Opals are precious gemstones which are worth taking care of. Common sense and the necessary knowledge about your opal are all you need in order to know how to take care of your opal. Here are a few tips about taking care of opals:
Just like any other gemstone, opal should be stored separately from your other gems and should not be worn when gardening, washing up etc. to avoid minor scratches.
They can be polished with a soft toothbrush or a cloth to maintain their finish and even a little toothpaste with water can restore the opal to its original brilliance (toothpaste contains talc which is a light abrasive).
Solid opals contain 6 – 10 % water so placing your opal in a glass of lukewarm water for 15 minutes every 12 months will prevent it from drying out especially if the opal has been exposed to very dry conditions.
Doublets and triplets have multiple layers and are best not to be in wet conditions for a prolonged period as this may cause a cloudy effect in the opal or cause it to delaminate from its layers. However, well-made opal doublets and triplets will resist delaminating and Australian Opal Cutters doublets and triplets have a lifetime guarantee against delaminating.

Australian Opal Cutters
Opals - Pearls - Gems
Park House, 3rd Floor, 295 - 301 Pitt Street
Sydney NSW 2000, Ph: 02 9261 2442 Fax: 02 9264 6263
Web: www.australianopalcutters.com