Pearls are the epitome of elegance and beauty. They’ve been incorporated into jewelry for thousands of years and designers are constantly coming up with new, innovative ways to display these classic gems in fashionable, contemporary settings. But unlike other gems commonly set in fine jewelry, pearls are extremely soft (with a 2.5 rating on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness) and thus more prone to scratches and other forms of damage. That’s why it’s so important that you take special care of your pearl jewelry. Here are some of the things you can do to preserve and properly care for your pearls.

• Avoid putting on cosmetics, perfume, and hair spray while wearing your pearl jewelry. In fact, we recommend waiting until the end of your “getting ready” routine to put on your pearl jewelry.
• To preserve your pearls’ luster, wipe them down with a clean, soft cloth after wearing them.
• Store your pearl jewelry in a compartmentalized jewelry box, where they won’t come into contact with any other jewelry pieces. This will help prevent any potential scratches.
• Don’t wear your pearl jewelry while exercising or doing work around the house. Sweat and cleaning chemicals can damage your pearl’s luster.
• Have your pearl necklaces and bracelets restrung every few years. The length of time you go in between each restringing varies depending on how often you wear your pearl strands. A good way to determine whether or not your pearls need to be restrung is to look at the knots in between each pearl. If they appear to be stretched or frayed, that’s a good indication that they need to be restrung.
• Never put your pearl jewelry in an ultrasonic cleaner or steam cleaner.
• Avoid storing your pearl jewelry in an airtight environment. Since pearls contain trace amounts of water, storing them in an airtight container or safety deposit box for long periods of time will cause them to become dehydrated and brittle.
• Don’t wear your pearl jewelry in excessive heat. Like airtight environments, heat can lead to dehydration and a cracked nacre.
• When taking off pearl studs, remove them by touching the metal portion in the back that holds the pearl in place and not by pulling on the pearl itself. This will ensure that any dirt or oil on your fingers won’t rub off on the pearl while also making it less likely for the pearl to become loose and fall out of the earring mounting.

If you follow these pearl care tips, you should be able to enjoy your pearl jewelry for many years to come. Feel free to contact us at 414-276-2457 or info@kloiberjewelers.com if you have any questions regarding pearls and how to properly care for them.

Shop our pearl jewelry collection here.