How to Care for Opal Rings

When the shimmery opal adorns jewelry pieces, the effect is startlingly beautiful. People born in the month of October are fortunate to have the opal as their birthstone. Because opal gems are delicate and sensitive to heat, you must take care when you wear opal jewelry. Opal rings, in particular, are fragile and prone to damage from chipping or cracking if you do not use care while you wear them. Proper care for opal rings will keep them beautiful for years.

Instructions

1

Moisten the cloth to make it damp and fold it up into a small square. Place the cloth into the plastic bag. Place the opal ring into the bag with the damp cloth and seal the bag. Store an opal ring in this plastic bag with the damp cloth when you are not wearing it to prevent the opal from drying out.

2

Avoid hard bumps and knocks to your opal ring while are you are wearing it. Opals scratch easily because they are relatively soft. Remove your opal ring before you engage in work that could bump or chip the ring. As you wear your opal ring, avoid wiping the surface of the gem with a dry cloth because this will diminish the polish of the gem over time.

3

Wear gloves on your hands to protect your opal ring from extreme temperature fluctuations when you go outside in winter weather. Opals can withstand both high and low temperatures; however, temperature fluctuations may cause an opal to crack. Covering your opal ring with a glove before you go outside should be sufficient to protect the gem from damage.

4

Polish the opal ring by saturating a soft cloth with tepid water. Apply a small amount of dishwashing detergent to the cloth and wipe the opal ring with the cloth. Rinse the opal ring in clear water to remove all soap residues. Dry the ring well after polishing it.