[Jewelry making - Article 00940] - Re: [Orchid] Store Opals

[richard Wise]

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Dolores,

    For some reason there is more mis-information in the public domain
    about opal than any other gemstone.  Beginning with the idea of the
    gem being a harbinger of bad luck.  Some say that the "bad luck" rap
    is the result of lapidaries who simply did not want to work with the
    gem because of its tendency toward brittleness it was "bad luck" to
    cut. 

    At any rate it is brittle and it also contains a small amount of
    water - somewhere between 3-6% on average.  So what's all this stuff
    about oil?  Well a bit of oil smoothed on the surface of an opal
    that has been abraded with wear will tend to brighten the stone
    temporarily by filling in the tiny scratches caused by dust of a
    period of time.  Opal is generally below 7 on the mohs scale though
    it can be as hard as 7.5.  The problem is dust, which is quartz and
    therefore will scratch of slightly abrade the surface giving the
    stone a foggy appearance over time. 

    If I were planning to store an opal for a long period in a bank
    vault I would probably immerse it in water.  Why?, because vaults
    are often dehumidified, it keeps the money from getting moldy.  This
    sort of environment could, over time, suck the water from the opal
    dulling the play of color and/or causing it to craze. 

Hope this helps.
Richard

Review Richard Wise's new book:  Secrets Of the Gem Trade; The 
Connoisseur's Guide To Precious Gemstones:  www.secretsofthegemtrade.com



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