Pearls are wonderful gifts of nature and are not without reason gladly passed on from generation to generation. But for this to be possible, and for everyone to enjoy these treasures for a long time, a few small things need to be taken into account :)
What do you need to know about pearls?
What do you need to know about pearls?
- Pearls are very, very soft. This may not seem so obvious at first glance, but with a Mohs hardness of only 3.5 to 4, they can be scratched even by simple sand. And because pearls are as hard as other pearls, they can of course scratch each other. Where pearls rub directly against each other, they will inevitably become dull over time. Therefore, it is always better to knot your pearls individually for necklaces and bracelets. Of course, you should always weigh up how expensive your piece of jewellery is in total. If the bracelet as such costs only 10 Euro, then the costs for knotting would probably exceed the value considerably ;)
- The mother-of-pearl layer, which gives your pearls their beautiful lustre, consists mainly of a calcareous material. Lime on pearls is like the lime in your bathroom: acids of all kinds dissolve it. That is why your pearls should never come into contact with acids. And because many detergents are acidic, it's easy to summarize: wearing pearls for housework is not a good idea ;)
- Pearls are not only sensitive to acids, but also do not like shampoos, creams, make-up, hairspray, perfume or or or or... But we understand that you want to be fresh and beautiful at dinner. Therefore, always remember: Make yourself completely ready before you put on your pearls. And the parts of your body that are in contact with the pearls should also be kept free of cosmetics for the sake of the pearls :)
- Pearls don't like heat or strong sunlight either. This is true for the heat when blow-drying your hair as well as the sunshine during a great café visit in summer. If the heat is too high, your beads can get fine hairline cracks and the luster will be irreparably damaged. So if you want to go to the hairdresser or take an extended sunbath, you better leave your pearls safely at home :)
- Even if pearls originally come from water, they do not have such a good relationship with it afterwards. This means that if you take a bath, shower, sauna, chlorine or brine bath or even jump into the sea, then... Correct: Take off your pearls. Because this moistens the pearl thread, and if it is used when wet, it can stretch out. In the worst case, it can even break. In addition, the pearls are attacked by it and so the shine of your pearls can be lost.
- And if you disappear at night into dreamland, you should also have discarded your pearls here beforehand. Because at night the human body gives off a lot of sweat. Our sweat also attacks and changes the luster (the shine on the surface) of your pearls. Unfortunately not to your advantage ;)
Phew. That sounds like it's best not to wear pearls at all. But this is not true. Pearls are like women: They want to be treated well and be executed often :)
Because your natural skin oils and the light moisture of your skin have a caring effect on your pearls. Wearing them helps your pearls to maintain their luster. Locked in a box, pearls also suffer from dryness, lack of light and lack of air. Over time, the pearl can also become porous and cracks can form on the surface. So, have courage: wear your pearls regularly and make them happy!
And how do you do everything right now?
- If you have a valuable
pearl necklace, then you should have it checked by a trusted specialist once a year - at the latest every two years(we are one too! ;)) He will check if everything is still ok with the string and how the pearls are doing. At best, you can also treat your pearls to a new threading and professional cleaning. And even if all this costs a few euros - a great pearl necklace can be your faithful companion for many decades if it is well cared for. This is how you maintain the value of your pearls and thus their beauty. - But even before the two years are up, you can do something good for your pearls. And not only your pearl necklace, but also your pearl earrings or your pearl bracelet. Because whenever you have worn your pearls, you should clean them again. This is best done with a soft, damp cloth (for example a cotton cloth). This will gently remove sweat and any cosmetic residue from your pearls. This takes less than five minutes and will give your pearls many years of beauty.
- Once or twice a year you can also put your pearls in a lukewarm water bath to clean them. If you add pearl cleaner to the water bath, you will need to rinse the pearls several times with clean water and then dry them at room temperature on a soft cloth for at least 24 hours. Never use a heater or hair dryer to help dry the pearls. And before you put the pearls on again, make sure that the pearl thread of necklaces and bracelets is completely dry.
And how are pearls best stored?
- As we have learned, pearls are relatively soft and very delicate. Therefore, you should never store your pearls together with other jewellery. To avoid scratching your pearls, it is best to roll them in a soft cotton cloth whenever you are not wearing them. Make sure that the pearls do not rub against each other. This can happen, for example, if you simply put the beads in a cloth bag. This is not so bad with cheaper beads, but with expensive beads you should avoid this as much as possible :)
That was a lot of information. But the best thing is: You don't have to remember it all by heart! Just keep checking our blog again and again if you have a question. Or contact us if there is a question that is not answered here. We are always there for you and look forward to every message!