OPALS

Opal is one of the most beautiful and precious gemstones in the world and Australia is famed for this magnificent stone.
The truly unique thing about opal is that it can display all the colours of the spectrum - a result from the interference and diffraction of light passing through the minutely and closely packed silica spheres that make up the opal. The diameter and spacing of these spheres control the colours that we see. Small spheres produce blue colour and larger ones produce reds. Precious opal can display a huge range of colours from clear to white, grey, orange, yellow, pink, red, blue, browns and/or black.

HOW OPAL IS FORMED

Opal is a gem quality form of silicon dioxide and water. Millions of years ago, water seeped into fissures and cracks in surrounding sedimentary and volcanic areas in inland Australia, picking up tiny particles of silica and, eventually over millions of years, hardening into opal. (This is a very simplified version of the process.) TYPES OF OPAL

CARE OF YOUR OPAL JEWELLERY

  • To clean, wipe with a soft damp cloth and mild detergent.
  • Do not use any chemicals cleaners, ultrasonics or harsh detergents on any opal.
  • Opals can be easily scratched or fractured, so protect the stones from harsh environments and extremes of temperature - such as gardening, cleaning or washing dishes or bathing/showering.

COMPOSITE OPALS

CARE OF COMPOSITE OPALS

  • NEVER immerse triplets or doublets in water (this includes showering/bathing, dishes or swimming). Moisture can seep through the layers causing a 'foggy' or grey appearance. The layers can lift after prolonged exposure to moisture.
  • To clean, wipe with a soft damp cloth and mild detergent.
  • Do not use any chemicals cleaners, ultrasonic or harsh detergents on any opal.