Pearls – How To Look After Them

13 August 2013 by Susie Stenmark

Pearls are an organic gem material. This means they were once part of a living organism, with all the vibrancy, diversity and individual characteristics inherent in living things. Follow these simple care tips and you’ll be rewarded with perfect pearls for years to come.

Keep your pearls clean and free of dirt and perspiration by wiping them gently with a very slightly damp cloth after each wear. Allow to dry completely before storing.

Avoid letting your pearls come into contact with cosmetics and don’t wear your pearls if you are wearing fake tan.

Spray fragrance before you put on your pearls and allow it to dry, avoiding applying it on areas of skin where it would come into contact with your pearls.

The same with hairspray; if you are using it, spray first, allow to dry and then put on your pearl earrings.

Don’t use jewellery cleaners (that are suitable for precious metals or gemstones) nor subject your pearls to ultrasonic cleaning. Both are too harsh for your delicate orbs.

Have your pearl strands re-strung regularly, once a year if you wear them very frequently.

A professional re-stringing (on silk thread) with knots in between each pearl will ensure that in case of breakage, you won’t lose all your pearls, hopefully, not even the one pearl between knots at the point of breakage. Plus, a knotted string keeps your pearls in a strand from rubbing against one another, which helps reduce surface scratching.

Invest in a silk or satin pouch, or a satin-lined box, to store your pearls and never store pearls in a plastic bag. Many plastics emit chemicals over time as the plastic breaks down and this will destroy the pearls’ lustre.

Don’t store pearls with other jewellery, as other gemstones, metal clasps, or indeed other pearls, can scratch the delicate calcium carbonate surface.

Swimming pools and pearls do not mix: most swimming pools are chlorinated and chlorine will cause your pearls to lose their lustre, so remove before diving in.