Precautions for use and cleaning of pearls

Pearls are gems that can last a long time if and only if worn with care, following some precautions. So have the same care and attention you would have for a cashmere or a silk garment! These precious and delicate fabrics can never be washed at high temperatures or with aggressive detergents. We should not be deprived of pleasure of wearing them because they inspire care. The concept is the same even when wearing pearls.

There is no fear but only respect for some basic rules for its use and care.

  • Perfumes or hairsprays: the recommendation is to never use these products on the part of the skin directly contacting the pearls (on the neck, in the case of a necklace, lobes when wearing pearl earrings and hands for rings). The products used for the Make-up both at home and with beauticians and hairdressers can settle itself on the surface of the pearl which, being particularly porous, absorbs them easily. In this way the reflection and the shine will be compromised making the gems increasingly opaque and dull;
  • Detergents: the only accepted are those containing lanolin, but they must be used by experts because if dosed in the wrong way they can damage the gem; therefore, dish detergents are forbidden.
  • Chlorine: it is advisable not to wear your jewel if you are in swimming pools or even in the shower or bath;
  • Sport: if you play sports it is advisable to store the jewels with pearls. The sweat is a bit acid and can affect the calcium carbonate, therefore it can cause irreparable damage to the pearls;
  • Ammonia: it is preferable not to touch detergents containing this substance;
  • Sea water: it is recommended to customers to avoid going into sea water with their pearls because the salt contained in the sea could damage and corrode the surface of the gems;
  • Rice: some people think that preserving their pearls in rice allows them to improve some aspects of these gems. ATTENTION: the use of this technique can destroy the jewel. The rice has, in fact, a strong absorbing power capable of “draining” the pearls and unbalancing their humidity, therefore, it can also reduce the shine.
  • Contact with sharp jewels: the rubbing can scratch and therefore damage the pearl hopelessly. Pearls can be stored anywhere in the house, wrapped in a soft and smooth fabric or in suitably designed and prepared packages for storage.

If you wish, you can also store the pearls in leather bags, but be careful to check that they are natural leather. Leathers treated with dyes contain harmful substances and affect the colour and shine of your gem.

A natural leather bag can control the transpiration capacity, ensuring that the pearl maintains its percentage of water (from 2 to 4%), avoiding the classic dehydration that occurs on pearls placed in polyester or silk bags.

It is important to periodically re-thread – at least once a year – your string of pearls so that the inner part of the pierced pearls is always clean and free of the slag, produced by dust, sweat, cosmetics or perfumes. They can affect the pearl from inside.

At the time of re-threading it will also be possible to check the status of conservation of the pearls to be able to replace the damaged ones, maintaining a uniformity of size and colour in the necklace.

To clean a string of cultivated pearls it is necessary to immerse the thread, without undoing its knots, in a basin containing warm water and 10% of neutral soap, preferably lanolin. Leave it for 5/10 minutes.

It is necessary, gently rub every single pearl, with the respective knot that divides it, using a brush with very soft natural bristles.

You will need to soak the thread again in pure warm water for another 10 minutes and repeat the cleaning with a brush.

After drying it with a cotton cloth, leave the thread on a flat, dust-free surface for at least 24 hours.

If after this time the thread is not perfectly white, it will be necessary to gently remove the pearls and re-insert them with a new thread.

In the withdrawal operation it is necessary to remove the beads, one by one so as not to lose the original sequence.

Please note that alterations to the original condition of the product may occur if one or more of the above-mentioned instructions are not followed.

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