How to Clean and Care for Australian Opal Jewelry

Authentic Australian opal jewelry is both beautiful and fragile. The opals in this image are from my own antique ring. At over 100 years old, the opals are still vibrant and fiery, because they have been cared for properly. You must take great care of your own stones or they can easily become cracked, chipped or broken. Storing them in the wrong environment can rob them of their fiery colors. Learn the right way to care for and clean your precious Australian opal jewelry to keep it beautiful for a lifetime.

Things You'll Need

• Toothpaste
• Soft Toothbrush
• Jewelry box or jar

Instructions

1. 

   Store Australian opal jewelry in an environment with high humidity. Australian opals have a high percentage of water in their make-up. If stored improperly, they will dry out, and their fiery colors will fade, leaving the stones dull. A good place to keep them is in the bathroom. Keep a small jewelry box or jar on the counter with your opal jewelry inside. This will give your opals a nice drink of humidity every time you take a shower or bath.

2. 

   Wear your Australian opal jewelry often. This is the best way to keep the opals humidified. The worst thing you can do is hide them away in a jewelry box or safe deposit box, never to be worn. The natural moisture emitted by our own bodies will keep your opals looking their best.

3. 

   Clean your Australian opal jewelry carefully. Use only warm water toothpaste (a jeweler's secret for opals and pearls). Scrub gently with a very soft toothbrush and rinse thoroughly. You don't need to clean very often. Maybe once every six months to maintain clarity and luster.

4. 

   Wear Australian opal jewelry on non-impact areas. Rings on pinky fingers are often bumped or banged on hard surfaces. Try moving or sizing your rings so they can be worn on an inside finger to minimize the chances of your opals getting broken. Bracelets are also not a good option for opals. The best place to wear opals is on your ears or around your neck.