How to Care For Your Pearl Jewelry

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"Pearls want to be worn!" 

There is a saying -  and it is true!

Enjoy your Pearls!  

They are true  LIVING JEWELS

 

Leaving a Pearl jewelry in a security box for a long time may cause Pearls to dehydrate and become crumbly. The ultra-dry conditions in security boxes may dry out your Pearls and cause them to craze and to develop small fractures in the surface. Extremes in humidity or dry air, both can damage your Pearls. The surface of a pearl is soft and is easily damaged. Pearls set in rings and bracelets are more subject to scuffing and scratching than pearls set in brooches, earrings, necklaces or strands. A pearl ring or bracelet should be considered a special-occasion piece, not for "daily wear" and DEFINITELY not to be worn while working with the hands.

It's not that Pearls do not like competition! But Pearls should never be tossed on top of or next to other gems in a jewelry box. Pearls are organic gemstones that are exceptionally cohesive and shock-resistant but may be scratched by contact with sharp objects or other gemstones.

STORAGE

Try to lay your Pearl jewelry separate from other gemstones - preferably keep them in a compartmentalized jewelry box. Try to find one that has a soft lining, rather than wood or plastic. Pearl strands should be stored separately from other jewelry because the surface of a pearl is soft and easily scratched by other gems. A silk bag, velvet-lined box or pearl folders (a satin lined leatherette envelope with snaps to hold a strand in place) are all good places to store pearls. Your local jeweler is a good source for these items.  NEVER store pearls in a plastic bag. Some types of plastic emit a chemical that will cause the surface of your pearls to deteriorate. Don't store pearls in a safe or safety deposit box for long periods. Pearl strands should be stored flat rather than hanging so the thread won't stretch out prematurely.

Pearls are also vulnerable to acids and alkaline. The Pearl's luster can also be harmed by perspiration. To prevent this, before returning your Pearls to their jewelry pouch, wipe them gently with a soft cloth.

To extend their life avoid letting your Pearls come into contact with cosmetics, lipsticks, hair spray or perfumes. NEVER apply perfume or hairspray when you are wearing pearl jewelry, especially a strand of pearls. Always put on your jewelry as a final touch, after applying make-up and styling hair.

 

courtesy of Getty Images 

Despite the iconic look in this picture, this is a poster of what NOT to do with your Pearls. By all means, you should always avoid putting lipstick on your Pearls, and please, at all cost avoid biting on them. A good rule of thumb is that pearls are: 

 

THE LAST THING YOU PUT ON 

when dressing

THE FIRST THING YOU TAKE OFF 

when undressing

 

When taking off a pearl ring, grasp the shank, or metal part, rather than the pearl. This will prevent the pearl from loosening from the setting and furthermore protecting it from coming into contact with skin oil or hand lotions on your hand.

CLEANING

We recommend having you Pearls professionally cleaned. However, if you need to spruce them up for an event - lay the strand flat on a clean soft cloth or towel and gently brush it with another soft, wet towel. Let the pearls air dry. Don't move the pearl strand or ring until it is completely dry.

Because of their delicate nature, special care must be taken when cleaning your Pearls

→ Only use jewelry cleaners labeled as safe for Pearls.

→ Never use an ultrasonic cleaner for Pearls.

→ Never steam-clean pearls.

→ Never use (or expose pearls) to dish or wash detergents, bleaches, powdered cleansers, baking soda, or ammonia-based cleaners (like Windex).

→ Never use toothbrushes, scouring pads or abrasive materials to clean pearls.

→ Do not wear pearls when their string is wet. Period!

→ Do not hang pearls to dry. Lay them flat.

→ Take your pearls off when applying cosmetics, hair spray, and perfume, or when showering or swimming.

→ Avoid wearing pearls with rough fabrics.

→ Have your pearls restrung, once a year, if you wear them often.

 

STRINGING

 

Pearl strands should be restrung every one to two years or more often if the thread begins to bag or fray. Silk and nylon beading threads are the most commonly used materials for stringing pearls. Knotting between beads offers the most security for your pearls; no matter where the strand breaks, you only stand to lose a single bead. The look of the knotted strand is not to everyone's taste, however. Whether you string your pearls with or without knots, the first three or four beads on either side nearest the clasp should be knotted because this area takes the most wear and is the commonest place for a strand to break.

No matter which medium they are strung on, and no matter how well it has been done: your pearl or bead necklaces/bracelets WILL potentially break. Why? They're only held together by a thread or monofilament limited to match the hole size of the smallest beads in your item. Even the strongest thread is aging and getting weaker.  By wearing your piece (which is what you absolutely should do), the string is exposed to abrasion from bead holes, body oils, cosmetics and simple wear-and-tear. That’s why it is important to have your jewelry restrung from time to time, just to avoid the strands breaking in an inconvenient setting or time.

Have your pearl items restrung and you'll never have to worry about losing any pearls again.

Few Things To Know When Going to Re-String Your Pearls:

1. Count Your Pearls - You should count your pearls in front of your jeweler when bringing them in for repair. Your jeweler should record the number of pearls on the repair envelope, and on your receipt. This is an easy measure for your own security and peace of mind.
2. If your necklace is knotted, it will come back shorter after restringing – Each and every string will stretch over time. That is especially true with knotted threads - whether they are silk, nylon or any other material. If it's done correctly, your necklace will be knotted very tight, to where no pearl has room to move. Your necklace could even have a "wrinkled" look:  that is a positive indication of tight knotting, but it will vanish with wearing and straighten itself out. This tight re-knotting can reduce the size of your necklace easily by a couple of inches or more - depending on the length and previous condition of your necklace.
3. If you have a multi-strand necklace, all strands should be restrung - when string ages, stretches and gets brittle, it does that on the entire necklace, not just the one strand that broke. Fixing just the one broken strand will mismatch the other strands in length and appearance: remember that they stretch over time, and a freshly knotted strand is shorter than before its repair.
4. New is better than old: Nylon® is better than silk. A wire is NOT stronger than a Tread.

Be prepared to have your pearl and bead jewelry restrung occasionally in order to maintain its beauty and best value.

last but not least

 

 

– Chinese Proverb

 

 

Posted in How to care for your pearls, Jewelry Care, Pearls Care

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Asen Sotirov

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