Assertion: opal | /r/HasProperty | soft
Facets:
value: very
type: DEGREE
Source sentences:
text: Opals are fairly soft and because their hardness ranges from 5.5 - 6.5 on the Mohs scale, they can be easily scratched.
text: Opal is a soft stone and therefor is occasionally treated or impregnated with colorless oils, plastic, resin or wax which act as a bonding agent, reduce the visibility of the inclusions and improve the overall clarity of the stones.
text: Opal doublets are sometimes coated with a thin layer or dome of clear Quartz to make them more resistant to scratches (since Opal is a relatively soft gem).
text: Opals must also be guarded from blows, since it is quite soft and break easily.
text: Since opals are not only soft, but also have a significant water content, they require special care.
text: As opal is a soft stone it is best to store gems separately from each other in a hard case of softer material like velvet or felt or silk.
text: Since opal is a very soft stone, easily scratched or fractured, doublets and triplets are common jewelry applications.