Opal Meaning: Healing Properties, Uses, & Benefits

 

What is Opal?

Opal is a gem formed from silica-rich waters. It takes its name from the Sanskrit word Upala which means precious stone. Later, it would be called Opallios during Roman times. There are two kinds of Opal – the common opal and the precious opal. Opal meaning is amplification, hope, and purity.

If Opal doesn’t invite your heart to dance, check out our essential gemstone guide to healing crystals and find a stone that calls to you.

The Gemstone of Amplification

• A stone of light, purity, and play
• Opal mining dates back to 400BC
• Has a high water content

Flashing in a thousand shimmering shades and with the dance of fire gleaming beneath its surface, the Opal stone is an enigma of light, purity, and mystical play. This gem is pure eye candy, with its spectral colors shining and its cool weight sitting in the palm of the hand. It’s a hugely amplifying stone and also known for its connection to fable and folklore.

Opal re-entered our modern world when it was found in Queensland Australia a century ago. A young boy who was out searching for gold and quartz with his father stumbled upon the shimmering delights and filled his sack with fistfuls of these fallen stars. The dream of collecting Opal tempted few men to battle the harsh elements of Australia’s backcountry, with Opal miners penning tales of desperation, extreme heat, thirst, stabbing bushlands and larger than life bugs. But Opal was such a precious prize to be won. Beyond the far corners of Australia, Opal is also mined in Mexico and Brazil.

But the Opal stone goes back further than this relatively recent discovery in Australia. The first notes of Opal mining can be traced back to the winding Carpathian Mountains in 400 BC and the gem was even penned into tales spun by the Ancient Greek Philosopher Plato. Roman Historian Pliny the Elder also talked about Opalus holding the garnet flame, the purple essence of amethyst, and the shimmering sea greens of emerald. It was a bewitching gem.

Opal fell out of favor a little later in life when Sir Walter Scott penned his 19th-century novel Anne of Geierstein. In these pages, his character Lady Hermione is said to have an Opal which ultimately leads to her demise and death. After this, the Opal had a spell of being seen as a gem of bad luck and the Opal market took a tumble as people stopped being enchanted by the iridescent precious opal and instead feared its dark powers. Queen Victoria shrugged off this superstition and instead gave her daughters Opals for their wedding day and slowly Opal became to be accepted as a sweet and hopeful gem again.

Opal is amorphous, meaning that it doesn’t have a crystalline structure but is instead classed as a mineraloid. It has high water content and is made from silicon dioxide and water. When water runs into the cracks and crevices of the earth, it collects silica sands along its journey. This forms silica spheres tightly packed together. Opal is storms and rain and the tears of the sky. It is softer than quartz and has a play of perfect color. Opal is definitely poetry in motion.

Opal is a mineral of amplification. It’s absorbent and reflective meaning that it collects thoughts and feelings turns up the dial and sends them back to you. This brings clarity, energy, and high vibrations which helps to call on the law of attraction.

There are several different styles of Opal out there, each with its own color, charm, and patterns. While common Opal may be the kind that springs to mind with its milky pearly sheen or precious Opal with its spring of colors, there are a few other varieties of Opal in the mix too and each correlates to a different chakra and brings its own healing properties under the banner of Opal.

• Black Opal/Boulder Opals – For the Root Chakra. This helps us to feel grounded, stable, and safe in the world.
• Fire Opals – For the Sacral Chakra. This helps us boost our sense of sexuality, boosts our passion, and can help improve fertility issues.
• Ethiopian Opal – For the Sacral Chakra. This helps to bring high vibrations, ancient wisdom, and sheer ecstasy and joy.
• Mostly Yellow Opals – For the Solar Plexus Chakra. This helps us ground into our warrior spirit and also helps to treat any liver, stomach, and gallbladder issues too.
• Mostly Green or Pink Opals – For the Heart Chakra. Open your heart, learn to love and trust with ease, and rid yourself of negative energies like jealously and resentment.
• Mostly Blue Opals – For the Throat Chakra. Let’s your truth flow, eases and improves communication, and helps all kind of throat and thyroid issues too.
• Mostly Violet Opals – For the Third Eye Chakra – Tap into your inner wisdom, strengthen your intuition, and find faith in your own guidance.
• White Opals / Common Opal – For the Crown Chakra – For spiritual wealth and higher consciousness. Also eases headaches and migraines.

Opal Healing Properties 

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Gleaming with healing properties, the Opal stone is full of high vibrational energy, amplification powers, and a perfect sense of balance. It not only kickstarts your creative heart but can also bring renewed hope, good karma, bright balance, and regulation. Opal can also be a good luck charm, helping the wearer to attract amazing things into their aura. 

Thanks to the infusion of color and light, it is an awesome gem for rousing lightness and spontaneity and also lends a hand when it comes to all kinds of creative projects too. It’s a rare stone and this comes with its own kind of status and elements of luxury, opulence, and leading a unique life. This doesn’t have to be related to money but can also be about the other luxuries of life. The luxury of knowing and trusting yourself. The luxury of fortune and luck. The luxury of seduction, love, and passion. Just like the dancing light of its surface suggests, Opal wants you to taste all the colors and more.

Physical Healing

• Can treat infections and reduce fever
• A good elixir for the eyes and renewing skin cells

In physical healing, the Opal Stone is believed to be flushed with health. This gem can help to treat infections and lower fevers along with boosting the immune system. If you have any constriction of the chest or respiratory system, Opal can also help to alleviate this pressure and bring a lightness to the breath once more. Those who have been struggling with a long-term illness or chronic condition may find the Opal stone a solid companion in assisting their journey back to the fullest flush of health.

The Opal Stone can also help the liver the function well and can cut down on the pains associated with PMS and childbirth. It’s a good elixir for bringing brightness to the eyes, for renewing skin cells for dewy youth, and for strengthening the condition of the nails and the hair. For those who struggle with water retention, Opal can also help to flush the system too.

Mental & Emotional Healing

• Brings balance and harmony
• Known as a hope stone

A savvy supportive stone, Opal always wants to bring complete balance and harmony to your being. This gem has deep internal energy and encourages you not to shy away from yourself but to have the strength and the courage to look deep inside. Opal is also about amplification, meaning that this gem takes a smidge of a thought or feeling and shines a light on it so you can see clearly. It takes these feelings and amplifies it, sending messages out to the universe, and helping you to sweep out the junk that may have been clouding your vision and your heart.

Opal invites you to let go of old wounds, old patterns, and old connections that aren’t serving you anymore. But it also invites you to take those lessons with you without being attached to the pain. Opal is known as a hope stone and a stone of pure positive change. It won’t lead you down any paths that will set you back, but instead, it helps you to work through the emotional challenges so that you can balance your feelings and find your full potential waiting at the other side.

Opal doesn’t skim the surface on emotional healing but invites you to take responsibility and own your actions. This is hugely important in life as it helps us to understand the ways we are acting and to make reparations when necessary. This maturity is pure magic and heals relationships deeply without invalidating our own feelings.

Metaphysical Properties

• Can clear all the chakras
• Connected to higher communication

There are so many different shades of Opal out there and you will find the kind that links to each and every chakra. Infused with light and shot with color, Opals respond well to many different chakras and thanks to all that high vibrational energy, they are also great at kicking out any blockages in the body. It’s a glorious mineral for carrying spiritual light to the aura and making sure that even when infused in a heavenly glow, that you stay protected and shielded on your journey through any shamanic path you are sure to take.

Being a stone of light means that Opal is also connected to higher communication and the spirit realm. For those looking for angelic connections, to converse with the spirit realm, or wanting to strengthen any psychic gifts they have – Opal can assist in all of this and more.

Having a heavy water connection also means that this mineral brings soft fluid energy to the table too. It’s vibrations connect beautifully with water and as we too are made up of high water content, it also means that we can use our water energy in sync with the stone. Whether wanting a surge of energy, a soft lapping flow, a cleansing plunge, or to be pulled in the right direction by the light of the moon – Opal invites you to stay cool, clear, and in communion with water.

Zodiac Birthstone 

• An October gemstone
• Good for Scorpios and Libras

Opal is an October gemstone and is connected to those born under the banner of Libra and Scorpio too. For those who are born under the Libra sign, your birth correlates with the autumnal equinox – marking the peak of the harvest and a moment when the day and night exist in balance and equality. This makes perfect sense as Librans love balance and a always look for ways to build harmony into their life. Librans are exceptional at teamwork and as their ruling planet is Venus, they are also etched in shades of love and commitment too.

Opal strengthens all of the above when worn by Librans. As mentioned, this gem is a mega amplifier meaning it can take all that balance, harmony, and love and step it up a notch. In particular, you may find that fire opal is a solid choice for those who share the Libra birth sign as it brings radiant energy and a burst of vitality, calling on love and harmony without breaking your own boundaries or stepping into people-pleasing behaviors.

Scorpios too will benefit from the beauty and grace of the Opal stone. Scorpios have a ton of awesome traits – they can be brave, determined, and as loyal as they come. They can also be secretive and prone to jealousy which is where Opal could help. As a balancer of emotions and with green and pink opals working on the heart chakra, you can call on the healing nature of this gem to lend support when you are feeling unsure of yourself. Scorpios are known for being a little contradictory in their nature at times – for example, they can be wildly independent but then also go through clingy phases without warning. Let Opal soothe you into balance and prevent you from feeling all over the show.

How to Use Opal Stones

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• Wear for chakra balancing
• Use in yoga and meditation to amplify spiritual energy 

One of the best ways to call on the healing powers of Opal is to wear it. Opal jewelry when directly pressed against the skin can send its high vibrations directly to where they are needed. Opal isn’t just a gorgeous gem that complements all kinds of looks, but it works as a piece of jewelry as it makes sure that you always carry those amplifying powers with you. Just having Opal close at all times turns the dial-up when it comes to manifesting your will and keeping those chakras wide open. You can choose to wear Opal as a bracelet so it sits against your pulse and learns the rhythm of your heart. You can also wear an Opal ring so that play of color flashes before your eyes and keeps you connected to the world through tactile touch. You can wear it as a pendant so it beats close to your heart and keeps that chakra cracked wide open and forever ready to receive all the love.

Opal loves company and as it’s an amplifier of other crystal energy, it is a great mineral to have in tandem with other stones too. Opal is great to combine with Black Tourmaline and Hematite for those times when you want to feel more grounded. As these root chakra gems also have highly potent and protective properties they can also help you to stay shielded when doing higher spiritual work or traveling outside of our mortal periphery.

Yellow and orange Opals can be used with stones that correlate to the lower chakras too – especially the solar plexus and the sacral chakra. Carnelian, Sunstone, and certain earthly Agate stones and Garnet make for a great match for when you want to rouse your warrior energy, find your well of creativity, and connect to your sexuality too.

The blue and white shades of Opal can also be used in tandem with similar colored stones such as Blue Lace Agate or Moonstone and Quartz. These gems work on those upper chakras, cleansing the throat, the third eye, and the crown so that you get a clean line of energy. This helps facilitate good communication, deep knowledge and wisdom, and connection to the wider universe. It opens you up for receiving the gifts that the universe has to give.

Opals can be used in crystal grids and reiki healing, as their amplifying energy truly steps the powers of other crystals up a notch. You can also bring Opal into your home. If you want to call on the creative zest of Opal then place it in your studio or on your writing desk or wherever you undertake most of your creative thinking. You can also place this magic mineral in shared spaces especially if you want to create a more harmonic environment in which love, listening, and a lighthearted approach to life are keeping the vibes positive for all.

You can also use Opal in your yoga and meditation practice. As Opal brings the balance (emotionally and physically) it can be an awesome talisman to have close to your mat. When it comes to being a meditation tool it also works as it encourages deep dives into that inner work and can intensify spiritual energy thanks to its powers of amplification.

How to Cleanse Opal Crystals

• Cleanse with water or smudging
• Charge by rubbing together in palms or by moonlight 

Keeping your healing gems cleansed and charged is super important if you want to get the most out of their healing nature. Like anything in life, when a crystal or mineral is overworked it can become so full of collected energy that its healing powers may stutter a little. Fortunately, keeping them clear and charged is really easy and you only need to do it once a month or after a particularly heavy energy session or whenever the calling takes you.

Clean your Opal by giving it a quick run under tap water or use fresh water. Make sure that you don’t use saltwater with Opal and that you don’t use hot water either. As Opal has a high water content it reacts really well to the presence of water. However, it’s worth noting that Opal is also one of the more delicate minerals out there with a soft constitution so it needs to be treated with an element of care. If you want to choose a super safe method of cleansing, you can also choose to smudge your Opal. Simply lighting a sage bundle and wafting the smoke over your Opal for a brief spell of time will help remove any negative energy and will purify your precious Opal once more.

Charging your Opal you can use a traditional Native American technique and rub it together in the palm of your hands. You can also leave your Opal in the moonlight to help it charge up again. Be wary of leaving it in sunlight as its delicate nature means that it can crack and fade under the harsh rays. Sudden changes in temperature can also leave a mark on Opal so be aware that this gem loves balance and consistency in every way possible.

Geological Properties

Chalcedony Rock Properties

Chemical Classification	Silicate mineral
Chemical Formula	SiO2
Crystal system	Trigonal
Color	White, gray, blue, brown, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, black, and more
Streak	White
Luster	Waxy
Transparency	Transparent to translucent
Occurrence	Found worldwide, especially in hydrothermal veins, geodes, and nodules in sedimentary rocks
Formation	Forms from silica-rich solutions that precipitate in cavities and fractures in rocks
Diaphaneity	Translucent to opaque
Cleavage	None
Mohs Hardness	6.5 - 7
Specific Gravity	2.58 - 2.64
Diagnostic Properties	Waxy luster, often banded or patterned
Chemical Composition	Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
Crystal System	Trigonal
Optical Properties	Uniaxial (+)
Refractive Index	nω = 1.530 - 1.539 nε = 1.532 - 1.540
Birefringence	0.004 - 0.007
2V angle	60° - 90°
Dispersion	0.013
Other characteristics	Occurs in many colors and varieties, including agate, jasper, and onyx

Final Thoughts

Opal is one of the most alluring minerals out there. Eye-catching, enchanting, and with a thousand stories to its name, you can’t help but be drawn towards the dancing light and fire of this watery wondrous gem. From being believed to be the tears of Zeus by the Ancient Greeks to the Hindu story of it being a rainbow caught in a rock, Opal has been igniting imaginations for centuries.

Despite its spellbinding, dream enhancing glory it’s also an awesome amulet for those who need a little help and support getting balanced. With big emotions, changing times, and all kinds of chaos in the world it can be tricky to keep our feet. But Opal lends a hand and sends its energy to keep our feet rooted, our heart open, our throat singing, and our crown clear and flooded with light. Whether you choose it as a single amulet to bring light and balance or if you choose it to help intensify the powers of your other crystals, Opal is always a welcome addition.

What are your thoughts on the mesmerizing Opal stone? Do you prefer the milky sheen of the common Opal or the shimmering dance of the precious Opal? Which color Opal is calling to you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Opal FAQ's

What color is Opal?

Opal tends to be a milky white or pearly color although it gets its flashes of bright brilliance and rainbow shades from impurities beneath the surface. Black Opals tend to reflect blue and green shades whereas the white version will have a full spectrum of pastel or rainbow shades. Fire Opals will lean more towards colors of red and orange.

How much is Opal worth?

The price of Opal can hugely vary. This pretty and precious gem is usually sold at a price based on its weight and carat along with cut and clarity playing their part too. As there are many mining spots for Opal in the world, there are a lot of different types of differing qualities out there. Opals can range in cost from anything between $10 and $6,000 per carat.

How to identify raw Opal?

Raw or rough Opal can have a luster that is dull, vitreous, or pearly in look. It will usually have a distinctive color or play with the light differently than the surrounding rocks - these colors can range from milky white to black and it can either be transparent or opaque.

How is Opal formed?

Opal is formed when silica rich waters seep into cracks and cuts deep in the earth's crust. It can take millions and millions of years to make even a single centimeter of Opal. As a non crystalline version of mineral silica, the Opal gets its color from the tiny spheres of silica that diffract the light and create prisms of color. How much color each Opal has depends on the individual spacing of the silica spheres within the stone.

What does Opal do?

Opal is a stone of amplification, hope and purity. This pretty gem is all about color play and high vibrational energy. Opal can easily give your immune system a boost, support your whole being with balance and harmony, and works with many different chakras depending on the color scheme. Opal is a higher energy stone and can help with shamanic work and spiritual shifts - guiding you to higher places.

How to tell if an Opal is real?

There are a few ways you can tell if your Opal is real. First, check the country of origin - most Opals come from Australia although they can also be mined in Mexico and Brazil. You can also hold it under the light and check the spectrum of colors. A real Opal may have layers of color and the pattern won’t be perfect in a natural Opal stone.

Where is Opal found?

Opal is believed to have first been mined in the Carpathian Mountains and even Plato penned a tale or two about this precious gem. Since then it has also been found in Queensland Australia and is also mined in Mexico and Brazil.

Where do Opals come from?

Opals come from a few places around the globe but they were more recently found in Queensland Australia. The backcountry sawa huge boom in Opal miners since it was discovered a century ago. Opals have been around for longer and mining this gem can be traced back to 400 BC in the Carpathian Mountains. Opal is also mined in Mexico and Brazil.

What does Opal look like?

Opal is a beautiful stone with bright hues and a spectrum of color flashing beneath the surface. The stone itself tends to be white or milky although you can also get black Opal. The look of an Opal will be iridescent and have a lot of light and color play with shades ranging from blues to greens and reds depending on the type of Opal you have.

What is Opal good for?

Opal is an amazing stone for balance, harmony, healing old patterns, and also amplifying your positive powers. It works across the physical, emotional, and spiritual too. This light dancing gem is high in vibrations which means it's great for shifting thoughts, patterns, and energies. It helps you to take responsibility for yourself and brings fluidity and emotional intelligence to those who keep it close.

Is Opal bad luck?

The Opal was once considered bad luck thanks to a 19th century novel where the lead character had an Opal that ultimately led to her demise. After this, people went through a period of time as being suspicious about the gem until Queen Victoria gave them to her daughters on their wedding day. Opal is a stone of positive energy, joy, and hope meaning that it is the opposite of a bad luck stone.

What does an Opal represent?

The Opal stone represents amplification, higher hope, and divine purity. These light dancing gemstones are here to boost those feelings of balance and peace and to help you to sift through your thoughts and feelings and throw out what doesn’t work. The Opal is also about deeper spirituality. With shamanic links, chakra cleansing, and a sense of clarity, it can be a gorgeous guiding gem.

What does Opal represent?

Opals are all about light, color, and play. Together these themes welcome harmony, balance, and boost your own vibrations so you can rise to the next level. The Opal is full of the spirit of hope, good karma, fortune, luck, and achieving your higher bliss. With its high vibrations, spectrum of colors, and shamanic healing vibes, Opal can strengthen you in a thousand ways.

How to clean Opals?

One of the quickest and easiest ways to cleanse your Opal is to simply hold it under running water for a few seconds. This is enough for the stone to discharge any pent up energy that could be dulling its senses or blocking its vibrations. If you prefer to keep your delicate Opal away from water, you can also use smudging or singing bowls or tuning forks to cleanse your stone.

What does Opal symbolize?

The Opal stone symbolizes hope, purity, and amplifying your own unique powers. This gem has a gorgeous cleansing effect, helping to spring clean every darkened corner of your soul so you can rise up in the light. With its high vibrations and spiritual connections, it helps with balance, connections to other realms, and invites you to stay calm, cool, and ever in flow.

What is Opal made of?

Opal is created when water rich in silica ebbs and flows into cracks in the earth's crust. The gem itself is formed from small silica spheres. These silica spheres exist in a pattern within the stone along with water which adds to the fluid energy and the Opalescence that helps the stone flash and play with light.

What is Opal used for?

Opal can be used for many things. Physically it can be used to treat fevers and help the immune system. Emotionally it can be used for balance, amplifying positive energy, and for helping with clarity and working through challenges. Spiritually, it can be used for connecting with higher realms, strengthening psychic practices, bringing light to the aura, and cleansing various chakras.

How much is black Opal worth?

Black Opal is one of the most expensive gemstones out there. The cost of Blak Opal can vary but some of the highest grade pieces can sell for a staggering $10,000. Black Opals are more pricey because they are rarer and their composition can even be more delicate than diamonds.

Is it bad luck to buy yourself an Opal?

While there is an old saying that you should never buy Opal for yourself and you should only receive it as a gift, we say that ‘gifting’ yourself something you love and adore is absolutely an act of self care that should be celebrated. These are gems centered around hope and harmony and don’t carry negative energy at all.

Where to find Opal?

If you want to pick up an Opal stone and turn up the dial when it comes to amplifying energy, you should be able to source an Opal from any good gemologist or crystal dealer. Always make sure that the crystal sellers you choose are reputable to ensure that your Opal is the real deal.

How is Opal made?

Opal is made in nature by silica rich waters seeping into cracks in the earth's crust. As the water runs down it carries the silica from the sandstone and seeps into those cracks. When the water evaporates it leaves behind the silica deposit which over a course of millions of years then begins to solidify and become the precious Opal we know and love.

How much is white Opal worth?

White Opal is one of the most abundant forms of Opal. The cost of white Opal can vary depending on varying factors like body tone, color, thickness, the brilliance, and the pattern that shimmers beneath the surface. White Opal can cost up to $200 if it's a good quality.

How to restore Opal color?

Sometimes Opal stones can lose their color due to factors like humidity, too much contact with water, high heat and other reasons that have to do with changes in the gemstones water composition. You can try to restore its color by submerging it in water and letting it dry, getting the gem polished, and using a little mineral oil on the stone to bring back its shine.

What is Fire Opal?

A Fire Opal is a variety of Opal. It takes its name from the red and orange coloring that flickers beneath the surface of this stone. Fire Opal is known to be connected to the sacral chakra which helps to boost our sense of passion, embrace our sexuality and helps with issues around fertility.

How to care for Opals?

Opal is a beautiful gemstone that hums with high vibrations. It can also be a relatively delicate stone even though it scores a 5 to 6 on the Mohs hardness scale. To care for your Opal you should regularly keep it cleansed and charged. You can cleanse with running water or by smudging and you can charge by leaving your gem in the light of the moon. Opal is not a stone that likes quick temperature shifts so be mindful of this.

What is Opal stone?

The Opal stone is a beautiful gemstone formed from silica rich waters. This stone is created when silica water seeps into cracks and fissures in the earth's crust. These stones are known for their Opalescence and their play on light. There are different kinds and colors of Opals out there although the most popular are white Opal, black Opal, and fire Opal. The Opal is a stone of harmony, amplification, and hope.

How to polish Opal?

You can polish your Opal with fine sandpaper to remove any rough spots and to create a smooth and polished gem that shines. If your Opal is cloudy, you can also bring it back to life by running it under water and rubbing it with a soft cloth to bring out that gorgeous glowy gleam.

Is Opal a color?

Opal is a gemstone and not a color. The Opal gemstone can be white or black or it may be transparent or opaque. Due to the makeup of Opal, the stone has an Opalescence which means it refracts light and can have a whole spectrum of colors waiting beneath the surface. The word Opal even means to ‘see a change in color’ and comes from the Greek word Opallios.

Is Opal man made?

Opals can be natural or man made. While Opal is a stone found in nature, you can also get synthetic Opals which are created in the lab. They share the same chemical composition and internal structure, along with similar properties and appearance.

Is Opal October birthstone?

Yes, Opal is a birthstone for October. This soothing and balancing gem can beautifully connect with those born under this month and is a good fit for the zodiac signs of Libra and Scorpio too. For those Librans and Scorpios who crave balance, energy, and radiance - keep the Opal stone close by.

What birth month is Opal?

Opal is the birthstone for the month of October making it a gorgeous gift or an amazing fit for all those born in those harvest months. It is the perfect talisman for those who are born under the banner of Libra and Scorpio too.

What does raw Opal look like?

Raw Opal is a fascinating stone to look at. It can almost be chalky in look but has fragments of the Opalescence style of Opal stashed within it. In many raw Opals pulled from the ground, the silica spheres are too large or small to diffract the light. Part of the process of mining Opal is to remove the sand and flaws to get to the good stuff - those tiny fractions that do play with the light.

What is Black Opal?

A Black Opal is a variety of Opal that has a darker body tone. This gives the gem a different look and makes the colors caught beneath the surface stand out in a different way. The Black Opal is still a stone centered around amplification and harmony but is also good for clearing the root chakra and bringing us a sense of safety and grounding.

Can Opals get wet?

Even though Opals have a high water content which grants them their fluid energy, you should avoid leaving them submerged in water. Opals do score a 5-6 on the Mohs hardness scale meaning that while they can withstand getting wet, frequent or prolonged exposure may make them brittle or have a long term effect.