Its water composition is also such a distinct property that causes opals to change in colour. Heat, humidity, sweat and contact in water can make the amount of water in opals fluctuate. When this happens or when your opal pendant loses or gains water, its colour changes.
Opals should be polished with a soft toothbrush or a cloth to maintain their finish. Even a little toothpaste with water can restore the Opal to its original brilliance; toothpaste contains talc, which is a very light abrasive.
Opals can be treated by impregnation with oil, wax, or plastic, and by surface modifications called sugar treatment and smoke treatment. The only safe way to clean opal is with warm, soapy water.
If you put opal in a glass of water for a long time or leave it in a very humid room, it will absorb too much water. And, of course, it will change color and its opalescence.
Water penetration can eventually cause the glue to deteriorate and the layers to separate, causing the opal to take on a foggy, grey, or cloudy appearance. This fact is the origin of the 'never get your opal wet' misconception. Fact: If an opal was completely black, it would also be completely worthless.
Opals have a unique property: Their color comes not from pigment, but from their internal molecular structure, which is organized in such a way that it reflects certain wavelengths of light.
An opal imitation will often have an overly shiny appearance, and the colour flashes will be repeated in an organised pattern. Turn it side-on, and a columnar structure will be revealed to you. Real, natural opals possess irregularities, which adds to the stone's authenticity and beauty.
You can wear Opal every-day, it is so versatile!. You can swim in it, shower, do the dishes. Just remember that any gemstone will crack or chip if it comes into contact with a hard surface (even Diamond) so make sure you have a strong setting. This is why bezel settings are great for Opal.
Many treated opals will display telltale signs of tampering, the most noticeable being dye or smoke marks on the back of the stone, indicating that the black on the back of the opal is not natural and has, in fact, been tampered with. Other treated opals will have signs of tampering, but they will be more subtle.
Opals are extremely sensitive to light, and wearing these jewelry pieces in direct sunlight constantly can certainly wear them out.
Given consideration alone, Australian Opals are more durable and wearable than their Ethiopian counterparts — in that you don't have to worry about water or the stone against your skin potentially altering the gem's play of color.
Cleaning Your Opal
Solid opal should be cleaned gently with mild detergent in warm water and a soft toothbrush or cloth. Avoid bleach, chemicals and cleaners. Doublets & triplets may be wiped with a damp soft cloth and mild detergent, but should never be soaked or immersed.
If Opals are left in water and allowed to soak it up, they may lose their fire temporarily and turn yellow or brown. Don't worry, the fire and color will come back once the Opals have fully dried, which can take a few minutes to weeks, depending on how much water they managed to absorb.
Incase you didn't avoid
Again, don't worry! To clean, you can use water mixed with vinegar or gentle soap. Use a soft-bristle toothbrush to lightly buff the simulated opal. Carefully rinse with lukewarm water.
Clean your soft stones at home, and again we do not recommend it, only use tepid water, a soft toothbrush, and non-harsh dish soap like Dawn. Be ridiculously gentle when cleaning. Don't use any chemicals, cleaners, or vinegars.
Hydrophane opals have the ability to absorb water or liquids, similar to a sponge, resulting in a change of color that may turn the opal translucent yellow or brown and the play-of-color to disappear temporarily. Don't panic though! The color will return once the opal is fully and naturally air-dried.
Opals may be a softer gemstone, but when taken care of properly, they can last a lifetime without any issues. Cleaning your Opal ring every month or two will keep the Opal clean and sparkling.
The cut of a fine opal should be symmetrical. If it's a cabochon, the dome should be well rounded. Domed surfaces give the best play-of-color, and make the stone appear vivid from most viewing angles. If the cabochon is flat, it might be vulnerable to breakage, especially during setting into jewelry.
Most genuine solid opals have an irregularity in this area – curved or bumpy due to their natural formation – whereas a man-made stone will be perfectly flat because the two sections are flattened so they can be glued together. Be especially wary if the opal is set in jewellery and you cannot see its back or side.
If you were born in the month of October, your birthstone is the opal. Perhaps more than any stone, the opal is cloaked in mystery and legend. One of the better-known legends about the opal is that it's bad luck to wear one -- and even more so if it's not your birthstone.
Opals have two significant weaknesses as jewelry stones: a low Mohs hardness and significant water content. This results in a "Poor" grade.
People have said that when people with other birthstones wear opal, it will be a reversal of fortunes. Unlike all the positive influence opal has on a Libra, opal on anyone else brings a decline in prosperity, marital discord, strain in relationships, and so on.
Real opals can be quite expensive, so if you see an opal that's being sold for a very low price, it's likely a fake. Beware, though, some fake opal sellers can still charge high prices.
Black opal is the most rare and highly valued form of opal, and has what is called a black (or dark) body tone. Black opals come in every colour of the rainbow. Their dark body tone makes the colours on the face of the opal appear rich and intense.