For example, bezel settings are popular, as they're considered the safest way to secure opals without putting them under stress. So, while there’s risk, there are plenty of happy opal wearers who assure us that they’re happy with their choice!Ĭertain design choices can help protect your opal. We often hear anecdotes of opal rings being worn regularly for decades without any issue. We should point out that people have been making and wearing opal rings for a very long time. Trust your gut: if the idea of replacing your center stone makes your heart sink, you may want to consider another center stone gem. An engagement ring has so much meaning associated with it that, for some, the idea of losing and replacing a center stone feels like a major loss, regardless of the cost.
So if your center stone might require replacement from time to time, it can be reassuring that the cost is not prohibitive. Most of our white opals sell for $150-400. When compared to popular center stone alternatives, opals are among the most affordable.
For many, that’s absolutely worth the risk. There’s no alternative we can recommend that gives you a comparable look with better durability. Opals display bright flashes of color that change at every angle, with a broad range (and unique mix) of colors represented, and distinctive patterns that range from small pinpoints of color to large rolling flashes. Many customers know them well and have their hearts set on one of the well known varieties of opal. Reasons to choose an opal Opals are beautiful, beloved, and have no substitute These delicate center stones will require some extra care (and may require occasional replacement) but they can still make a great engagement ring center stone. With all of these considerations in mind, we classify opals as a higher risk gem for daily wear. Additionally, hydrophane opals (like many of those that come from Ethiopia) will readily absorb water and can also absorb oils or chemicals that travel into the stone with the water, which can lead to discoloration or loss of the stone’s beautiful color play. Extreme changes in temperature can also harm the opal. That moisture loss can be caused by storing the gem in very dry or hot conditions, or leaving it in direct sunlight for long periods of time. Opals will typically contain a certain amount of moisture in the gem and loss of that moisture can cause the opal to develop a network of cracks across its surface. But that’s true even of a diamond, so on this factor, opal stands up relatively well.
#Opal wedding rings crack
Opal are relatively tough, but a hard knock on a table top could crack or chip your opal.
#Opal wedding rings full
You can see how how opal compares to a few other popular center stones (or click through to see our full gem hardness chart): if you have dust on a cleaning cloth and use it to wipe the surface of the opal). Since materials with a higher number can scratch those with a lower number, those quartz particles could scratch the surface of your opal (e.g. For example, small particles of quartz are common in household dust, and quartz is a 7 on the Mohs scale. That’s a relatively soft gem, meaning there are a number of substances that can scratch it. Opals are in the range 5.5 - 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Opal is relatively fragile on all three of these. We look at three factors when considering the durability of a gem: hardness (how easy is it to scratch the gem?), toughness (how easy is it to crack or chip the gem?), and stability (will chemicals, light, temperature, or moisture alter the gem’s appearance?). Risks to consider Opals are a bit delicate Now that you know where we stand, let's look at the pros and cons in a bit more detail.
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