Dendritic opal cabochons are carved into a convex form instead of being faceted. They are available in a variety of shapes, including freeform, calibrated, and symmetrical. Cabochons are commonly used to make bracelets, rings, pendants, and earrings.

Dendritic Opal Necklace

Dendritic opal necklaces are a lovely and inexpensive alternative to more expensive gemstone necklaces. They have a luxurious appearance without draining your bank account. Wear a dendritic opal necklace to steal the spotlight at a party.

Dendritic Opal Bracelet

There are two types of dendritic opal bracelets: one with a single gem in the center and a fine chain that wraps around your wrist, and another with a trail of dendritic opal beads and a lock to keep it secure. Both ‌bracelet styles are appropriate for both formal and casual settings.

Dendritic Opal Uses

Dendritic opal has a great impact on your health, self-confidence, and entire outlook on life. It makes you appear more approachable, which improves your social life. This may make it easier for you to put yourself out there and communicate with others, possibly even allowing you to meet others who share your worldview. 

The stone's energies are such that they focus on your inner power and knowledge, channeling your best traits so you may master and use the talents you desire to accomplish. The stone allows you to harness your unique power by transforming you into the best version of yourself, allowing you to work toward your real-life mission. 

Dendritic opal improves a person's mental health and power, which is one of its most significant physical benefits. If you want to improve your mental strength, the stone may help you. You may not absorb new information more effectively with the stone, but you may ‌retain far more knowledge than before. 

This is a crystal that will sharpen your mental capacity and powers, allowing you to become more self-aware and adept at understanding people and circumstances. You will also feel empowered to make smart decisions because of your increased self-awareness. 

Another fascinating way dendritic opal influences a person is by providing a window into their previous life. This is not so that you may relive any unpleasant memories from the past, but ‌so that you can examine them and gain valuable knowledge from them. These images may be upsetting, but remembering the past is a necessary step toward obtaining the closure you require going on with your life. 

It is difficult to get these visions, but dendritic opal can help you along the way. The crystal is also said to attract coincidences, which are vital in helping you comprehend the meaning of everything that happens in your life.

Dendritic Opal Beads

dendritic opal beads

A dendritic opal bead is a little decorative object with a small hole for threading or stringing that comes in a range of forms and sizes. Their diameters range from less than 1 millimeter (0.039 in) to over 1 centimeter (0.39 in).

Beads are among the earliest kinds of jewelry, with the earliest known specimen believed to be a pair of beads created from Nassarius marine snail shells dating back around 100,000 years ago. 

The art of crafting objects using beads is known as beadwork. Beads can be weaved together, strung on a thread or soft, flexible wire, or attached to a surface using specialized thread.

Dendritic Opal Beads for Jewelry Making

Necklaces and bracelets are made with dendritic opal beads. Depending on their function and purpose, they come in a variety of sizes ranging from little to colossal. Even the most sensitive skin will not be bothered by the smooth, polished surface of the beads.

Dendritic Opal Price

Dendritic opals are priced at around $115 USD per kilogram. 

Conclusion

Dendritic opal is a must-have for everyone interested in exploring their spirituality. The properties of this gem, when used correctly, can genuinely improve your life by helping you in making peace with your past. 

Many people cannot reach their full potential in life because of hidden forces from their past. Dendritic opal works its magic in this area, allowing a person to see what happened in a previous life, why it happened, and what they need to do to succeed in this one. 

You can expect to have some vivid psychic visions and mystical experiences if you purchase this stone. While these images may not appear immediately or be easy to view, once you master the use of the crystal, you will transform into a new person. 

Although the voyage will be dark and arduous, it may open the path for enlightenment in your life, allowing you to finally comprehend why you were born.

Did You Enjoy This Article?

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this article, you might also like the following articles: Crocoite: Complete Guide and Cuprite: Complete Guide.

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