Jewelry Blog

>Caring for opals

Opal is a relatively soft, porous stone that’s subject to damage in a number of different ways. Because opals contain water, many of the care tips for opals involve water in one way or another. Experts offer the following advice:

If you store your opal jewelry in a safe deposit box, put it in an airtight bag with a piece of wet cloth, or put it in a small jar of water to keep it moist.

Avoid using liquid detergents and soaps around your opal. The detergent could be absorbed by the stone and dull its sparkle.

Do not oil your opal. Glycerin and other oil=based liquids can cause the opal to leech moisture.

Cleaning opals

Opal jewelry can be cleaned in warm water with a little detergent – but limit soaking time in the water to no more than five minutes. Wipe the top of the stone with a soft, dry cloth to remove residues. Never clean opal jewelry in a sonic cleaner or with harsh chemicals.

It’s important to know whether the opals in your jewelry are solid opals, or composites. Composite opals (doublets and triplets) should never be immersed in water, as it can get between the layers and damage the glue or spoil the appearance of the stone. Instead, clean the stone carefully with a moist cloth, or with toothpaste on a fine-bristled brush.

If your opal loses some of its shine, it can be recut or repolished by a jeweler.

Storing your opal jewelry

Opals are soft stones – only 5-6.5 on the Mohs gem hardness scale. They can easily be damaged by hard surfaces, including other jewelry in your jewelry box. To avoid that, always store opal jewelry wrapped in protective cloth or in its own box. If you’re going to store an opal for a long period of time, storing it in a ziplock baggie with a piece of damp cloth will help prevent crazing of the stone.

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