Tips to bring back the sparkle of your pearl jewelry

Pearl Jeweleries reflects the personality, history and even special life moments of the wearer. For centuries, Pearl jeweleries has represented a special keepsake of love, a treasured heirloom or simply an adornment of beauty. To extend the life of your pearl jewelry, it's important to take time to clean and care for your collection. A little “TLC” goes a long way. Most of today's pearls are cultured pearls. They were initiated by humans who insert a bead or mantle issue into an oyster. During the process, the oyster coats the bead with nacre, the much-loved patina which gives the pearls their unique appearance. The level of nacre thickness dictates the quality and durability of the pearl.

Even with a thicker coating, cultured pearls are organic and more fragile than most other gemstones. To keep them in the best condition, they must be handled gently. Following are a few suggestions for pearl care,

• When not wearing your Pearl jeweleries, keep them in a separate, soft compartment or container. If cluttered together, jewelry can become scratched, even diamonds.

• Remove your pearl jeweleries prior to applying hand or body creams.

• Pearls stay cleaner if you put them on after applying makeup and perfume.

• Clean your pearl jeweleries frequently to avoid the build-up of dirt, which can be damaging. Use mild soap and water to clean a dirty pearl.
• Avoid solutions which contain ammonia or harsh detergents for cleaning.

• Avoid cleaning pearls with ultrasonic cleaner.

• Rubbing a pearl with an abrasive cloth can result in a dull, plain looking bead.

Since pearls can scratch easily, never store them with other pieces of jewelry. Choose a special place in your jewelry box for your pearls, or keep them in a soft bag made from chamois or another non-abrasive material. Pearl necklaces should be restrung periodically to ensure the silk or nylon cord holding them is in good shape.

Apart from the home care, it’s wise to have your pearl jeweleries inspected by your jeweler annually for loose settings and faulty clasps. A prong which is loose, worn or catches on fabric may cause the stone to fall out of the setting. At inspection, it’s also a good idea to have your jewelry re-evaluated based on current market values to make sure you have adequate insurance coverage in the unfortunate event of loss, theft or damage.

Caring for your Pearl jewelry is all about protection, storage and regular cleaning.