Pearl Care – gently does it!
“Pearls are always appropriate” – Jackie Kennedy Onassis
Pearls are made of an organic material, so they are quite soft and need special care. For those who love pearls the extra care they need is worth it. Whether you have freshwater or South Sea pearls, all pearls need to be taken care of in the same way. The main threat to pearls is chemicals.
Here are some tips for caring for your pearls.
- Put your pearls on last! Always remember to put them on after you have applied all your makeup, creams, hair spray and perfume.
- After wearing your pearls wipe them down with a dry, soft cloth to remove any excess body oil or cosmetics.
- Do not wear or put your string of pearls away when wet. Always lay them out flat to dry.
- Store your pearls in a soft and cool place.
- Don’t hang strings.
- Don’t store your pearls with other jewellery as they scratch easily.
- Don’t risk washing your pearls yourself as they get a major professional clean as part of the re-stringing process done by your jeweller.
- Always take your pearl ring off before using soap or cream.
- Take your pearl ring off by holding the metal and not the pearl as this will reduce contact with oil from your skin and the loosening of the pearl.
- Don’t use an ultrasonic or steam to clean pearls.
- Never rub or use anything abrasive on your pearls ie toothbrushes, rough cloth.
- Avoid wearing pearl jewellery when cleaning the house, gardening and swimming.
- Keep your pearls away from vinegar, ammonia, chlorine and detergents.
- Your pearl necklaces and bracelets should be restrung periodically so that the thread doesn’t break. Check them by holding up the strand and if the pearls can move up and down on the thread, it is time to get them re-strung.
We can organise professional cleaning and re-stringing of your pearls see Pearl re-stringing & cleaning.
