Don't let this happen to your opals

depglass · ‎03-10-2010

I got out my jewelry cleaner, the soapy kind with a basket in it. This is not a silver cleaner, its like Caribbean. To my horror I found my Michael Valitutti Ethiopian Opal and Chrome Diopside ring in the basket, it was probably in there a month. The opal was an ugly grey yellow color. I figured it was waterlogged, so after I calmed my panic I dried it off and let it sit for a couple days. We are in a humid area this time of year and nothing changed. So I put it in the oven on 150 degrees, figuring this isn't much hotter than Death Valley. Within a couple hours, the old play of color was back. I certainly don't recommend this treatment for any stone, but I was at the stage I would have salvaged the diopsides and silver and pitched the opal.

violann · ‎03-10-2010

Wow were you lucky! So glad you did such a great emergency repair!

pupwhipped · ‎03-11-2010

Yikes! That's terrible, @depglass Can't believe you drowned it, then baked it (HA!) and it came back around. So glad it wasn't ruined forever.

I adore that Caribbean jewelry cleaner. I recently ordered like a half gallon of it or something from Amazon so I wouldn't run out again.

SANNA · ‎04-23-2010

OMG, gepglass! I am o glad you restored it!

sunshine 919 · ‎12-22-2013

@depglass wrote:
I got out my jewelry cleaner, the soapy kind with a basket in it. This is not a silver cleaner, its like Caribbean. To my horror I found my Michael Valitutti Ethiopian Opal and Chrome Diopside ring in the basket, it was probably in there a month. The opal was an ugly grey yellow color. I figured it was waterlogged, so after I calmed my panic I dried it off and let it sit for a couple days. We are in a humid area this time of year and nothing changed. So I put it in the oven on 150 degrees, figuring this isn't much hotter than Death Valley. Within a couple hours, the old play of color was back. I certainly don't recommend this treatment for any stone, but I was at the stage I would have salvaged the diopsides and silver and pitched the opal.

Wow what quick thinking. I would call Michael's office and let him know what happened. This is an amazing story. Good for you. Is the Chrome Diopside ok?

ECBG · ‎01-08-2011

@depglassWow! That's some story. What made you think of putting it in the oven?

Thanks!

qvcaddition · ‎03-10-2010

I did this with same type of cleaner for silver and. Almost ruined an OR PAZ Necklace. The jeweller was able to bring it back to original luster. Those cleaners have ruined a couple of pieces. I will not use them anymore.

depglass · ‎03-10-2010

All I could think of was it needs gentle heat, and my oven won't go lower than 150, so I thought it was worth a try. And as far as those "silver cleaners" go, I learned the hard way to avoid Tarn-X. Twenty years ago we moved my mother into assisted living and it was my job to downsize her jewelry stash and household stuff. So I bought Tarn-X for silver, Tarn-X for copper, Tarn-X for brass and anytning else they made. Using their directions I ended up ruining a couple pieces of plated silverware and solid copper pans. I threw it all out and never miss an opportunity to badmouth this product. It is just too harsh.