Do's and Don'ts for Beautiful Opal Rings
How to Care for Your Precious Opal Rings?
Do you know your precious Opal Ringsmay be on the verge of losing their brilliance? Opal rings are as delicate as they are beautiful. Their brilliance and lustrous display of light define their beauty. However, if they are not cared for properly, they can lose their sheen. And, in some cases, it may crack and get damaged beyond repair.
Opal is a beautiful and delicate gemstone that enhances any piece of jewelry. But people most commonly wear them on rings. Opal rings are valuable and are often given as a symbol of love and as a token of desire.
However, rings are one of the most aggressive settings for Opal stone. Since rings embellish our hands, rings are exposed to a harsh environment more than any other jewelry piece. And since Opal is exceptionally fragile, Opal rings are prone to damage if you don't wear and store them with caution.
What is Opal?
Opal is a precious gemstone that is porous. Inherently it is an amorphous solid consisting of hydrated silica and contains around 20% water. Courtesy of its porosity, Opal is very soft, much softer than its other peers like diamond and sapphire.
Its hardness lies between 5.5-6.5 on Moh's hardness scale, lower than quartz, a gemstone found in ordinary sand. Hence, Opal lies at risk of damage, even from ordinary household dust. Its sensitivity to a trivial material as dust makes it rank very low in the wearability list. Most gemologists label it as a gemstone with 'poor' wearability.
However, labeling Opal poor in terms of wearability does not defer the price or demand of Opal Rings. Their irradiance makes up for whatever popularity they lose owing to their fragility
The Significance of Opal
The birthstone of October babies and a gift for your spouse on your 14th wedding anniversary, Opal has had significance beyond the bounds of birth months and anniversaries.
If you have Opal jewelry, I can bet my KitKat bars that you know many tales and myths regarding Opal stones. Opal stones show a brilliant display of colors and have many interesting stories associated with them. Each of these fables contributes to the precious stone's historical significance.
Owing to Opal's oval shape, ancient Greek mythology regards it as a teardrop of the Greek god Zeus. Indian folklore thinks of Opal as the goddess of Rainbow who was turned into a stone to protect her from potential suitors. At the same time, Arabic tales define Opal as encapsulating lightning within it.
Opal also has a history of being associated with bad luck. However, it has managed to shake off some of its reputations as 'the bearer of ill fate.'. People often look at it as a symbol of love, passion, desire, purity, and contrarily to the past-hope.
Moreover, people who believe in stone healing properties also often stay in Opal's companionship in the form of Opal rings to cure eye infections and diseases.
Some Tips to Care for Your Opal Jewelry
We understand how precious Opal rings are because they are not just a piece of jewelry. But are often symbolic of a deeper connection. We are also aware of how sensitive this delicate stone is to an even moderately rough environment. Hence, we have compiled a comprehensive list of all the Do's and Don'ts for your Opal Rings so that you can keep flaunting your ring without fretting about ruining it.
Don't Expose Them to Water
As we have mentioned above, Opal is very porous. Therefore, to clean it, you must avoid bringing your opal ring in direct contact with water or soaking it in water for even a short amount of time. Doing so will make the stone absorb water, which can make it lose its luster.
Do Clean it With Damp Cloth
Because you don't wear them often, Opal rings may get dirty. To clean them, instead of soaking them in water, reach for a damp cloth or a very soft-bristled brush and clean your ring using a mild, chemical-free cleanser and a damp, soft cloth soaked in warm water.
Don't Use Hand Sanitizers with Your Opal Rings On
Opal is a very sensitive stone and may react violently to acids and alcohols. Alcohols are often a part of your go-to hair hand sanitizers and your favorite perfumes. Therefore, you should remove your rings before applying any product that may contain even a small percentage of acids or alcohols to preserve the beauty of your ring.
Do-Follow' Last on, First off' Rule
If you want your Opal Rings to stay as beautiful as they are, it's best to follow the 'last on, first off' rule. Following this rule, your opal ring must be the last thing you wear when you're getting ready for a special occasion. And after coming back home, it should be the first thing you take off and store appropriately.
Don't Store Your Opal Rings with the Rest of Your Jewelry or In Oil or Glycerin
If you are keeping your Opal rings with the rest of your rings, you expose them to high-abrasion conditions. While staying with other rings, the Opal on your ring may rub against the metal of your other rings, which may leave cracks and scratches on the surface of the stone.
Moreover, many people may suggest you keep your Opal rings immersed in oil or glycerin. But doing this would do nothing to protect the stone and make the cleaning process more difficult.
Do Keep Your Opal Rings Wrapped in a Soft Damp Cloth
Opal rings can be a great choice as your engagement ring. However, it would need additional care. Opal naturally consists of water and is porous. If you expose it to dry and warm conditions for more extended periods, it may dry up and crack. Therefore, to prevent it from cracking, it's best to store it in a plastic bag with a wet cotton ball. Or wrap it in a soft, moist cloth before putting it away.
Don't Wear Opal Rings While Casually
Opals are precious stones.While some other precious stones are tough against every day roughness, Opal can get damaged even if you lightly wipe off the dust from it. Therefore, please don't wear your Opal rings casually around the house as your rings bear many abrasive conditions throughout the day when you wash your hands or stick them in the pocket of your jeans.
Save Your Opal Rings for Special Occasions
Only take out your opal rings when you are getting ready for a special occasion. And even then, make sure to wear them last and take them back off as soon as you get back and take special care while you are wearing them.
Conclusion
Like good things come to those who wait, opal rings' beauty stays with people who put in efforts to care for them. Opal rings have 'poor' wearability, but their play of colors is too beautiful not to wear these rings because they have very high maintenance requirements.
Opals are a symbol of passion and purity. And by developing and incorporating a few easy habits in your jewelry care and cleaning routine, you can preserve the brilliance and sheen of the Opal on your rings for longer so that they can keep shining with the light of love and hope for as long as you have them.
Looking for beautiful designed opal rings, check out our beautiful collections of weddings rings as well.