As much as it’s easy to style a classic piece of pearl jewellery, taking care of it becomes a really difficult task. We usually tend to ignore the care part. But with these easy tips and tricks, you can easily maintain your pearl handmade jewellery.
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Let’s get started!
The very first rule to take care of pearl or any kind of jewellery is, never ever wear your pearl jewellery prior to applying makeup, skin/hair products or perfumes. It is actually true for all types of precious, semi-precious and artificial jewellery because these products always damage the jewellery in the worst ways possible. The chemical compounds present in makeup, hair/skincare products or perfumes can damage the color, shine as well as the structure of the jewellery. So, always put your makeup or perfume before you wear your jewellery.
Keep your pearls away from water and harsh chemicals. If there is any particular pearl jewellery piece that you need to wear for long time, make sure that you remove it each time before taking a bath or a swimming session. Pearls can get affected by excessive water and can lose their shine and lustre.
While cleaning off your pearl jewellery, silk or muslin cloth is always the best choice. Always use a soft and thin piece of cloth because using something thick and rough can be harsh for the pearls and you might end up scratching your pearl jewellery.
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Be as gentle as possible while cleaning your pearl ornaments. It is recommended that you wipe the pearls softly instead of rubbing them. Also, always clean your pearl jewellery before storing it. This might sound too much work but if you want to keep your pearls all new and shiny then this is the best way to take care of your pearls.
Sometimes, a simple wiping is not enough to clean the pearls. In such situations, damp the cloth in plain water a little and then use it to clean the pearls. You need to be extra careful while damping the cloth because making the cloth too much wet may damage the entire piece of jewellery.
Many of us simply pack off our pearl jewellery right after cleaning it which is absolutely a wrong process. There must be a gap of at least 10 minutes, called ‘breathing time’, between cleaning and packing of the pearl jewellery. Let the pearls dry for 10 minutes and then store them separately.
Also, do not store your pearl jewellery for a longer period of time. When you keep your pearls stacked in a jewellery box for a longer period of time, they will get dehydrated and will eventually crack.
Do not stuff all your pearl ornaments in a small box. This can easily detach the pearls from their base.
Keep and store your pearl handmade jewellery separately in different storage pouches. If you store them with other ornaments, the shine of the pearl coating will get reduced due to friction and you might end with the scratched pearls.
Also, make sure that you know when to replace the string of your pearl jewellery. Pearl necklaces are usually made with a silk thread. Everyday wear and especially any exposure to water will stretch and weaken the silk thread. Therefore, to keep your necklace from breaking, have it professionally restrung every year.
