Welo Opal

[theresa]

Can anyone shed light on why a Welo Opal should lose its colour and 'fire'.
I made some earrings and a pendant using Welo last October and now they have come back because the flash has gone on 2 of them and they look like pale brown glass. (Perhaps they are, who knows?)
I have searched the web and can't find the answer.
Thank you

[ajda]

I don't know much about this and I'm sure there are others on the forum who know better, but I think some opals will lose their colour when they get wet and absorb water - if that is the case, it may come back when they dry out though I'm not sure how best to do that...
Alan

[ps_bond]

They won't absorb much water, but oils & gunk might not help the situation. A gentle clean with a mild detergent and warm water, then leave them to dry somewhere for an hour or two would show if that's the issue. Are they scratched at all?

Edit - OK, Wollo will absorb more water than most opal due to the more porous structure. Which also makes them easier to treat... And possibly worse for picking up oils, but I've not found anything on it yet.

http://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/FA1...ydrophane-opal
http://www.diamonds.net/Magazine/Art...&RDRIssueID=85
http://www.stonegrouplabs.com/SmokeT...nWolloOpal.pdf

[ajda]

There's some info here, though I don't know how reliable... http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/What-Is-Et...8258718/g.html

[josef1]

http://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/FA1...ydrophane-opal some info here

[Tabby66]

http://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/FA1...ydrophane-opal some info here

Useful Josef, thanks

[ps_bond]

http://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/FA1...ydrophane-opal some info here

Woah... Deja vu

[theresa]

Thanks everyone. I have now read everything but none the wiser!

This the stone. As you can see it is lifeless. It started out quite flashy and not so yellow.
I think I shall steer clear of them in future.

[Patstone]

Its still an opal, and I think its better than "flashy". I love the setting too, well done.

[vernon]

Pretty sure people are right about absorbing moisture, They are known as unlucky mainly because when women wore Opals out to the theatre or on the town the change of temperature and humidity would ofetn crack them or they would fall out of settings. Most settings for Opals are bezel because they can break when claw set due the the moisture issue. I have only set one, for my sister, and I bezel set it and it 4 years later is worn every day and is fine.