Whaddya Know About pearls?

[Chappers]

After watching one of those TV shows about people selling all their stuff so they can buy their grandchildren a computer etc etc, my mother and I have been looking at her pearl collection.

We understand about the difference between cultured pearls and natural pearls...natural pearls are pearls the whole way through and cultured pearls are beads that have had a very thin pearl layer grown over them. BUT there are also some other ones...they are very big, not like the cultured ones my mother has, bigger and more plastic feeling, they are also very silver looking. Are these cultured also or are they just plastic beads painted with something to make them look like pearls?

Also, what is the rough value of pearls these days? Natural and cultured and what is the best way of cleaning them?

[cassimer]

You seem to know quite a lot already...!
With the big pearls, rub them against your teeth - if rough they are real (or at the least large cultured pearls) if smooth they are fake ones. Works for all pearls.
The value is very tricky - depends on coulour, age, size, quality, setting, other precious metals etc. Best to take to a couple of shops to get them valued, or antiques dealers if you think they warrant it. Sounds lovely - wish i had a pearl collection.....

[cassimer]

Sorry should have said before:
To clean use a damp cloth, if necessary use a very mild detergent solution but wipe thouroughly with a damp cloth. Perfume, makeup and sweat all affect pearls, and so it is best to apply hairspray etc before wearing. Dont use hot water, steam, or ultrasonic jewellry cleaners - they absorb nearly anything and are very sensitive.

However the best way to keep a string of pearls glowing is to wear them - the body's natural oils keep them shiny and stop them drying out!

[hairylemon]

 dont drop them in vinegar or they'll melt. thats all i know. and i used my mums to check if it was true. it was true. oops!!

[woofgang]

I think that these may be the coated beads that Inapickle had in mind

http://www.majorcapearls.com/index.htm

[woofgang]

PS I clean mine in my ultrasonic cleaner but use special pearl and porous gem solution to do it

[brachiopod]

My second fishy answer tonight, but I remember that the scales of the Bleak (Alburnus alburnus) were used to make "Essence d'Orient" with which they coated the insides of hollow glass beads with to make artificial pearls.

As for cleaning - don't use acids!! Mother of Pearl, or nacre, is composed largely of a form of calcium carbonate (aragonite) and will be damaged by weak acids and will just dissolve in stronger acids.

[belalee01]

wholesale pearl beads at a low price.
http://www.gets.cn/wh...-Pearl-Beads-313.html