April 26, 2012
Pearls of Wisdom
Pearls mave been copied for centuries. By glass, by plastic, etc. Faux pearl quality varies. Look near the drill hole for mold line “seams” and flat “lips” from injection molding. Weight can also be a clue. Pearls that are featherlight are usually plastic.
Cultured pearls/Natural Pearls have a grainy exterior. DO NOT PUT PEARLS IN YOUR MOUTH! Goodness knows when they were last cleaned or where they have been! A more sanitary test is to gently rub them against each other (in a motion similar to getting a stain out of fabric)
4 Kinds
Warm soapy water–baby soft toothbrush–lay flat to dry (so you don’t stretch the silk) NO CHEMICALS.
How to Store
ALONE. Silk pouches or pearl cases are nice. Do not store with other jewelry–diamonds, sapphires, etc can scratch the delicate exterior of the pearl.
How to reinvent
Layer with other necklaces of different lengths
Have them re-strung in long stations that you can wrap around
Where they come from
Mollusks. Most are imported from the Pacific Islands, China & Japan