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Preserving Pearl Jewelry: The Care and Feeding of Your Pearls

November 1, 2011

Pearls are heirloom quality jewels. They beg to be passed on from one generation to the next. The Louvre in Paris is home to a 3000-year-old pearl necklace found in a bronze sarcophagus in Persia. The three strand neck piece has 216 intact pearls. Fortunately, there are useful techniques for preserving the integrity of your pearls that don’t include enclosing them in a bronze casket!

 Pearls are soft, porous, organic gems that are vulnerable to acidic conditions and humidity. Over time, pearls that are worn directly against the skin will absorb the skin’s acid and the chemicals from any perfumes worn. They will begin to loose their luster and even their shape. Dry air and heat causes pearls to become brittle and brownish. They can even crack and break when subject to extreme lack of humidity. The softness of pearls makes them susceptible to scratching.

 Wiping your pearls with a soft, dry or damp cloth after each time they are worn is an effective preservation technique. Storing them in a silk pouch rather than tossing them in the jewelry box with other items is another simple and effective idea for keeping pearls safe. It’s not a good practice to hang pearl necklaces on jewelry stands, as this stresses the thread that holds the pearls in place. Plastic bags emit chemicals that can destroy the surface of pearls and should not be used for storage. Many people tuck expensive jewelry into safety deposit boxes. This practice could be counterproductive for pearls. They may remain safe from theft, but the dryness of bank vaults could destroy them.

 Despite your best efforts to care for your pearls, they are meant to be worn and will get dirty. You can clean them yourself at home, if you follow a few simple guidelines and have a few simple tools handy.

• Make a lukewarm solution using gentle, fragrance-free soap flakes. Use no detergents, household cleaners ( bleach and ammonia will destroy pearls), abrasives (even baking soda), jewelry cleaners (unless specifically labeled safe for pearls), or tarnish removers.

• Lay the pearls flat on a soft towel. Apply the soapy water with a soft, natural bristle nail brush which is reserved only for the cleaning of your pearls.

• Turn necklaces or bracelets over and repeat the process.

• Rinse the pearls in cool running tap water for at least five minutes so no soap residue is left on them.

• Lay the wet jewelry on a soft, damp towel and do not move it until it is completely dry to avoid stretching the thread. When the towel is dry, the pearls will be ready to wear or store.

 You can opt to have your pearls professionally clean. Just double check with your chosen jeweler to be sure that no ultra sonic or steam-cleaning procedures will be used. These techniques damage pearls. Pearl strands need to be restrung as much as annually if worn regularly as a signature piece of jewelry.

 Even with the best of care, your heirloom pearls will yellow with age and may look more ivory than white when a young woman fifty years from now steps out wearing the pearls you passed on to her.