CARING FOR YOUR PRECIOUS OPAL

SOLID NATURAL OPALS:

Due to the rarity and beauty of opal, you should regard it as a valuable property and care for it as you would other fine jewellery.  Opal has a hardness of approximately 6-7 on Moh’s scale [Pearl=3.5, glass=5, diamond=10] and can therefore scratch glass.  Whilst opal is fairly robust it is preferable to avoid situations where it might be hit or come into contact with harsh chemicals.

Solid opals can be worn in water as it contains 5-6% of water. You can clean your opal by using a soft toothbrush or a soft cloth and mild detergent.

After several years of wear and tear, you might need to have your opal repolished by an opal professional to get rid of scratches and scuff marks and restore its lovely lustre.

DOUBLETS AND TRIPLETS:

Opal doublets and triplets are composite stones consisting of multiple layers glued together so avoid immersing them in water as the layers may peel or water may get in between and turn your opal a colourless grey.

To clean your opal doublet or triplet use a damp soft cloth.

If you are uncertain what type of opal, you have it is best to treat it as a doublet/triplet and clean it accordingly.

Solid natural opals are 90-130 million years old so are the best option when it comes to purchasing opals.