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What Happens To Pearls Not Worn, Cleaned, and Stored Properly

by Judy Larson
Pearls that have not been taken care of properly will deteriorate over time. Here's some tips for keeping pearls looking their best.
Instructions
This 26" strand of 10mm freshwater pearls was most likely put on before applying makeup and hair products, was never cleaned after wearing, and was never stored properly. The surface of imitation pearls is very smooth but the surface of real pearls will feel slightly gritty when run over your front teeth. When pearls are not cushioned by a knot between them, that grittiness will make the pearls wear against each other. All this combined for a perfect storm of deterioration. You can see where layers of nacre have flaked away, as well as where it almost looks like "rot" has set in
Judy Larson's What Happens To Pearls Not Worn, Cleaned, and Stored Properly - , General Education, , how to care for pearls
Judy Larson's What Happens To Pearls Not Worn, Cleaned, and Stored Properly - , General Education, , how to care for pearls
Judy Larson's What Happens To Pearls Not Worn, Cleaned, and Stored Properly - , General Education, , how to care for pearls
Most pearls that are on the market today are formed when an irritant is introduced inside an oyster or mussel.As a defense, the oyster or mussel will secrete nacre, which coats the irritant in layers. The smaller the introduced irritant, the longer it takes to build up the layers of nacre needed to produce a large pearl. I wondered how long it took to make these 10mm black pearls and what size irritant was used. The pearl strand was cleaned with mild soap and water (at first the water turned very dark and cloudy) until the water ran clear. Note: Since I was going to take the strand apart, I did not worry about submerging the stringing medium, which will weaken it. A soft cloth or a soft wet cloth is all that should ever be used on pearls. Also, do not use hot water or ultrasonic cleaners on pearls as they can damage the outer layer. Wearing pearls frequently keeps them from drying out.
After drying, the pearls were removed from the stringing medium and sorted, left to right, into three categories: 1. Most likely can use, 2. Maybe can be used with bead caps to cover problem areas, and 3. Can't think of how to save them. I broke one of the worst beads open to see what size irritant might have been used (I think it could have been up to 5mm) and was very surprised to see all the peeling layers. The bead almost looked dried out. I wonder if the strand was not worn very often.
Judy Larson's What Happens To Pearls Not Worn, Cleaned, and Stored Properly - , General Education, , how to care for pearls
Judy Larson's What Happens To Pearls Not Worn, Cleaned, and Stored Properly - , General Education, , how to care for pearls
There were not enough beads in the "Keep" pile to remake into a necklace, so earrings were decided on.
Judy Larson's What Happens To Pearls Not Worn, Cleaned, and Stored Properly - , General Education, , how to care for pearls

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Beadalon Knotter Tool
G16-100
  • G16-100
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7 Smooth Point Tweezers
TWZ-944.00
  • TWZ-944.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $3.95
  • Gold Club Price: $2.96
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  • Category: General Education
  • Technique(s): General Education

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