Congratulations on your purchase of fine opal jewelry from Custom Treasures in Aiken, SC!  Here’s some information and tips for caring for your opal so you can enjoy it for many years to come:

• Opals do not tolerate abuse! A diamond is the hardest substance on earth, but you can still inadvertently break one.  The same applies to opals.  Avoid impacting your stone on hard surfaces.  DO NOT wear an opal ring adjacent to other rings, especially diamonds and sapphires.
• Opals love being worn! Opals are hydrous silicates.  Water is trapped in the molecular structure of opals.  Left neglected for years unworn, they can literally “dry out”,  crack, and craze.  Body oils transferred to the stone from wearing, or judicious use of a tiny drop of mineral oil, keep an opal healthy and shiny!

•  Opals hate extremes in temperature! Avoid wearing your opal in a sauna or hot tub, or when going from very hot environments to very cold (as in stove to freezer) or vice versa.

• Opals hate harsh chemicals and abrasives. NEVER clean your opal jewelry with toothpaste!  Avoid wearing your opal when using ammonia, chlorine, or other harsh cleansers.  DO NOT garden while wearing an opal ring.