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Opal Jewelry
Cleaning and Care of Opal Jewelry
Opals have the same chemical composition as quartz, but contain up to 13% water. This gemstone is considered a mineraloid, rather than a mineral because its structure is not truly crystalline. Opal jewelry, due to the water content, requires special care: - Clean opals with a mild hand soap and extra soft toothbrush used specifically for cleaning jewelry.
- DO NOT expose your opal to strong detergents. This will dry out the gem.
- The iridescence is caused by water in the opal, so oil opal jewelry periodically to keep the water inside. When you put lotion on your hands, rub a little into your opal as well!
- Opal jewelry should be protected from heat and strong light, which can dry them out, causing cracks.
- Remember, opals can be fairly brittle because they contain water. Ultrasonic cleaners, metal polish, acids and any strong solvents should be avoided.
History Of and Superstitions Surrounding Opals
A gemstone since Roman times, the mysterious beauty of opals has fostered several interesting beliefs: - The Romans considered the gemstone to be one of good fortune.
- During the Middle Ages, the opal was thought to render the wearer invisible. (Presumably, whoever bought opals for this purpose only made that mistake once!)
- Queen Victoria and her daughters created a fashion trend for opal jewelry. Why?...
Sir Walter Scott began a superstition that opals were bad luck for people not born in October. As a result, the opal trade was nearly extinguished. Queen Victoria overcame this by giving opals as wedding presents, and the opal trade was revived.
Sources and Classification
95% of the opals on today’s market come from a few mining regions in Australia, namely Lightening Ridge, Coober Pedy, Andamooka and Mintabe. Below is a photo of Coober Pedy:
Opals are classified by their “potch” or host rock. White opal is the most abundant, and black opal among the most valuable, as the black color highlights the play of color in the opal.
Rare types of opal are boulder and Peruvian. (The boulder opal is from Australia. You can probably guess where the Peruvian opal comes from.) These are quite valuable.
If you’d like more information on opal,
the International Colored Gemstone Association’s website
is excellent (a new window will open).
Opal is the October birthstone.
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