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Understanding Opals: Care, Treatments & Imitations
Opals are known for their dazzling color play and delicate beauty, but they’re also one of the most misunderstood and mistreated stones out there.
Opals Can Change Over Time—Here’s Why
Over time, an opal color can shift, from white to yellow: Why does this happen? There are a few possible reasons:
Absorption
Opals are porous and can absorb up to 40–60% of their weight in water. That means if you're wearing opals while using perfume, lotion, or soap, it can seriously affect their appearance, because the stone will absorb whatever it comes in extended contact with.
Trace Elements
Impurities inside the stone can oxidize and change the color over time. This is why sourcing a stone from a reputable dealer can ensure the quality of the stone has been assessed to lower the risk of changing appearance over time. Most vendors will sell opals that are 3 years or older, to insure they are stable and don't change.
How to Care for Your Opal Jewelry
Opals are not your wear-it-everywhere stone—especially if you're considering one for something like an engagement ring. Here's how to care for them properly:
Handling
- Remove your ring when doing dishes or using soap.
- Avoid pools, jacuzzis, or hot tubs.
Storage
- Store in a not-too-dry environment (ex. not next to a heater) . If it's too dry you risk crazing—tiny surface cracks that look like a spiderweb or even a dinosaur egg pattern.
- If you plan of storing the stone for an extended period of time you can use a damp cloth or add a small jar of water in a display case.
Cleaning
- Clean only with a gentle, unscented baby soap— no steam, no ultrasonic cleaners. Cleaning your opal should not be done often. When you do, areas to focus on are under the stone or in the gallery of the ring. Give a gentle scrub with a soft bristled toothbrush, baby soap and rinse.
Common Opal Treatments (And Why They Matter)
There are a number of opal treatments out there, and all of the treatments have to be disclosed by the dealer. Some are acceptable if properly disclosed, while others are more questionable:
Stabilizing Treatment
This is when opals are coated in a resin to help prevent change. Fine—as long as it’s disclosed and you are not paying a lot of money for it. This treatment discloses that your opal will change color over time if the resin coating is compromised.
Dyed Opals
Usually this treatment is reserved for common opals, because they absorb dye very well.
Sugar-Acid Treatment
Also known as sugar blackening, is when the crystal opal or white opal is soaked in sugar, then treated with acid, which burns the sugar and turns the stone black - creating a "black opal". Sometimes this treatments will leave lines and spots - giving an unnatural look to the stone.
Smoked Opals
Opals are smoked to let carbon enter the stone, making them appear black. The result? They often look too black—kind of unnatural and semi-transparent. They are easy to spot, as a real black opal is rarely pure black, it's lean more dark gray or blueish.
Doublets & Triplets
These aren’t technically “treatments,” but they are considered assembled stones. When an opal is too thin to use on its own, this method is used to strengthen the gemstone. A doublet is a thin layer of opal glued to either a black backing or a domed clear stone, such as quartz or synthetic sapphire. A triplet includes both a clear top layer and a black backing. These domed clear stones act like a magnifying glass, enhancing the play-of-color—making them a more affordable and durable option.
Imitations & Synthetics
There are a few imitations you’ll want to know about:
Gilson Opal (Synthetic)
These imitations look artificially created, often with very bright multicolored base colors and vivid color play, as seen in the image below. They can also be created in any color of the rainbow and are usually used in fashion jewelry. An easy way to spot a Gilson opal is that when looking from above the stone will have it's color play speckled throughout, however tilt it to the side and you will see lanyards. This is not a phenomenon you will see in natural opal.
Made by fusing many small opal fragments together. You’ll also see this technique with stones like malachite. These are also very affordable and noticeable in their piecing together.
Honestly, opal imitations are usually easy to spot. They look too perfect, too bright, or too unicorn-like. If you’re buying one, it’s rare you'd be fooled.
Bonus: Ammolite – The Canadian Gem
If you’re into colorful stones, check out Ammolite—a Canadian gem found in Alberta. It's actually a fossilized shell with vivid colors (think beetle shells). Unlike opals, the colors are iridescent, not play-of-color. Still stunning, and definitely unique.
Final Thoughts
Opals are magical, but they require love and care. If you’re planning to wear one every day—or use one in a ring—you need to be cautious.
Looking for the perfect opal or dreaming of a custom-designed opal engagement ring? We’re here to help you find or create a piece that’s as unique as your story. Reach out through our contact page or email us directly at info@fineandflux.com — we’d love to hear from you.
P.S. If you don’t see a reply right away, be sure to check your spam folder — we always respond!