Can Opal Stones Get Wet?

Can opal stones get wet? Answer… natural, high-quality Australian opals, the only kind sold by Opal Whisperers, love taking a bath, and there is absolutely no problem getting them wet!

Opal stones are renowned for their unique and captivating play-of-color, which makes them highly prized in the world of gemstones. But because of the prevalence of opal triplets, synthetic opal, and non-Australian, inferior opal, it sometimes leads to the question “Can opals get wet?” 

Can Opals Get Wet? Let’s Look at an Opal's Composition

To better understand why there is a debate over whether opals can get wet, you need to understand the stone's composition. 

Opals are formed from silica and contain water within their structure, which can be anywhere from 3% to 21% of their total weight. This water content is what contributes to the stone's stunning iridescence, because light refracts through the microscopic silica spheres suspended in the water. 

For this reason, high quality Australian opals (the only type sold by Opal Whisperers) love a good shower and reflect the colors even better when wet. In comparison to superior quality Australian opal, stones from other countries, such as Ethiopia and South America, are known to soak up water like a sponge, due to their high porosity, a trait not shared by Australian opals.

The Risks of Purchasing non-Australian Opals

Hydrophane opals are most commonly found in Ethiopia and are known for their ability to soak up water like a sponge. When these opals get wet, their appearance can change dramatically. The stone may become more transparent, and the play-of-color can become less vivid or even disappear temporarily. 

This change is usually reversible once the opal dries out, but frequent exposure to water can cause long-term damage.

One way to quickly tell if an opal is hydrophane is to moisten your finger and touch the stone.  If it sticks a little, like you had thin syrup on your finger, it is hydrophane.  Australian opals will not stick at all.

Likewise, an opal triplet, a thin piece of natural opal sandwiched between two synthetic layers, runs the risk of absorbing water between the layers. (See our other blogs on Solids, Doublets, and Triplets for more).

The Impact of Humidity

Are quality opals known to crack?  No! not unless exposed to extreme measures of impact.  On the hardness scale, opals range between 5.5 and 6.5, stronger than many other gemstones commonly worn on a daily basis.

Preserving the Rainbow: Essential Care Tips for Your Precious Opals

As second-generation opal lovers, Opal Whisperers want you to enjoy your precious opals forever.  Here’s how: 

• Show your opal lots of love.
• Take it into the sun to enjoy it’s vibrance in the natural light, as nature intended.
• Feel free to give it a bath, they love to get wet and show off (please see our other blog, Can Opals get wet).
• Do not expose it to harsh chemicals/ultrasonic cleaning, because, over time, that may remove the fine polish of your beautiful gem.  Of course, your opal can be repolished by a lapidary professional,  although this should not be necessary for many years of enjoyment.
• When wearing your beautiful opals, protect them from unnecessary impact (take them off before inflicting violence/extreme sporting activities!) (: D)
• Opals are social creatures and love to hang out with friends. Continue your shopping experience on opalwhisperers.com!

With these simple steps, your opals will continue to captivate with their unique colors and patterns for generations to come.

Opal Whisperers only sells quality authentic opals mined in Australia. They CAN get wet! Shop with confidence at opalwhisperers.com and enjoy your quality opal forever!