earls, old or new this Mother's Day, are precious jewels and should be treated as such. Chances are you'll benefit more from the how-to tips that follow if you know what's involved in creating your pearls.
Natural pearls develop when an grain of sand or particle of dirt becomes lodged inside a mollusk, usually a pearl oyster. The creature protects itself from the irritating intruder by secreting a crystalline substance, called nacre, which coats the intruder and reduces the irritation. It is this nacre, built up layer by layer, that eventually becomes a pearl. The process can take from one to four years to complete.Natural pearls are rare to non-existent today. The major body of water where they were produced is the Persian gulf, fully involved with oil production, not pearl production. The only natural pearls left are those for resale through major galleries. Cost is high - far beyond the purse of most buyers. Case in point, Kelly Klein's pearls, nabbed by Calvin at the sale of the Duchess of Windsor's jewels.
Cultured pearls are deliberately encouraged. The presence of an irritating particle is not accidental. It is purposely placed by man inside carefully bred and select oysters that require about three years to grow large enough for implantation.
The shell of the ouster is pried open, and a tiny mother-of-pearl bead is slipped inside. At that point, the oyster begins to react in a natural way, secreting nacre to reduce the irritation. The oyster is put in a flexible cage and lowered into the water, where it remains for as long as four years, the time required to build up a pearl around the bead.
During this time, the cages are periodically raised to clean off the shells so the oysters can live comfortably. The entire process takes about seven years from start to finish and with no guarantees of success. As with any crop, the oysters are subject to variations in the environment - typhoons, hurricanes, algae growth, pollution, etc.
The culturing process is so effective, however, than only an expert can determine whether a pearl is natural or cultured, usually by means of an X-ray. The shell of natural pearls is significantly thicker than that of cultured pearls.
Simulated or imitation pearls are anything resembling a pearl but which have an outer shell created synthetically - it's never been anywhere near an oyster. Beautiful simulated pearls are created by building up several coats of paint containing powdered fish scales, pearls or oyster shells over a mother-of-pearl glass bead, layering the paint in much the same way an oyster does the job.
High-quality simulated pearls imitate nature so well that only an expert can tell them from the genuine article. Their lower price is your only obvious clue.
Because pearls are organic material, they are porous, sensitive to chemicals and relatively soft, requiring a certain amount of care to preserve their beauty and value.
-Now that you've made the investment, don't toss your pearls carelessly into a purse, plastic bag or cluttered jewel box. Store them in a soft satin, velvet or chamois pouch or lined box. Rough surfaces and contact with other hard stones might cause scratches.
-Wear your pearls often. Contact with body oils will actually increase their luster. However, avoid contact with cosmetics, hairspray, cologne and perfume - any product containing dyes or alcohol. They have a deteriorating effect on pearls, causing discoloration and possible peeling. Put your pearls on only after applying makeup or hairspray. Wait 15 minutes after applying perfume to put on your pearls. Wash pearls every few months to remove any buildup.
-Avoid contact with ink, vinegar and ammonia. New use jewelry cleaners or abrasives. Do not clean pearls in ultrasonic units. To wash pearls, use a soft cloth, warm water and mild soap. Rinse and dry the pearls between two damp towels and then let them sit. When the towels are dry, the pearls will be, too.
-Ordinary wear can weaken and stretch the silk or nylon cord, causing the strand to lose its shape or to break. If the cord appears to be loosening, have the pearls professionally restrung immediately, with individual knots between each pearl. Knots keep the pearls from rubbing against each other, destroying their luster. If the strand does break, all the pearls won't fall off and become lost. Depending on the frequency of wear, most pearls need to be restrung every one or two years.