Do you know does mother-of-pearl shrink?
Does mother-of-pearl shrink? Mother-of-pearl does not shrink when exposed to water.
Mother-of-pearl has a fragile texture, after contact with water, it will lose its luster due to the absorption of water, which will affect the luster of the surface of the pearl, leading to yellowing of the pearl, and in serious cases, it will even lead to mottling of the surface of the pearl and shedding of the pearl, which does not affect the size, so the mother of pearl will not shrink when it is exposed to water.
However, in special circumstances, the pearl will have a tiny shrinkage, why do pearls shrink?
What is composition of pearls?
The composition of pearls:
The main mineral components that make up a pearl are aragonite and calcite (about 82%-86%), along with 10%-14% pearl keratin, and 2% water.
The two minerals that makeup pearls are calcium carbonate (CaCO3), aragonite with a specific gravity of 2.95 and a hardness of 3.5-4.0, and calcite with a specific gravity of 2.71 and a hardness of 3.
Because the main component of the pearl is calcium carbonate, when the pearl is in contact with acidic substances (such as sweat, tap water, etc.), the surface will be damaged.
Because its hardness is not high, and some hard objects friction will also cause damage to the pearl, the combination of the above two points, it is not difficult to understand why the pearl will be shrunk.
In addition, when the pearl is in contact with a heat source or a fire source, it will also be slowly baked dry, gradually losing moisture, aragonite into calcite, so that the pearl gradually loses luster.
So, exactly how to wear pearl color will not damage it? In fact, as living organic gemstones, pearls are like women, only carefully cared for, to stay young and beautiful forever.
Do what will hurt the pearl?
Pearls are sensitive to acid:
Pearls are very susceptible to erosion, even acids in very low concentrations and even acidic secretions from the wearer’s skin can damage them. Sweat can also corrode pearls to some extent.
Pearls are sensitive to chemicals:
Soaps, perfumes, hairsprays, detergents, cosmetics can also damage pearls
Pearls contain moisture and are sensitive to heat:
Avoid exposure to the sun, even light heating should be avoided to prevent cracks and powdering of the surface caused by dehydration.
Pearls are not very hard:
Friction with other stones or metals should therefore be avoided and they should be kept separate from other stones.
How to take care of pearls?
Don’t wear pearls at all times. As a delicate gemstone, consider taking off your pearl jewelry except on occasions when you need it when you are cooking, exercising, playing, and messing around.
Wear pearl jewelry after washing and make-up, rather than wearing pearls on the body first, so as not to stain the surface of the pearls with chemicals during make-up, and avoid wearing pearls in the shower, as the chemicals in the shower gel will damage the pearls, and the residual moisture will cause mold and blackening of the bead threads.
Pay attention when wearing hot weather do not wear pearls outdoors, in addition to the impact of the weather on the pearl, there is also sweat will also cause corrosion of the pearl, and rainwater on rainy days may also have a certain acidity that will damage the pearl.
Also avoid friction with other gemstones or hard objects, such as don’t wear a watch and pearl bracelet on one hand at the same time.
When not worn, pearls should be cleaned with water and cotton wool, dried with a soft cloth, and stored in a cool, dry place. Do not store pearls in a box with other gems. Strung pearls also need to be dried mainly flat to prevent stretching the strands out of shape.
When sending pearl jewelry to a workshop for reworking, pay particular attention to possible damage to the pearls caused by the high temperatures created by the heat gun: surface drying and chalking.
When cleaning pearls, ultrasonic cleaners and steam cleaners should not be used, as pearls dissolve in acidic liquids.
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