Pearls are, whether we talk about South Sea- or Tahiti pearls, living pieces of jewelry. The pearl’s worst enemy is soap, deodorant, hair spray and perfume. Remember: First make up, hair spray and perfume and then the beautiful pearls. When not wearing the pearls you should keep them in a soft velvet bag. If they are kept together with other pieces of jewelry, they can get scratched.
If a pearl collier has been in a jewelry box for years, it will dry out. This means that the surface of the pearl will lose its smoothness, color and luster. These pearls can partly be brought back to life by rubbing them with unscented baby oil, but the best way to maintain them is to wear them on your skin as often as possible. It is said that Queen Ingrid saved the pearls in the Danish crown jewels by sleeping with them at night. The weakest part of a pearl collier is often the silk string. You should therefore have your pearl colliers checked regularly at the goldsmith and if necessary get a new string for them.