What is the best way to take care of my pearl strand?
Keep pearls away from other jewelry, particularly metal items that can scratch the soft surface of the pearls. Keep your pearls in a cloth or plastic baggie in your jewelry box at home or when traveling. Cleaning is also important. Use a mild gem cleaner to clean them regularly and let them dry on a towel. Also check them often to make sure they do not need to be restrung. If the pearls can move at all between the knots, your strand needs to be restrung. This can be as often as once a year or every several years, depending on their size, length and how often they are worn. Always spray your perfume or hairspray before putting on your pearls. Chemicals in those products will ruin the luster of your pearls.
Pearls are basically nacre over an irritant — the layer of nacre per pearl will differ. Best thing to do is to make sure you don’t make that nacre disappear — do not wear it down with scrubbing or abrasive cloths. As well to prevent it from absorbing solutions such as perfume or makeup, put on your pearls last when getting ready. Try rubbing it witha soft dusting cloth and some mild soapy water. That usually will help. For more, check out http://www.stonesandfindings.com/jewelry-making-articles/articles/cleaning-gemstones or http://jewelry.about.com/cs/pearls/a/cleaning_pearls.htm
