Today one of my customers who bought a $1000 opal ring from me told me that her friends told her to keep the opal ring in a clear mineral oil solution.
Hmmm! Please don't do it. I have also heard a lot of other advice such as keeping opal rings in water, vinegar and other solutions. Coating them with soluble oil is another terrible thing I've heard advised.
About twelve years ago I spent about three months with George Roberts who still cuts and facets gemstones for a living as he has for a very long time. George is a miner and gemologist so he knows what he's talking about when it comes to opals.
When George put the opal in the little ultrasound machine I was horrified. All I heard was that the opal was sure to destroy it. George told me he had never broken one like that.
I don't usually tempt fate with this anymore, but I did some experiments on opals because I wanted to see firsthand what would happen if I did.
I got every conceivable solution that I thought people could put opals in and put them in the jars. I put a few opals in citric acid, a few more in vinegar, others in oils, pickling solutions, numerous solvents such as acetone, then gasoline, methyl alcohol and the list goes on. I have left them there for weeks, months and years and some are still in their solutions.
Result? Nothing happened to the opals! Or at least on a level that I could perceive.
As an opal miner, I can tell you that when you are lucky enough to find opal, it is in dry opal dirt, not wet wet stuff. The mines are generally dry and the temperature pleasant. Opals have been there for millions and millions of years, so why would anyone think they need to be poured into oil or any other solution?
As an opal cutter I can tell you what I was taught to do. In order to cut an opal, you need to put it on a rod to hold it on the grinding wheel. We heat the opal a little and apply hot wax and a stick and press the opal together. After cutting, put the opal in the freezer for a few hours so that the wax and the opal otherwise shrink and separate. It's pretty harsh treatment in my opinion, but opal survives it all and survives in the horrible solutions I've experimented with.
Here is what my research has finally led me to believe is the best way to care for opal jewelry.
1. Keep it separate from other jewelry to avoid scratching. Rubbing the metal against the opal stone will certainly scratch and damage it.
2. Clean it occasionally with a soft brush, perhaps the softest toothbrush in a solution of lukewarm water and very mild detergent. Then rinse and lightly dry with an absorbent cloth, but do not rub it dry.
3. If your opals are doublets or inlays, then they are held in place with glue, so only wash them when necessary.
4. Don't bother applying any solutions to your opals as what you use will absorb into the stone and may cause more harm than good.
But they are reasonably durable and can be repaired and polished, so enjoy them. People say they like to wear them. I think this is true because they are exposed to temperatures and conditions that your body is used to opal engagement ring, and that suits opals as well.
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