Is it possible to wet natural pearls?
Pearls are 90% calcium carbonate, 5% water, and another 5% the organic substance concholine, which plays a cementing role. The organic matter present in pearls dries out and breaks down over time, so pearls have a certain lifespan, then they dull, flake and break down. However, with proper storage and care, pearls do not lose their beauty for several hundred years. Pearls are negatively affected by four main factors:
- heat;
- high humidity;
- significant brightness of light;
- air pollution level.
Excessively dry skin of its owner also has a detrimental effect on it. In room conditions, the surface layer of pearls usually dehydrates slowly, but if your home is constantly hot, this process may accelerate.
Pearls do not feel well in excessively damp rooms. On the street, the most dangerous for pearls are industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust gases in the form of so-called “acid” rain. Harmful fumes and acids can dissolve the iris of pearls. As a result of this impact, the pearls seem to melt.
Tobacco smoke is harmful to pearls, which can cause them to turn yellow and fade. No less dangerous are all kinds of household and cosmetic products in aerosol packages, such as deodorants, hair sprays, antistatic agents for clothes, aerosol cosmetics for clothes and shoes.
Street and house dust are equally unpleasant for the life of pearls. Dust particles, settling on the surface of the pearls, damage them with their sharp edges and thereby gradually deprive them of their shine.
In sunlight, especially in hot weather, pearls gradually fade, fade, and sometimes turn yellow, losing their iridescence and shine.
You should not wear pearls in the sauna, bath, shower or pool, open beaches and ponds.
Perfume and eau de toilette should be used by the owner of the pearl necklace in advance of wearing it. Therefore, it is worth following a simple rule: you put on pearls last, and take them off first.
The thread on which the pearls are strung should be changed (given to a master for dressing) every 3–5 years, depending on the intensity of use, as it tends to stretch and may even break.
Nowadays, many special compositions for caring for pearls are sold, but this is just another way for entrepreneurs to make money. Pearls can be washed with plain water and wiped with a soft cloth. Pearls are durable. But, since it began to be consciously cultivated only in 1901, its lifespan has yet to be accurately determined. If the shell is thick and without cracks, then your pearls will be enough for both children and great-grandchildren. Natural pearls live for 200–300 years; pearls are known that are 400 years old. There is even one that is 800 years old.
How to restore pearls to their former shine?
We offer some practical tips to help restore your pearls to their former shine:
- Rub it lightly with potato starch to remove excess moisture and dirt.
- Rinse pearls in salt water
- Wash it in a mild soapy water solution and then polish with a soft cloth
In Rus’, other methods of treating “sick” pearls were also known. One of them recommended the following: pearls, without removing them from the string, should be sprinkled with salt, placed in a clean canvas bag and rinsed in warm water until the salt dissolves. Then the pearls should be dried in a bright, dust-free room away from sunlight.
Don’t forget that pearls are created with the help of living creatures – mollusks. Their lives were not in vain if you value and cherish their creation – the pearl of great price.
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With the light hand of Coco Chanel, jewelry with pearls began to be worn not only with evening dresses, but with jackets and sweaters. Today pearls are again at the peak of popularity. But now it has acquired new forms and is worn not only as a classic string of beads or stud earrings. Baroque-shaped stones with an uneven surface, hoop earrings with unusually shaped stones and open-ended jewelry are in fashion. Now it has become associated not only with the fashion of yesteryear, but also with trendy accessories. And in order for pearls to continue to delight, they must be properly cared for. After all, this is a mineral of organic origin and due to improper storage it will quickly fade and collapse. “Ukrzoloto” will tell you how to make your loved ones rings with pearls, pendants or necklaces looked flawless for many years.
Pearl stone: origin
Pearl is a natural biogenic stone. When a foreign substance enters the shell of a mollusk, the living organism protects itself from it by secreting nacre, which envelops the grain of sand. This is how a tiny nacre ball appears, which over the years acquires new layers of nacre, turning into a full-fledged pearl. The difference between natural and cultured pearls is that in a “man-made” foreign body it is not the foreign body that gets into the mollusk itself, but people “plant” it, and often it is a small piece of a natural pearl. Necklace or beads made of artificial pearls are not afraid of temperature changes, but natural stones are capricious in care.
Where to store pearls
Pearls are a natural material and should be stored in a room with optimal humidity. In dry air, the aragonite crystals that form mother-of-pearl will begin to flake off, microcracks will appear and the stone will collapse over time. Excess moisture will cause pearls to become dull. Dust is also an enemy of the beauty of biogenic stone: accumulating on the surface, it harms the mother-of-pearl and forms micro-scratches. And, of course, direct sunlight is out of the question. By the way, pearls quickly turn yellow from cigarette smoke. It is best to store jewelry with pearls in closed boxes lined with velvet inside. Accessories should be located spaciously, without touching each other or other accessories.
A little trick: if the room is hot and the air is very dry, place a glass of water near the box with pearls.
How to wear pearls correctly
Pearls can be ruined by careless attitude. If you want to enjoy the sparkle of the stone for decades, do not under any circumstances wear cosmetics or perfume if you are wearing jewelry with pearls. Moreover: you can put on accessories no earlier than 10 minutes after “beautifying”.
Where not to wear pearls:
- to the sauna;
- to the beach;
- for manicure;
- in gym;
- in the garden or during repairs.
A little trick: each time you remove jewelry, carefully wipe each pearl with a soft flannel, slightly dampened cloth.
How to clean pearls
Even if you don’t wear jewelry, you should wipe your pearls with a damp cloth once a week. If the accessory is heavily soiled, wash it in soapy water and then rinse thoroughly with running clean water. If the pearls become tarnished, wipe them with potato starch, then wash them thoroughly. After cleaning, the jewelry is put into the box after an hour – they need to dry completely at room temperature.
Once every year or two, change the thread in your pearl beads: dirt accumulates on it, destroying the stones from the inside. To avoid taking any risks on your own, take your precious item to a jeweler for professional cleaning. Cleansing pearl bracelet or ring, be careful not to get metal cleaner on the surface of the stone. It is too aggressive for pearls.
A little trick from Ancient Rus’: According to our ancestors, a pearl will shine like new if you put it in a canvas bag with sea salt, and then rinse it in running water until all the salt has dissolved. Afterwards the pearls are dried away from sunlight.
Where to buy pearls
Natural pearls are an expensive pleasure and are extremely rarely used in the jewelry industry in our time. Since the 19th century, pearls have been rarely caught by swimmers in the vast ocean, but have been intensively cultivated by people. And the pioneers of this industry are the Chinese, who first grew pearls in the 13th century. Accessories with cultured (do not confuse with artificial) pearl, you can purchase it in the Ukrzoloto online store.
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