It’s finally June!!! For those of you with June birthdays…
Happy Birth Month from the Bay Area Diamond Company Family!
Pearls are the birthstone for June birthdays, and if you have pearl jewelry or hope to purchase a piece for yourself or others, here are a few quick tips on how to clean and maintain your pearl jewelry!
Unlike diamonds and other precious stones that are created by heated and pressurized materials from the Earth, pearls are created by living creatures! Saltwater oysters and freshwater mussels form these circular beads to protect themselves from parasites and other toxins that seep into their shells. They coat the invaders in an aragonite and conchiolin material that is also used to coat their shells. This defense mechanism not only protects the mollusk, but also creates beautiful natural jewels that we humans find valuable and precious!
When it comes to caring for your pearls and keeping them looking bright and stainless, wipe your pearls down with a soft pearl cleaning cloth after each wear. This will help remove excess moisture buildup and other toxins that may stain them over time. With this in mind, a great way to make the end-of-the-day-cleaning process easier is to wait to put on your pearls in the morning. When you’re washing your face, putting on your make-up, or even doing your hair with hair spray or dry shampoo, you could subject your pearls to staining toxins that will ruin the color purity of your pearls and/or the elasticity of your thread that strings your pearls together. However, in the evenings, your pearls should be the first thing to come off, and then you can begin your cleaning process.
If you start to see stains on a few of your pearls, the best thing you can do is to wipe them down gently with lukewarm water and mild dish soap. Pearls are very delicate and easily manipulated by water, so try not to do this often. Make sure they’re completely dry before putting them away to prevent mold and the break-down of the string holding them together.
On the other hand, pearls are created in an underwater environment, so the best thing you can do for your pearls is to WEAR THEM! The moisture from your skin can keep your pearls from losing their shape and drying out. This doesn’t mean wearing them to bed or in the shower, because too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. A good rule of thumb is to wear them a few times a week to keep them round and bright! When you’re done wearing your pearls for the day, lay them flat on the bottom of a cloth jewelry box or someplace similar. Hanging pearls up can lead to stretching them over time.
On top of the simple daily care you put into your pearls, the best thing you can do for them in the long run is to bring them into your local jewelry store, about once a year. An associate can check your pearls and the quality of the string holding them together to make sure they stay beautiful and strung together while you wear them. Here at Bay Area Diamond Company, we make it easy to check the status of your pearls and the jewelry that surrounds them. Just bring them into one of our three locations in the Midwest and we will clean and repair your delicate pearl jewelry!
P.S. We have plenty of beautiful pearl pieces in stock at our stores! Loose pearls, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, we have it all! Stop by and enjoy our beautiful collection! See you soon!
