[Jewelry making - Article 00978] - Re: [Orchid] Opal Stories

[IMMENO1Ls]

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>          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. 


    regarding the 'bad luck' business, it is more likely that it started
    with the cracking of the stones in women's rings resulting from
    being set with prongs - a pressure mounting that was doomed to
    failure after the opal started drying a little. opals contain as
    little as 4% or as much as 20% [sinkankas' 'mineralogy'] and when
    even a little of that water dries up the infrastructure is weakened
    and collapses or cracks. which is why i set all of mine in strong
    bezels with a padding of e6000 adhesive under each stone - the
    material sets but never hardens so there is always a shock absorbent
    buffer under the opal. which could explain why of the google amount
    of opals i've cut, polished, bezel set & sold, not a one has cracked.
    to those of you who think that "g-l-u-e" is anathema, i have a
    suggestion: join the 21st century. ive people, you've got a life, use it!


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