Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
February 2, 2010
When I bought my opal jewelry online, the item came with a liability warning, which stated that opals are a fragile gemstone, which should be properly cleaned and cared for, or they may damage. In what way are opals fragile, and how should I care for my opal jewelry?
February 7, 2010
It is very important to know exactly how to properly store away opal jewelry. If your opal piece of jewelry is worn quite often, and you need to store it only periodically, then I suggest simply placing it in a padded cloth bag to prevent dirt from accumulating on it. However, if you need to store an opal jewelry piece for a longer period of time (if the jewelry is suitable only for dressy occasions, for example), then you need to wrap your opal jewelry in damped cotton wool (only a few drops of water) and sealed plastic bag for protection. This will ensure that the necessary moisture of the gemstone remains intact and will prevent your opal from cracking due to dryness. This is very important to bear in mind, as most precious opals contain approximately 5% water and crave a certain degree of moisture. If you use the appropriate storage method described, you can even place you jewelry away in a zero humidity storage safe, and your jewelry will still remain intact.
February 6, 2010
Actually, taking care of opals could be very easy and straightforward, but before deciding on the best way to clean your opal, you must be aware of the type of opal jewelry you actually have. There are three types of opals, which are doublets, triplets and solid opal. Solid opal, like it sounds is in fact a natural solid opal gemstone which has just been cut and polished into shape. Doublets and Triplets, on the other hand, combine also other materials. A doublet opal consists of two layers – the upper layer is the precious opal, and the bottom layer is a more common opal layer used to enhance the color of the upper layer. Triplet opals are in fact doublets that contain in addition a third layer, mostly made from clear quartz or glass which protects the opal and gives it a rounder shape. OK, so now that you know which type of opal you have, just follow the instructions below correspondingly. If you have a solid opal, which is very similar to glass in terms of hardness, you should be very careful not to damage it, because this type of opal is very easily scratched and broken (just like glass is). As opposed to common beliefs, solid opals are actually fine in water, and water doesn't cause them any damage whatsoever (not to be confused with doublets and triplets opals, which are not so water-friendly). You can clean your solid opals with a mild cleaning agent in warm water and gently wipe away any dirt with the help of a soft cloth or toothbrush. Use your common sense and avoid any type of bleach, powerful chemicals or tough cleaners while caring for your opal jewelry. On the other hand, if you own opals in the form of doublets or triplets, they require a different cleaning approach. Due to the nature of their layering, this type of opal's prolonged exposure to water will actually cause the layers that are glued together to lift and loosen up, thus cause deformation. When this occurs, it's actually visible to the naked eye, making the doublet or triplet opal look foggy, or grayish, in appearance. Having said that, please let me reinforce that it's only PROLONGED exposure to water that may cause this effect, so if you happen to wear your opal jewelry to the shower on one occasion or maybe caught in the rain with it, don't worry as it's not the end of the world! As I mentioned before, because doublets and triplets are not so water friendly, it's better to clean these opals by using a damp soft cloth with a mild detergent, but always refrain from completely soaking or immersing your triplets and doublets in water! I hope I managed to provide you some helpful tips and information!
February 5, 2010
Since natural opal is a very soft and porous gemstone, opal jewelry should be set aside in a safe place when doing household cleaning. Do not clean opal jewelry with ultrasonic cleaners. To clean opal gemstones, it's best just to use a delicate cloth. Due to their high water content, opals can crack and lose their iridescence when exposed to the sun, so these gemstones should be oiled every so often to maintain the water they contain.
February 3, 2010
Care for opals is a bit more tricky than caring for other birthstones since it is a dynamic 'living' birthstone which must be kept away from heat and chemicals which may 'dry up' the stone's unique liquidity. Therefore, opals are never to be heat treated, no matter what the jeweler tells you it will NOT enhance the opal's color. Be sure to take off your opal jewelry while doing household tasks that may involve 'drying' chemicals. If you want to safely clean this type of birthstone jewelry, simply use a soft piece of cloth to gently wipe off the opals. Unlike other birthstones, opals jewelry should never be cleaned with toothpaste or any other household cleaning product. Also, it would be unwise to soak opals in water for too long. Opal is truly a fragile birthstone and require special care and attention
