OPAL CARE

 
 

What type of Opals I use:

Opals are one of the most popular and valuable gemstones, and it's easy to see why! They look like galactic landscapes, full of shimmery rainbows. 


There are many different types of Opal based on where they are mined. I only work with Australian Opals - mostly boulder Opal, and sometimes crystal Opal. This way I know exactly where the opals are coming from. They also hold the best colour and boulder opal is the most durable type of Opal. Aussie opals aren’t porous so they don’t suck in moisture or liquids unlike other opals, such as Ethiopian Opal which is known to lose its colour over time when its been wet too many times.


There are different types of opal out there; solid, doublet or triplet. Doublet and triplet opals are made up of a thin piece of opal with a resin backing (doublet), or sandwiched between two pieces of resin or potch (triplet).These two shouldn't really get wet or be submerged in water as this damages and separates the glue that holds the pieces together. 

Boulder opals usually have a piece of ironstone backing (that’s why it has a brown base), but it is all a naturally formed solid piece. This is part of the stone that the opal was mined from, these are still solid opals.

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General Care:

I only work with solid Australian opal. All of the information provided is based on care for these opals only. 

Solid opal can be fully submerged in water, you can wear them in the shower and in the ocean (though I do recommend keeping your jewellery in a safe place when at the beach, opals or not!).

As with all opals they do require a little bit of care though, since they are quite a delicate stone;

  • They can scratch easily as they have similar hardness as glass. So if you’d like to clean your opal jewellery they may be cleaned gently with mild detergent in warm water and a soft toothbrush or cloth. Avoid bleach, chemical cleaners and ultrasonic cleaning machines. 

  • You’ll want to take extra care not to drop your opal jewellery on the ground as this can damage the stone

  • As with all jewellery, opals are not suitable to be worn during heavy activity such as being at the gym, doing housework/gardening, heavy lifting etc.

  • When you are not wearing your opals be sure to store them in a protective pouch out of the sun. Opals are 5-6% water, so when dehydrated they can crack.

  • After years of wear the opal may lose some shine or become scratched. You can take the piece back to an opal cutter to professionally polish your opal and bring it back to new! 

  • If you are storing your opal away for extended periods of time you should put your opal jewellery on some cotton wool with a few drops of water and seal it in a plastic bag to keep a humid environment for the opal. This prevents the stone drying out and cracking. Make sure to store it out of direct sunlight.