With a grade of four on the Mohs scale of hardness, pearls are easily scratched and abraded, even by other jewellery, and they are sensitive to a variety of common chemicals and cosmetics. Frequent wear and a lack of careful maintenance can also cause them to deteriorate over time.
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.
Cosmetics, sun block, perfume and hairspray all contain chemicals that can dramatically dull the luster of a pearl. The natural acids contained in body oils and perspiration can also damage pearls in the same way.
Acetone will not harm pearls, but never use ammonia, vinegar, or chlorine bleach near your pearls. These harsh liquids will react with the pearl coating and dissolve them. Wearing your pearls often and exposing them to moisture, your body oils, and heat also helps keeps them shiny.
The Tooth Test entails gently rubbing or scraping the surface of the pearls against your teeth. Do this Very Gently, pearls are soft. - rating no more than a 3 on the Moh's Hardness Scale - which is equivalent to Talc, so you really want to avoid scratching the pearls' surfaces.
Wetting pearls is never a good idea, as it begins to destroy the jewel. Pearl necklaces are damaged when they get wet, because the water damages both the thread and the pearl . When wet, the thread that holds the beads together begins to stretch and lengthen, so it quickly loses the desired shape.
The water inside the pearl is what keeps the luster intact, so it's important to retain the water, but too much water can damage the pearl. Clean your pearl jewelry with a soft, damp cloth. The cloth should not be too wet.
Some liquid soaps, such as Dawn, can damage pearls. Pay attention to the areas around the drill holes where dirt may tend to collect. After washing your Pearls, lay them flat in a moist kitchen towel to dry. When the towel is dry, your Pearls should be dry.
Astrology says that the people whose zodiac signs lords are Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Rahu should never wear pearls. Pearls harm the natives of these zodiac signs. This means that people of Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Capricorn and Aquarius ascendant should not wear pearls.
Is it OK to wear pearls everyday? Absolutely. Pearl jewelry should be worn and enjoyed frequently, so avoid leaving your pearls in a security box for long periods of time. But as many jewelry, pearls are beautiful, but they are delicate and should be worn with care.
A natural pearl may show growth lines where concentric layers of nacre have been added. Cultured pearls on the other hand will appear to have a perfectly rounded nucleus that's surrounded by a halo of conchiolin and finally a thin outer layer.
The gem has to be protected from heating and open fire (due to the fact that pearls contain 2% of water, they can crack and loose their luster). Keep them away from acid attacks, abrasives, exhalations and cosmetics.
Worn often and properly cared for, pearls can look as good in 50 years as they did the day they left the store. Pearls are not the most durable of gems. Most everyday items at home and in the office are tougher than pearls, so careless contact can cause damage them over time.
Don't store your pearls in areas of direct sunlight. UV rays can damage your pearls. Don't attempt to clean your pearls with abrasives such as ammonia, baking soda or Windex. After wearing your pearls to avoid entangling, don't crumble them up and throw them in a drawer.
The pearl's lustre can also be harmed by perspiration. To prevent this, before returning your pearls to the jewelry box, wipe them gently with a soft cloth.
In addition to sand (silica), which can be extremely abrasive, damp salt air, saltwater, and chlorine can be harmful to cultured pearls and gem coral.
1. Don't wear them in the swimming pool. Harmful chemicals such as chlorine in a pool can effect or cloud the lustre of a pearl and in some instances etch or pit the surface. Wearing a strand of pearls in water can also lead the silk thread they are strung with, to stretch.
First things first – Remove those pearls.
She suggests to remove pearl jewelry from the hand-sanitizing process entirely. Sanitized skin should not come into contact with your pearls until completely dry and evaporated—wait about five minutes before putting on your pearls.
After wearing pearls, wipe them with a soft cloth to remove any traces of cosmetic products or body sweat. To shine pearls, you can put a few drops of olive oil, coconut oil or monoi oil on the pearls, and then wipe them with a soft cloth to remove the excess oil. Pearls should be stored separately from other jewelry.
It's often assumed that because something's old it must be valuable. That's rarely true and certainly not for pearls. Advances in technology and culturing techniques mean you can buy a much better set of pearls for far less money than in grandma's time.
To try it for yourself, put a drop of vinegar on the pearl or submerge the pearl in a small cup of vinegar. If you can see bubbles forming from the release of carbon dioxide in the chemical reaction, your pearls are authentic.
How Much Are Real Pearls Worth? A traditional strand of white pearls can range from $100 (Freshwater pearl necklace) to $10,000 (Akoya pearl necklace). A strand of large, flawless South Sea pearls could even be valued as high as $100,000+ .