Do Pearls Lose Their Luster – Art Nacre Inc
Do pearls lose their luster if worn for a long time?
Yes, pearls will lose their luster when worn for a long time.
Pearls worn for a long time, the surface of the luster will slowly fade, with the pearl worn for a longer and longer time, its absorption of external substances also gradually becomes more and more impurities absorbed, and the surface of the pearl will naturally slowly turn yellow.
Secondly, the pearl is the only one in the world with the life of the gemstone, belongs to the typical organic gemstones, so the pearl has a certain shelf life, usually after 60 years of wear will slowly turn yellow, and lose luster.
Why do pearls lose their luster when worn for a long time?
The main component of pearls is calcium carbonate. Contact with human skin and sweat or some other things such as external acids and alkalis, will make him lose his luster.
How do you classify the luster grade of pearls?
Luster is the soul of the pearl, and is one of the important indicators to test the quality of pearl luster, due to the pearl formation environment and other factors, the surface of the pearl will show different luster, to accurately assess the luster of the pearl, based on the luster of the pearl for the classification, it will be to use the luster meter for measurement.
Pearl Luster Guide
The luster of pearls is the result of the combined effect of reflection, refraction, and light interference and diffraction of incident light on the surface and inside the pearl.
The strength of the pearl luster is mainly related to the thickness of the pearl layer, the pearl layer aragonite or calcite arranged in an orderly manner, the growth of the pearl, the water body trace elements, etc., and thus the pearl’s light choice is an external indicator of the thickness of the pearl layer, but also the mother-of-pearl growth and health of the embodiment of the situation.
Generally speaking, the pearl growth time is moderate (generally 2 ~ 4 years), the formation of pearls in the water environment is good, good condition of the pearl shell’s key health, and the pearl’s luster is stronger;
On the contrary, the growth time of pearls is too short the health condition of the pearl shell is not good, the quantity and quality of pearls secreted by the pearl shell are poor, and the luster of pearls is poor.
What are the grades of pearl luster?
Pearl luster level is divided into:
A – very strong: reflected light is very bright, sharp, and even, the reflection is very clear.
B – strong: reflected light is bright, and the image of the object can be seen on the surface.
C – medium: reflected light is not bright, the surface can see the object, but the image is fuzzy.
D – weak: reflected light is all diffuse, surface luster dull, almost no image.
What are the factors affecting pearl luster?
Factors affecting the luster of pearls:
The amount of aragonite content on and near the surface of the pearl, the structure and density of the aragonite crystal layer, and the form, size, arrangement, and degree of self-shaping of the aragonite sheet will affect the luster of the pearl.
Because aragonite has a high refractive index (1.530 ~ 1.686), the more aragonite content, the less organic matter exposed, and the stronger the pearl luster, if the lack of aragonite crystal layer, the pearl’s luster will be weakened to earthy luster.
The more uniform and dense the aragonite crystal layer on the surface of the pearl, the fewer surface defects, and the better the pearl luster.
When the surface structure of the pearl is loose, there are many stripes and minor depressions, the incident light is diffuse reflection, and the pearl luster is poor or even no luster;
When the surface of the pearl is smooth, dense structure, the incident light is mirror reflection, the surface luster is better.
After a long time, contact with sweat and dust will be yellow and grey.
Avoid wearing them when working with sweat. If accidentally stained with sweat stains, you can use a toothbrush with some toothpaste or neutral shower gel rinse clean, dry with a fine cloth, and then wipe a little baby oil or lotion for maintenance.
Usually also needs to be washed often to keep it clean, and not in contact with strong acids, and strong alkali, to avoid heavy impact and collision.
Because the sweat contains chlorinated Na, salt and potassium, magnesium, calcium, lactic acid, urea nitrogen, and so on. Shell strings have a certain slight corrosive effect, although it may be in the pre-sweat when wearing shell strings impact is not great.
But with the shell strings in contact with more sweat, its surface is also corrosion. Thus losing the surface of the glossy feeling, and may be because of the problem of sweat leads to the shell string’s black color.
Shells are formed by the secretion of a special glandular cell of mollusks to protect the soft parts of the body from the calcified material, easy to be eroded by sweat.
Do pearls lose their luster if not worn?
While pearls may appear hard and shiny, the surface of a pearl is actually quite porous and will absorb the natural oils from your body. If pearls are not worn every four months or so, they can dry out and become dull and yellowed.
Pearl Care Guide
How to care for pearls? 5 tips for maintaining your pearls below.
Avoid exposing pearls to chemicals and acids
These substances include perfumes, cosmetics, hairspray, detergents, bleach, etc. These substances can erode the surface of pearls and make them lose their luster and color. Therefore, before wearing pearls, it is best to complete the steps of applying make-up and perfume and wait for some time before putting them on.
Similarly, remember to remove your pearls when removing your make-up or taking a shower to avoid them getting stained with dirt or vapor. Do not wear pearls for swimming or bathing. So please wear your lovely pearls after applying make-up.
Avoid exposing your pearls to sunlight or heat
As pearls contain a certain amount of water, sunlight, and high temperatures can cause them to dehydrate and crack, affecting their stability and beauty. You should keep your pearls in a cool place and try to avoid direct sunlight or placing them in a place that is too dry to avoid dehydration.
Also, when using electrical appliances such as hair dryers, microwaves, and irons, keep them away from pearls.
Avoid rubbing or bumping pearls against hard objects
Hard objects can scratch or chip the surface of pearls, affecting their integrity and luster. Therefore, when wearing or storing pearls, take care to separate them from other metals or gemstones to avoid rubbing against each other.
To store pearl jewelry separately so as not to scratch the pearl cortex with other jewelry, you can wrap each pearl in soft velvet or silk and put it into a special jewelry box.
In the case of strings of pearl necklaces or bracelets, check regularly whether their lines are firm and whether they are loose or broken. If so, replace the wiring with a new one in time to avoid dropping or losing the pearls.
Avoid letting pearls come into contact with sweat or grease
Sweat and grease can seep into the pores of pearls and affect their luster and color. Therefore, after exercising or sweating, wipe the pearls with a soft dry cloth in time to remove stains and moisture from the surface.
If the pearls have become dull or yellowish, wash them gently with warm water and neutral detergent, then absorb the moisture with a towel and place them in a cool, ventilated place to dry naturally.
Never wash your pearls in hot water or strong alkaline detergents, or dry them with a hair dryer or heater.
Avoid letting pearls into the kitchen
Pearls have tiny pores on their surface, so it is not advisable to let them inhale airborne dirt.
Pearls can absorb substances such as hair spray and perfume. So do not wear beautiful pearls to electrify your hair and be careful in the kitchen.
Don’t wear beautiful pearls to cook dishes, steam and fumes may penetrate the pearls and make them yellow.
In addition to these external care methods, there is a most important internal care method, which is to wear and appreciate your pearls frequently.
This is because the oils and body heat of the human body also bring a kind of vigor and warmth to the pearls, making them more dynamic and vibrant. So don’t let your pearls sit idle in your jewelry box, but take them out and wear them often so that they can show your personality and charm with you.
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