According to Paul Downing, PhD, an acknowledge expert in all aspects of opal — from mining to cutting to setting into jewelry.

Most commercially set opals that you see in jewelry stores were set improperly, during Downiing’s heyday in the 1990s, and I mention his strictures here because you never know when a jeweler might not go back to the bad old ways necause it takes less time, even if the jewelery suffers.

Downing points out that opals are not too fragile to wear, if only they are set properly.

Some jewelers set opals in mounting reserved for faceted stones, like diamonds. And since opals are more fragile than diamond, they do indeed break when set in that manner.

The most fragile part of a cut opal is the bottom edge, so to prevent the gem from cracking in its setting, it should be completely surrounded by, or nestled in, metal. On no account should you purchase opal sitting up in a set of prongs, with no gold or other medal around it.