Opals in a wedding ring?

Question

I'm (prematurely) looking at wedding rings... Don't judge. Anyway, I'm not a diamond kind of girl. I just don't see what's so great about them. What I REALLY want in my ring is opals... but when I say that, people tell me 2 main things. 1- Opals are very soft. 2- Opals cloud over time when exposed to water a lot. Here's the thing, I don't want to take my ring off when I was my hand for the rest of my life. So is the clouding thing true, do they cloud because of water? If not, what causes opals to cloud? And is there a solution to the softness of opals? I know I should ask a jeweler, but I'm just enthusing about my future wedding, and so when the times comes I will, but right now I'm just really curious. And I have tried to research this online, but can't really find anything explaining the "why's".

Will choose a best answer, so be thorough please :)

Answer 1

Yes as soon as i saw your heading i was going to warn you that Opals are very soft.Opals rank at about 5 or 6 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness.



Tips for buying an opal engagement ring

•Pick a rub-over (bezel) setting. This is pretty much a "must" for opal engagement rings, as rub-over settings provide much better protection and security for your opal. A thin bezel of gold follows and covers the edge of the stone, protecting damage from impact, and ensuring the stone stays securely in place. Claw settings are much less secure, provide little protection, and can wear down over time - especially in rings.

•Boulder opal is harder wearing. Due to its very hard natural ironstone backing, Queensland boulder opal is more robust and has an advantage over other types of opal. For an opal engagement ring, boulder opal is ideal. Black opals, crystal opals, and white opals are also suitable, but do not have the same hard-wearing quality as boulder opals. Due to their unusual 'free' shape, boulder opals also lend themselves to more creativity in design.

•Select a stone with a low cabochon (i.e. dome on top). Opals with a high cabochon are more exposed and vulnerable to impact damage, so if your stone has a flat or low cabochon top, it's less likely to be damaged.



EDIT Warning...Things like going from a warm ambient room temperature to a very cold temperature sometimes cause opal to crack.Opals are like sponges. They expand and contract with heat and cold and that's why they can crack easily.



Just be very careful if you get Opal ok :)

Good Luck



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EDIT 2- Well if your into vintage,why not find a vintage setting? My fiance got me a diamond ring but the setting is vintage and everyone says how much they love the designs on it.You should google Vintage Engagement Rings and see what im talking about :)

And you say that White Opal would match anything? How about White Sapphires?

A White Sapphire Ring in a Vintage setting?

Answer 2

Okay - first off, you have to know what the Mohs hardness scale is. It's what geologists use to determine the "hardness" of a mineral. It goes from 1-10; from talc to diamond. The Opal, due to it's water content and non-crystalline structure, only has a mid-range hardness. I had a petrology instructor who once told me that I should soak my Opal ring in water. But the good thing about them is that they are inexpensive, so even if the stone does become dull (this will take many years, if you take care of your ring), it will be cheap to replace the stone. So if you have your heart set on an Opal, just put the money into the setting and be ready to replace the stone. There are many lovely vintage and vintage-inspired settings out there.

Answer 3

For a ring that you are going to wear everyday, and opal isn't the best choice. Chances are it will cloud and become damaged from how soft it is and you'll end up having to replace it down the road... You could do a topaz, sapphire, emerald, etc. instead of a diamond. Or have you thought about a colored diamond?

Answer 4

I didn't want a diamond either -- I have an aquamarine engagement ring & aquamarines in my wedding band.

So I totally get where you are coming from. HOWEVER, Opals & Pearls are rather delicate and really are not adviseable for everyday wear. They will scratch and possibly crack. And if you plan to never take the ring off (which I really wouldn't recommend), neither one is really safe from damage.

If you took the ring off when doing some things, you might be able to have an opal or pearl ring survive - - no wearing the ring in a pool, the shower, when gardening, when washing dishes, when having your hands in cleaners or detergents.



If you like Opals, have you looked at a mystic topaz? While it is different, it does have some irridescent and color-changing qualities to it and it would be a much better stone to choose for an engagement ring.

There are MANY non-diamond options out there, it would just be very unfortunate for you to select one that would get damaged pretty easily.

Answer 5

It is NOT a very hard stone and on the Mohs Scale it is rated around 5.5 - 6.5. One must be cautious as it is relatively soft and somewhat brittle, so opal is not recommended for engagement or wedding rings. As they are worn everyday and might be exposed to knocks and normal wear, unless set in a protective setting.

If it is truly the “stone of your dreams” just be sure that it is set into protective bezel setting.



This gem requires special care because some of its varieties tend to get dry and crack. It is very tough to maintain the beauty of this gem. It often loses its luster due to small scratches on its surface. However, it can be re-polished by a lapidary to renew a glossy surface.



Many a times, this jewel will seem to just lose its fire due to dehydration. So, avoid exposure to anything that is potentially drying.



Following precaution can be taken to keep your opal from excessive drying:



Take a bowl and fill it with distilled water. Place your opal jewelry in the bowl, under the water and let it soak for several hours. Think of it as a spa for your jewels! This should help rehydrate the gem and renew some of its life. This is especially vital in very dry or hot climates!



Sometimes, it is recommended to periodically wipe this stone with an oiled cloth to deposit a light film of oil on its surface. This advice has been proven wrong. Never rub this stone with oil or immerse it in oil. An oily build up will destroy the fiery play of color that makes this gem so valuable and once destroyed it cannot be restored.



So, take immense care to protect luster of your lovely opals.

Answer 6

You can find the information here: http://www.opalglobe.com/about_opals.html



Opals are soft and porous, making them unsuitable for daily wear.

Answer 7

yes