Opals are quite fragile in relation to some of the other gemstones. On Mohs hardness scale, developed by Frederich Mohs, it rates about 5.5 to 6.5. To put that into perspective the lead in pencil rates about 1 since it is so soft and diamond rates at 10 which is the hardest. This means that opal gemstones do need to be looked after and you do not want to wear them when they might get scratched like doing the gardening or other manual work. This applies to all opal gemstones including ones such as fire opal jewelry. You may think that rings would be stronger but the gem itself such as in a black opal ring could still get scratched.

Opal gemstones contain a lot of water content which can be up to 21% but more usually is around 10% for precious gemstones. This means that they do not like exposure to prolonged heat or low humidity since it will dry them out and may cause cracking called crazing. Make sure you avoid rapid temperature changes for the same reason.

To clean your opal gemstones it does depend on what type of opal it is. If it is a solid opal then you can soak it in warm water with a little detergent without any worries and then wipe it with a soft cloth. If you have opal doublets or triplets then you do not want to soak it in water since that may affect the glue between the layers. If water gets in between the layers then it can give the opals a foggy appearance. Doublets and triplets can be cleaned with a soft cloth but make sure it is soft so that the gemstones do not get scratched.

To store your opal gemstones keep them away from other jewelry since gems such as diamonds can scratch them. If your gemstones are going to be put away for a long period put them in a plastic bag with a damp cotton wool ball and then seal the plastic bag. This should keep the air moist enough to keep them from crazing. If the opals are only going to put away for a short period then putting them in a soft bag away from other jewelry should be fine.

Gemstones are one of the most precious substances known to mankind. Their worth alone is reason enough for us to care for them. A gemstone can cost a fortune and one scratch or impurity can ruin there value. As strong and durable as they may be, they can be scratched, dirtied and even broken if mishandled. There is not much we can do to care for them, but some precautions are necessary.

Cleaning gemstones requires a simple knowledge about gemstones. There are generally two kinds of gemstones; transparent and opaque. Transparent gemstones will make dust visible even if it gathers behind the stone on the ring or any form of jewelry that holds them. These are mostly single crystal stones and therefore application of water will not affect them too much. The use of a soaked cloth to clean the dust gather behind the stone is therefore not a bad move. You may even use a brush to clean the dust if you like.

However, opaque gemstones or organic gemstones are affected by water or any chemical substance. These are usually porous and will allow the water or chemical to flow inside the gemstone. Once inside they can either build up inside, make the stone loose its color or even cause it to crack. Therefore these kind of gemstones should be kept away direct contact with any kind of chemical in sprays, cosmetics and even from water.

There are advanced methods using certain technology to help clean gemstones. Expert jewelers and dealers are well-versed with all these methods and know how to clean each specific kind of gemstone. Therefore it is advised that you do not do the cleaning yourself and rather, have it done by someone who knows more about how to deal with them. Gemstones are hard materials. In contact with some other gemstone or the metals which contain them such as gold, they can crack each other or the metal. Therefore care must be taken with jewelry how it is kept and handled. Jewelry is expensive and valuable, especially those with precious gemstones in them, therefore they should be treated with care.