Opals are fragile gems. These can be easily damaged if you
do not take proper care of them. You should not press your
gem against any hard thing. This is necessary to prevent
any damage to these.

There are old sayings that an opal should be immersed in
water to increase its lifetime. Most of these stones sold
after cutting are checked to have a certain amount of water
content in them which is stable and does not change or dry
out.

So your stone will not dry out with time and you will not
have to put it into water regularly to prevent it from
cracking. This is not a requirement to protect them. You
should rather take care about the things mentioned below.

Clean it carefully as it is a sensitive stone and can get
damaged. You can use a mild detergent to wash it. It can
get loose if you handle it in a hard way. If you doubt that
it may have become loose, you can carefully hear a ratting
noise.

Extreme temperature variations can cause damage to your
opals. These can be worn in high or low temperatures but
make sure you don't wear it while taking bath. Also remove
your ring or other jewelry when you near anything hotter
than usual.

Do not use abrasives. These can make scratches on the
opals. While you may not notice the scratches initially,
you will find that your stone's shine will be gone after
some time.

It is also advised not to wear the stone when you are
applying your make up. The make up particles are so fine
that these will deposit on the stone and take away its
shine. These may also cause slow scratching and eventually
your opals will lose their shine.

Also keep it away from soaps or anything else that can
deposit on the stones. Do not wear it if you are going for
swimming. Places like the swimming pool or a spa will have
chemicals which can damage the stones. So avoid anything
like that to protect your opals.

If you are using any chemical to clean your jewelry, make
sure you are aware of the instructions. Carefully read all
the instructions provided so as to avoid any damage. You
should also not wear your jewelry while sleeping. It may be
stressed while you are sleeping resulting in a shorter
period of life.