October hands jewelry lovers two birthstones for the price of one: opal, famous for its play of color, and tourmaline, the rainbow of the gemstone world. With October birthdays right around the corner, this is the perfect week to keep an eye on the jewelry cases at Jewelry and More Auctions for birthstone beauties — whether you’re buying for an October baby or for yourself. (We fully support self-gifting. No judgment.)
Opal: the firework stone
Opal is the drama queen of the gem world — tilt it one way and it’s milky white, tilt it another and it flashes green, blue, and gold. When an opal piece crosses the auction block, zoom in on the lot photos and look for that play of color from several angles; a stone that flashes in more than one direction tends to photograph beautifully and wear even better. Opals are softer stones, so check the setting details in the listing — bezel and halo settings cradle the stone protectively, which is exactly what you want in a ring you’ll actually wear.
Tourmaline: the rainbow stone
Tourmaline comes in nearly every color of the rainbow, but the pink and red varieties are the ones that make bidders’ hearts race — rather like the pink heart ring in today’s featured photo. When tourmaline lots come up, study the listing photos for even color across the stone and read the description for the metal and setting. Tourmaline is a sturdy everyday-wear stone, which makes it a smart auction target: pretty enough for date night, tough enough for Tuesday.
Birthstone pieces make the best gifts (and the friendliest wins)
Here is a secret the regulars know: birthstone jewelry is one of the most giftable categories in the auction — October birthdays, anniversaries, or a just-because for someone who loves pink. And because gemstone lots sometimes fly under the radar while bidders chase the headline pieces, patient bidders can win beautiful stones at friendly prices. Decide your top bid before the lot comes up — and if you want a pre-bid pep talk, our guide to the 7 mistakes jewelry buyers make is a quick, painless read.
How to bid like you’ve done this before
Keep an eye on the timer, don’t be shy about the lots that end quietly, and remember the house rules that make auction nights easy: $7 flat-rate shipping no matter how much you win, and a free gift with every order. Browse everything at https://www.jewelryandmoreauctions.com and catch the live bidding at https://www.jewelryandmoreauctions.com/live-auctions.
P.S. The coin cases are sparkling too: tonight’s patriotic coins auction features 2026 Silver Eagle coins and US Mint 250th anniversary coins — an American heritage collectibles auction in its own right, and you can buy collectible coins online with the same $7 flat-rate shipping. Our coin collector’s playbook has five winning moves for auction night.