PEARL TREATMENT

Pearl Treatment

Pearls are very soft and need special treatment. They never should be tossed on top of or next to other gems in a jewellery box. Store them in a jewellery pouch.

Some women's skin is more acid than others. If a pearl necklace is regularly worn, as it should be, some of the pearls will constantly be in close contact with the woman's skin on her neck at the shoulder line.

Pearl pendants do not always have such constant contact with a woman's skin. The pearls in the necklace will gradually absorb acid from the skin and the acid will slowly eat into the spherical pearl. Over time the pearl will not only lose its luster, but will become barrel-shaped. You can slow this process by wiping the pearls with a soft cloth after wearing them.

Besides being soft, pearls are easily damaged by chemicals like perfume, vinegar, hair spray and lemon juice. Heat can turn pearls brown or dry them out and make them crack. Dry air can also damage pearls. Most safe deposit vaults have very dry air and can damage pearls.

When taking off a pearl ring, grasp the shank, or metal part, rather than the pearl. This will prevent the pearl from loosening and coming into contact with skin oil on your hand.
Because of their delicate nature, special treatment must be taken when cleaning:

• Do not wear pearls when their string is wet. Wet strings stretch and attract dirt, which is hard to remove.
• Do not hang pearls to dry.
• Take your pearls off when applying cosmetics, hair spray, and perfume, or when showering or swimming.
• Only use jewellery cleaners labelled as safe for pearls.
• Avoid wearing pearls with rough fabrics like Shetland wool.
• Have your pearls restrung once a year if you wear them often.
• Never use an ultrasonic cleaner.
• Never steam-clean pearls.
• Never use (or expose pearls) to dish or wash detergents, bleaches, powdered cleansers, baking soda, or ammonia-based cleaners (like Windex).
• Never use toothbrushes, scouring pads or abrasive materials to clean pearls.

Cleaning Pearls

After you wore pearls, just wipe them off with a soft cloth or chamois, which may be dry or damp. You can even use a drop of olive oil on the cloth to help maintain their luster.
If pearls have not been kept clean and are very dirty, they can be cleaned by your jeweller or they can be cleaned by using special pearl cleaner. Be careful using other types of jewellery cleaner or soap. Some liquid soap, can damage pearls. Pay attention to the areas around the drill holes where dirt may tend to collect. After washing your pearls, lay them flat in a moist kitchen towel to dry. When the towel is dry, your pearls should be dry. About every six months have a jewellery professional verify that the pearls on your jeweller are securely mounted or that the string is still good.

Colour

Choose the colour that:
1. Flatters your skin:

• White pearl colour is the most popular one. It can flatter the widest range of skin tones;
• Cream and gold pearl colours are believed to suit dark and olive skins. They can highlight the skin tone.

2. Coordinates your clothing:

• White pearls look great on black or dark clothing;
• Coloured pearls look great on white clothing.
  Cleaning your Swarovski Crystals
  
  Swarovski Crystals Treatments
  
  Swarovski recommends that you polish your Swarovski crystal regularly with the Swarovski polishing cloth. If soiled, use a soft brush to wash your crystal in lukewarm water containing a small amount of a mild detergent. Then rinse under running water. Dry with a soft, lint-free towel and finish with the Swarovski polishing cloth. To help you clean and care for your crystal, Swarovski has produced the Swarovski Cleaning Kit. The kit includes a natural bristle brush with a Plexiglass handle, pure cotton polishing cloth, cotton gloves and a small bag of crystals for decorative purposes. When handling your crystal, it is recommended that you wear the Swarovski Gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints. This will help maintain the brilliance of your Swarovski crystal.
  
  Swarovski Jewellery
  
  Swarovski Jewelry is fashion jewelry, and as such, it is either gold or rhodium plated, and a certain amount of wear and tear will occur over time. Swarovski's plating standards are very high and under normal circumstances your Swarovski Jewelry will have a very long life. To ensure the lasting beauty of your Swarovski Jewelry, do not use sonic cleaners, boiling water or commercial jewelry cleaners. Jewelry cleaners usually contain ammonia or alcohol which can have a damaging effect on the plating.
  
  Swarovski recommends that you occasionally polish each piece with a soft lint-free cloth. If your jewelry is very dirty, wash your jewelry using warm water, a mild dish detergent and a soft bristled brush. Rinse thoroughly with clean water prior to drying with a soft lint-free cloth. Please note: Do not wash the Swarovski simulated pearls. These should be buffed with a soft dry cloth.
  
  Also, it is a good idea to put your Swarovski Jewelry on after applying perfume, hand cream or hair spray. Never wear your jewelry in the bath, in bed, doing dishes or when exercising. This can cause unreasonable stress and wear and tear. Store your jewelry in the soft pouch or box provided by Swarovski to prevent scratching. Chains and necklaces will retain their shine and glitter best if they are hung up when not being worn. Do not store your Swarovski Jewelry in areas of excessive heat or sun exposure.

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