How To Restore Opal Color?

One of the most popular stones in the world, Opal, is known for its miraculous healing energies. It is also the birthstone for October and works really well to keep your physical health on track. 

Opal has a long history but somehow it’s not all flowers and sunshine. Opal was associated with bad luck for quite some time. But thankfully this myth was busted and Opal gained back its repute as a symbol of immense good luck and positivity.

Anyway, Opal is known for its glorious play of colors but what happens when it loses that charm? 

Let’s see how and why Opals lose their color and if there’s a way to restore the charming color play of your stone!

Can Opals Lose Their Color?

Opal is one of the most magically beautiful stones. The unique color play of the stone along with the iridescence makes it beyond beautiful. 

But yes, Opals can lose their color. In order to understand the color changes, you’ll have to learn a little about this semi-precious stone first. 

Opal is quite peculiar in terms of its components. It is composed of up to 20% water and the amount of water is responsible for the changes in the color of Opal.

The amount of water can be affected by the surrounding environment. External factors like sweat, humidity, heat, and water contact contribute to changes in the water composition of Opal.

Therefore, slight fluctuations in the water quantity result in Opal changing its color. But you need not worry much about this phenomenon because it occurs naturally and more often than not, renders a mesmerizing color play. 

But the problem arises when these fluctuations go beyond the safe limit. And that can result in the loss of color of your stone. So you know what that means, right?

Just be careful with your Opal around water and avoid exposing it to extreme environmental conditions else you’ll end up ruining its water composition. 

How To Restore Opal Color?

If your Opal stone just lost its color, don’t worry. A few easy techniques can help you restore the gorgeous colors of your stone. 

Submerge in water and let dry

First of all, if the color of the stone has changed due to changes in water composition, you cannot do much about it except leave it out to air dry. 

One of the easiest ways to restore the colors of your Opal is to submerge it in water for a while. 

After that, take it out and let it dry on its own. Keep it at room temperature and let it take its time to dry out fully. 

This simple process can help you restore the color of your Opal stone, especially if it’s a Hydrophane (water-loving) Opal.

Get It Polished

Your Opal stone can also lose its color due to the accumulation of dirt or grime. In such cases, the Opal turns dull and brownish in color. The good news is that you can get it fixed by a simple polishing procedure. 

For the safest and best results, I’d recommend you to go to a professional to get the polish done. The polishers will remove the dirt by doing just the right amount of scrubbing and voila! Your Opal is as gorgeous as ever.

Mild Cleaning With Soapy Water 

Lastly, you can also try cleaning the Opal with soapy water and mesh cloth. Wet the cloth slightly and mildly scrub it on your stone. Dab it with plain water and let dry. 

How To Fix A Cloudy Opal?

Well firstly, I’d suggest you not test the safety limits of your Opal stone and keep it away from chemicals, dirt, or extreme external factors such as heat or water. 

However, if you did end up doing that, your stone might have gotten cloudy. Fortunately, fixing the cloudiness of the Opal stone is not that big a deal unless it’s really old. 

You simply need to clean it with the help of mild, unscented soap or detergent and a soft cloth. Gently clean the stone with the help of a wet cloth and let it dry. 

In short, a simple at-home cleaning process can help you get rid of that cloudiness in you into r Opal.

What To Do When Opal Turns Yellow?

Opals, especially Welo Opals can turn an ugly shade of yellow that ruins the beauty of the stone entirely. And to my dismay, there’s not much that can be done about it. 

Many people say that the contaminants in the air are the reason behind the ugly yellow color of the stone. Others believe that it happens due to buffing and polishing of the stone. Or even excessive water can be the reason behind your Opal turning yellow. 

While there aren’t many successful hacks to restore the color in such cases, rice has proven to be a good healer. You can try keeping your stone in the rice for a few weeks (2-3 at least) and if you’re lucky, your Opal will turn out to be as enchanting as ever.

How To Restore Shine Of An Opal?

Opals being the fragile and porous gemstones that they are can quickly lose their shine due to harsh cleaning or extreme environmental conditions. 

The loss of shine mostly happens due to the loss of moisture. To help the Opal regain its moisture, it is recommended to dab a little mineral oil on the surface of the stone. 

Or better yet, rub your finger on the stone to impart the body’s natural oil and moisture to the stone. 

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