5 Tips to Care for Your Opals

Taking care of the precious things in our lives – like friendships, our health or that set of Waterford crystal glasses inherited from your great-grandmother – ensures they last the tests of time, and opals are no different.

Follow our short guide below to learn how to get the most out of this amazing gemstone and keep it in a beautiful and pristine condition throughout your lifetime and beyond.

Easy does it

No need for fancy or expensive cleansers with opals. The best and most effective way to keep an opal clean is to gently wipe it with a damp soft cloth and mild detergent.

Careful with the H20

Solid opals contain a small amount of water in their chemical makeup, so there’s no problem getting them wet at all. However, if your opal is a composite stone like a doublet or triplet try to keep it out of water as best you can. A splash of H2O here and there is fine, but immersing it for long periods of time is not advisable and can affect the opal.

Keep it cool

Solid opals might love water but they’re not so hot on heat, so it’s important to keep all opals away from very hot lights and other intense heat sources as extreme temperatures can cause the gemstone to expand and crack after some time. 

Chemical free

Avoid using bleach, chemicals and harsh cleaners including ultrasonic cleaners on your opal or opal jewellery to help it stay in top shape. We’d also recommend removing your opal jewellery before using pools or spas.

Safety first

Although not as hard as diamonds, opals are not as fragile as some might think, being comparable to glass in hardness. However, to prevent damage to your opal it’s still a good idea to make sure that, as with any other gemstone, you avoid activity where it could bang against hard surfaces or any unnecessary wear and tear.

We hope by following these simple tips you’ve learnt a little bit more about how to care for your opals and that they enjoy a long and happy life – remember, a little TLC goes a long way!