Opal Care: Keeping the Fire Alive
Your opal is alive—and that's exactly what makes caring for it so easy
Caring for your opal properly is easier than its reputation suggests—there's really only one thing you need to know: how your stone feels about water. The rest is common sense.
Cleaning, wearing, storing—step by step, honest, and myth-free. Including the subtle difference between Australian opal and Ethiopian Welo opal, which decides everything when it comes to water.
How delicate is an opal, really?
Less delicate than most people think. With a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6.5, opal sits solidly in the middle of the scale—robust enough for everyday wear. Its quirk isn't fragility but water: depending on the type, an opal contains roughly 3 to 21% water. If it dries out too quickly or too much, it can turn dull or, in extreme cases, develop fine cracks.
That sounds like a lot of caution, but it isn't. Once you know opal's two or three real enemies—ultrasonic cleaners, heat shocks, and hard knocks—you've already gotten almost everything right. Normal, mindful wearing takes care of the rest.
Welo opal or Australian opal—what's the difference?
This is the most important question in all of opal care, because it settles the water question. Australian opals are stable and don't absorb water. Ethiopian Welo opals are hydrophane—they soak up water like a sponge, briefly turn milky and translucent, and only get their fire back as they dry.
Australian opal
Hydrophobic and stable. It handles brief contact with water without any trouble and stays relaxed during cleaning.
Welo opal (Ethiopia)
Hydrophane—it absorbs water. Wet, it briefly looks milky; dry, the fire returns. That's why you should never soak it.
Not sure which type you have? When in doubt, treat your opal like a Welo opal: wipe it briefly with a damp cloth instead of soaking it. That harms neither of the two—but protects the more sensitive one.
How do you clean your opal step by step?
Here's how to do it right, in five simple steps. That's all it takes—and definitely no ultrasonic cleaner.
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Prepare lukewarm water
A small bowl of lukewarm water with a drop of mild soap. No hot water, no harsh cleaners.
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Wipe gently
Go over the stone carefully with your fingers or a soft, lint-free cloth. No brush, no scrubbing.
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Rinse briefly with clear water
Only rinse an Australian solid opal briefly under lukewarm water. Don't rinse a Welo opal—just wipe it with a damp cloth.
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Pat dry
Pat gently with a soft, dry cloth—don't rub.
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Let it air-dry
Let it dry briefly in the open air before wearing it again or putting it away. Done.
What damages an opal—and what surprisingly doesn't?
The good news first: most everyday things are no problem at all. It only gets dangerous with a handful of clear enemies.
Heat & temperature swings
Saunas, radiators, blazing sun, or hot water can dry the stone out and trigger fine cracks (crazing).
Chemicals & cosmetics
Perfume, hairspray, creams, cleaning products, and chlorine attack the surface and the shine. Always put your jewelry on last.
Hard knocks
At Mohs 5.5–6.5, opal is sensitive to impacts and scratches. Protected Liberty Angels jewellery is built for everyday wear. Unprotected: avoid chlorine, hairspray, hair gel and washing-up liquid.
Never: ultrasonic or steam cleaners
Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are the most common cause of destroyed opals. The vibration and heat can shatter a solid opal—and in a doublet or triplet, the water that gets in dissolves the glue holding the thin opal layer. The stone then clouds over beyond repair.
This also applies at the jeweler's: say explicitly that opal is involved before any jewelry goes into an ultrasonic bath.
What surprisingly does NOT cause damage: an Australian solid opal handles hand-washing and brief contact with water just fine. Daily wear doesn't hurt either—on the contrary, the natural moisture of your skin actually does the stone good. Just avoid chlorinated and salt water (pool, ocean).
How do you store your opal the right way?
Soft and separate is best. Keep opal jewelry in a padded compartment or pouch, away from harder stones like diamond, sapphire, or clear quartz, which could scratch it.
The room climate matters too: don't store your opal long-term in a bone-dry environment—so no months in a safe with desiccant, and not right next to a radiator. Normal room air is ideal. And the best part: an opal that's worn regularly stays beautiful the longest.
Your opal looks dull? Here's how the shine comes back
A dull opal almost always has one of two causes: fine scratches on the surface or—with Welo opals—absorbed water.
If a Welo opal looks milky, nothing is broken: just let it rest for a day or two in room air, and its fire returns on its own. If it's real scratches, or the shine has grown dull over time, only professional repolishing by a jeweler or goldsmith will help—and that should only be done with the right polishing compounds.
The same Welo opal, wet and dry again—a natural effect, not damage.
The oiling myth: you often read that opals should be oiled to keep them from drying out. On cut, polished jewelry opals, this does nothing and can leave residue. Skip it—proper storage is all it takes.
Your opal care checklist
Get everything right in 5 points
Easy to remember: your opal is always the first thing you take off and the last thing you put on.
What to do when your opal has turned dull?
This is the most common worry after a few years: the stone looks matte, and the fire seems gone. In most cases this is not damage to the opal, but a layer on top of it.
First: just a film or truly dull?
Hold the stone at an angle to the light. If it only looks cloudy, there is usually a film of cream, soap and skin oil on it. If you can see fine scratches, the surface itself is affected.
The film comes off with lukewarm water
Lukewarm water, a drop of mild dish soap, a soft toothbrush on the setting only, and rub the stone itself with your fingers. Then pat it dry with a soft cloth, do not rub.
Scratches are a job for the goldsmith
If the surface is scratched, only repolishing by a specialist workshop helps. It removes a minimal amount of material and should not be done more often than necessary.
What you should never do
No ultrasonic bath and no steam cleaning. Both are dangerous for opal, because the vibrations and the heat can trigger fine cracks. No soaking in oil: the often-repeated tip of putting an opal in oil or glycerin gives at most a short-lived shine and can attack the glue layer in doublets. No long soaks in water, especially not with Ethiopian stones, which absorb water and temporarily turn transparent in the process.
Why opal reacts so sensitively to heat and chemicals comes down to its structure: it contains water and has no crystal lattice. You can read more in What Is an Opal?.
Frequently asked questions about opal care
Can an opal get wet?
Australian opals, doublets and triplets: showering yes, swimming in theory yes. Welo and Mexican: keep chlorine and hair spray away, especially if unset.
Can I wear opal jewellery every day?
Yes. A surrounding setting is everyday wear. Unprotected: keep chlorine and hair spray away. We give a 5-year guarantee because we build jewellery for everyday wear.
How do I clean an opal ring?
Lukewarm water, mild soap, a soft cloth. No ultrasonic, no steam.
Why is my Welo opal turning milky?
It is hydrophane: it takes up water and briefly changes look. Let it dry, the fire returns. That is not a ring ban.
Do I need to oil my opal?
No. Room air is enough. Oil leaves residue.
How should I store opal jewellery?
Soft, apart from harder stones. Normal room air. Take it off for the sauna, every stone.
If you are unsure or have questions, you are welcome to contact us at any time, even if you did not buy the opal from us. Contact form, email cs@libertyangels.de or call +49 171 1603048.
Verified authenticity
by Liberty Angels
Only natural, genuine opals. Each certificate is linked online to your order, so it is tamper-proof.
Written by Anton Kehler
Founder of FAERELLI & Liberty Angels
