Hello Harriet, thanks for that info. I’ve only recently started making jewellery with pearls, including knotting and stringing them myself, and being self taught it’s so lovely to hear from a professional like yourself how to clean them properly. My Mum has been asking me for months to clean her beautiful strings and now I feel confident enough to do so. I have to add, I’m rather jealous of you workbench set up, lots of lovely tools! 😁
Thank you Hana for your nice comments, i'm glad it was helpful. My workbench used to be my dad's who built it from scratch and it is the same one that I learned on many years ago (I made my first ring when I was 4) so is very special to me. Good luck cleaning your mum's necklaces and with your jewellery making too. Harriet x
I've only recently become the proud owner of several pearl pieces! Thankfully looked up how to clean them before I tried on my own! Give the kitty a pat from me in Canada 🇨🇦!
Such a useful video! I have a question: which is the best string material for pearls: silk, plastic, silver, gold? Which one would be the best in your opinion?
Hi thanks for your question which I've only just seen (sorry about the delay in replying!). It depends on the pearls and on what you are after. If you are looking at fine vintage pearls and want a traditional method then I often think that silk is best. However good quality non stretch nylon it great for practicality and we use this a lot. And things like steel core nylon can work for differnet more modern pieces and silver and gold chainwork are good too. Anything goes really and this thinking needs to be part of your design idea for your own piece. Best wishes, Harriet
Thank u for this demo. J live pearls m k promote them to my friends n relatives. I Every woman should have a set of pearls. Its a wonderful investment . they are kept well they last a lifetime. Excellent tips thank u!⚘
My mother told me I could have my grandmother's pearls when I grew up. They came in their own box which was contoured on the inside. Finally the day came, I opened the box.....and there lay a strand of beads with pearl colored flakes of paint lying around them. I was so disappointed I cried.
Thank you very much for sharing your expertise. I have some pearl necklaces but I'm not sure which are real and which are fake. How can a person test them or somehow tell the real ones?
Take a close look at the holes: when the pearls are fake, they are coated to make them look good, whereas real pearls have an even surface around the exits of the holes. I’d be suspicious as well if all pearls of a necklace have the same color. The weight of plastic ones can be changed by putting some weight inside. Don’t judge the pearls by the buckle: it’s common for fake pearls to put a golden one or a silver one onto them to make them look more precious.
Hi Sorry for the delay I have only just found this comment. There are a number of things to look at. You need to carefully look at the surface of the pearl and see if this has scratched off anywhere (if it has they are not real). And look at the drill hole in particular. You can probably find online pictures of what a drilled hole looks like on a real pearl compared to a fake. Also real pearls are a bit heavier but some fakes are also heavy so this isn't conclusive. The best thing really will be to take these to a good jeweller who should be able to advise. Best wishes Harriet
How to clean a gold starburst brooch which includes some very small pearls. I think it’s a vintage piece of jewellery which can also be worn as a pendant.
Hi, when we are cleaning things like this we sometimes use an extremely soft (baby's) toothbrush dry with a little talcum powder and then dust clean. Clean this completely dry and very gently. if you are worried it is delicate then take to a jeweller to have it cleaned.
Hello miss Harriet, greetings from Brazil. I've seen some recommendations to clean mother of pearl (or nacre) with olive oil and a soft tissue, just as the one you used. Would you agree with that recommendation or should I clean it as you cleaned? Thank you, and best regards.
Hello Victor and thanks for getting in touch. I have heard that some people do this but don't have any personal experience of it. I think that it can cause problems with the pearl string getting a bit oily so I imagine you would have to be careful. So I can only advise to stick to my method because I know it works. Good luck! Harriet x
Hello! I have a silver and pearl ring and the silver has begun to tarnish and there is some debris stucks very close to the pearl. How can I safely clean this??? Thanks!
Hi - the answer is to be very careful. I would suggest taking it to a jeweller really. You could try rubbing gently with a silver cleaning cloth like a Goddards cloth but you have to be extremely careful to avoid the pearl.
Hi and thanks for your question. I am afraid this is hard to advise on because there are all different types of fake pearls. But all of them are very fragile and scratch very easily so be careful. Perhaps try a very soft cloth and be gentle.
Hey Miss Harriet, I've got a necklace that has a pearl positioned in the middle of a silver snowflake. The snowflake itself is fairly dark due to oxidation. Do you recommend me just brushing the snowflake with the toothbrush and chalk like you did in the video? Is it ok if I accidentally brush the pearl with the chalk (which I haven't, I'm just curious)? Thank you, and best regards.
Hello You should be fine to wear the pearls in sunlight in normal wear, as when the UV is too high for the pearls you will find it is too high for you too and go into the shade. But it is best not to leave them in direct sunlight - some people might leave their pearls for long periods of time on a table in direct intense sun light which is very bad for pearls. Most people believe that the natural oils for the skin are not bad for pearls and some even say they are good for them. It does rather depend on your skin though as some skins excrete Stogner toxins than others. for example I have one customer who can't wear silver because her body fluids are so naturally sulphurous that this oxidises the silver extremely fast which is very unusual. But in most cases you don't need to worry about this. But if you notice your pearls seem negatively effected when wearing them let me know.
I have a pendant that has a pearl with some diamonds around it. The necklace is old and was my grandmas. I don’t want to ruin it but the gold pearl setting needs a good clean and so do the diamonds so they can sparkle again but I am afraid to damage the pearl so I am unsure how to go about this. Any advice?
Hi it is tricky to advise confidently without seeing it., We sometimes clean things like this with an extremely soft toothbrush for a baby which we use dry with some talcum powder but it might be best to get this professionally cleaned. Sorry for the delay I have only just found this comment. Best wishes, Harriet
Hi Harriet thank you very much for share your knowlege I have a bunch of sweet water pearls a friend give to me but I want to clean theme before do a neckless Can I put just in a warm water with soap or need just clean like you did thanks for your time LOL
Just like the video, you should only use soap if you really need to. Plain distilled water is best. If they are loose pearls, you can submerge them in the plain water for a few minutes during the process. Good luck!
Nice video.. What will be the easiest way to store about -50-60 pearls necklaces and bracelets? ... I have too some pearls that are mix with stones (semi-precious gemstones) and metal ... how should I storage this pearls without using to much space? i have jewelry boxes are just full ... and now I have about 30 pearls necklaces in a single display ... any help be grateful ... thank you
Hi there, with pearls it is best to store them in a way where they are not in sunlight. So the ideal would be in some kind of box but they scratch easily. You could look at some of the velvet roll style jewellery packaging solutions on the market. You could wrap each strand in acid-free tissue paper and store them next to eachother in a simple wooden box or similar?
I have inherited my late Grandmas pearl necklace. I am getting married later this year & want to wear them as my something old. However my Grandma smoked her whole life, & the pearls are stained from her smoking. How can I remove the stains please? Or am I best trying to find someone to clean them professionally?
Hi thanks for your question. When it comes to cleaning pearls yourself at home, the methods I described in the video are best. Have you already tried this? If the staining persists it is best to get them professionally cleaned by a good jeweller who understands pearl well. In my experience getting smoking stains off is challenging but usually possible although the smell may linger even after cleaning unless you actually get them re-strung as well. They may well need restringing anyway if they are a little old. Where are you based? best wishes, Harriet
Hello mam...I need your help..my brother gifted me a pearl necklace and earrings set..I kept the necklace carefully but..the earrings..I kept that by mistake in a box with red paper in it..it was light pink but now it is light cream in colour now.Can you help me to restore the colour of my pink pearls.plz
Hi there I am afraid that once pearls loose their colour I don't know of a way to get it back. It may be possible but I don't know of a jeweller who knows how. It sounds as though the colour might have faded by being in UV light which will fade the colour from even naturally coloured pearls. Or some pearls are coated with something that slowly wears/washes off. Sorry not to be able to help more here.
Hi it is hard to advise without seeing them. Sometimes pearls do naturally darken a little. It rather depends on what has been darkening them. I'd recommend trying what I have said in the video and if that doesn't do it, maybe take them to a good jeweller who understands pearl to have a look. Best wishes, Harriet
Hello, I have a broken set of pearls which I am restringing (after much research) and nowhere can I find instructions on how to clean individual pearls with lots of buildup around the hole. I know I need to keep them all in order, and will clean the main surface very gently, but what about the little bobble of grime surrounding the hole? Many, many thanks, Lynne
Hi and thank you for your question. It is very hard to comment on this without seeing the pearls. Are you sure they are real pearls and are you sure that the build-up is grime and not actually layers of pearl nacre (as the pearls may either not be completely round or they may have a build up from the way in which they were originally drilled). I would be very careful and stick to my method. It would be OK to soak the loose pearls in distilled pure water for 10 minutes or so and then you may find you can very gently loosen the dirt off from around the holes with a gentle finger, but be careful as I say, it might actually not be dirt but a little dirt on top of a layer of actual pearl. If you are at all worried or if this doesn't work I would suggest that you go to a good jeweller for this rather than trying it yourself. And do be very careful - restringing is a lot harder than it looks when you see us professionals do it. There can be all kinds of problems like string stretching etc. It really is rather a specialist skill when it comes to pearls in particular. But good luck and let me know how you get on.
If they are real black pearls (as opposed to coated artifically) you can clean the in the same way. With all pearls, avoid leaving them out in UV light, but store them in boxes away from the light.
hi what is the best way to to get rid of old strong perfume smells on neckless , bracelets or loose freshwater cultured pearls. i bought these pearls from a charity shop in London and i want to use them to make a gift for someone. thanks
Hi and thanks for your question. This is tricky because real pearls do absorb oils. The best thing I can suggest is to clean them as I indicate. However I think it is unusual for the actual pearls to retain the odor for long. Try changing the box and also you may well find that some of the fragrance is in the actual thread so I would advise getting them professionally restrung as this may help. Good luck! Harriet x
Hi you can use any brand of hand soap that doesn't contain a lot of colours or scents. I often use the brand 'simple' but any basic and pure hand soap (not liquid soap) will work.
My pearl necklace has tarnished inbetween the pearl, i want to clean these silver links with baking soda and foil, does baking soda had a bad effect the pearls? I aim to clean it carefully . Thank you
Hello I strongly advise against using baking soda on or near pearls as even just a small amount will damage the pearls considerably. If the links are made from real silver, you could try cleaning them gently and carefully with a dry silver polishing cloth (eg a Goddards one or similar) but be very careful not to rub the pearls too. If these are real pearls you might prefer to take this to a jeweller to have it cleaned professionally. Good luck! best wishes, Harriet
How do I figure out, if the pearls I got "for free", when I bought some jewellers tools, are real and what they are worth, so I don't cheat my self or some buyer?
Hello Harriet, thanks for that info. I’ve only recently started making jewellery with pearls, including knotting and stringing them myself, and being self taught it’s so lovely to hear from a professional like yourself how to clean them properly. My Mum has been asking me for months to clean her beautiful strings and now I feel confident enough to do so. I have to add, I’m rather jealous of you workbench set up, lots of lovely tools! 😁
Thank you Hana for your nice comments, i'm glad it was helpful. My workbench used to be my dad's who built it from scratch and it is the same one that I learned on many years ago (I made my first ring when I was 4) so is very special to me. Good luck cleaning your mum's necklaces and with your jewellery making too. Harriet x
I've only recently become the proud owner of several pearl pieces! Thankfully looked up how to clean them before I tried on my own! Give the kitty a pat from me in Canada 🇨🇦!
I love the feline input to your video 😻
Thank you. Her name is Luna!
Such a useful video! I have a question: which is the best string material for pearls: silk, plastic, silver, gold? Which one would be the best in your opinion?
Hi thanks for your question which I've only just seen (sorry about the delay in replying!). It depends on the pearls and on what you are after. If you are looking at fine vintage pearls and want a traditional method then I often think that silk is best. However good quality non stretch nylon it great for practicality and we use this a lot. And things like steel core nylon can work for differnet more modern pieces and silver and gold chainwork are good too. Anything goes really and this thinking needs to be part of your design idea for your own piece. Best wishes, Harriet
Very nice and thanks for the good information.
You are welcome. Thanks for your comment.
Great video.
Thank u for this demo. J live pearls m k promote them to my friends n relatives. I Every woman should have a set of pearls. Its a wonderful investment . they are kept well they last a lifetime. Excellent tips thank u!⚘
My mother told me I could have my grandmother's pearls when I grew up. They came in their own box which was contoured on the inside. Finally the day came, I opened the box.....and there lay a strand of beads with pearl colored flakes of paint lying around them. I was so disappointed I cried.
Oh no! That's so sad! I hope that you have now bought yourself some new ones!
Thank you very much for sharing your expertise. I have some pearl necklaces but I'm not sure which are real and which are fake. How can a person test them or somehow tell the real ones?
Take a close look at the holes: when the pearls are fake, they are coated to make them look good, whereas real pearls have an even surface around the exits of the holes. I’d be suspicious as well if all pearls of a necklace have the same color. The weight of plastic ones can be changed by putting some weight inside.
Don’t judge the pearls by the buckle: it’s common for fake pearls to put a golden one or a silver one onto them to make them look more precious.
Hi Sorry for the delay I have only just found this comment.
There are a number of things to look at. You need to carefully look at the surface of the pearl and see if this has scratched off anywhere (if it has they are not real). And look at the drill hole in particular. You can probably find online pictures of what a drilled hole looks like on a real pearl compared to a fake.
Also real pearls are a bit heavier but some fakes are also heavy so this isn't conclusive.
The best thing really will be to take these to a good jeweller who should be able to advise.
Best wishes
Harriet
Thank you
That's very helpful thanks u 🥰
How to clean a gold starburst brooch which includes some very small pearls. I think it’s a vintage piece of jewellery which can also be worn as a pendant.
Hi, when we are cleaning things like this we sometimes use an extremely soft (baby's) toothbrush dry with a little talcum powder and then dust clean. Clean this completely dry and very gently. if you are worried it is delicate then take to a jeweller to have it cleaned.
Hello miss Harriet, greetings from Brazil. I've seen some recommendations to clean mother of pearl (or nacre) with olive oil and a soft tissue, just as the one you used. Would you agree with that recommendation or should I clean it as you cleaned? Thank you, and best regards.
Hello Victor and thanks for getting in touch. I have heard that some people do this but don't have any personal experience of it. I think that it can cause problems with the pearl string getting a bit oily so I imagine you would have to be careful. So I can only advise to stick to my method because I know it works. Good luck! Harriet x
Thanks
Hello! I have a silver and pearl ring and the silver has begun to tarnish and there is some debris stucks very close to the pearl. How can I safely clean this??? Thanks!
You could use tarnish remover but I’d be quite careful
Hi - the answer is to be very careful. I would suggest taking it to a jeweller really. You could try rubbing gently with a silver cleaning cloth like a Goddards cloth but you have to be extremely careful to avoid the pearl.
Hello, thanks for this great video. How do I clean fake pearls, meaning beaded pearls that aren't natural nor cultured pearls? Thanks for your reply
Hi and thanks for your question. I am afraid this is hard to advise on because there are all different types of fake pearls. But all of them are very fragile and scratch very easily so be careful. Perhaps try a very soft cloth and be gentle.
Hey Miss Harriet, I've got a necklace that has a pearl positioned in the middle of a silver snowflake. The snowflake itself is fairly dark due to oxidation. Do you recommend me just brushing the snowflake with the toothbrush and chalk like you did in the video? Is it ok if I accidentally brush the pearl with the chalk (which I haven't, I'm just curious)? Thank you, and best regards.
Hi You could try chalk dust and just be a little careful to avoid the actual pearl. So use a very small brush.
Helpful❤
Sunlight you mentioned is bad for pearls. Does this mean better not to wear pearls during daylight time? What about the impact of sweat on pearls?
Hello
You should be fine to wear the pearls in sunlight in normal wear, as when the UV is too high for the pearls you will find it is too high for you too and go into the shade. But it is best not to leave them in direct sunlight - some people might leave their pearls for long periods of time on a table in direct intense sun light which is very bad for pearls.
Most people believe that the natural oils for the skin are not bad for pearls and some even say they are good for them. It does rather depend on your skin though as some skins excrete Stogner toxins than others. for example I have one customer who can't wear silver because her body fluids are so naturally sulphurous that this oxidises the silver extremely fast which is very unusual. But in most cases you don't need to worry about this. But if you notice your pearls seem negatively effected when wearing them let me know.
I have a pendant that has a pearl with some diamonds around it. The necklace is old and was my grandmas. I don’t want to ruin it but the gold pearl setting needs a good clean and so do the diamonds so they can sparkle again but I am afraid to damage the pearl so I am unsure how to go about this. Any advice?
Hi it is tricky to advise confidently without seeing it., We sometimes clean things like this with an extremely soft toothbrush for a baby which we use dry with some talcum powder but it might be best to get this professionally cleaned. Sorry for the delay I have only just found this comment. Best wishes, Harriet
Hi Harriet thank you very much for share your knowlege I have a bunch of sweet water pearls a friend give to me but I want to clean theme before do a neckless Can I put just in a warm water with soap or need just clean like you did
thanks for your time LOL
Just like the video, you should only use soap if you really need to. Plain distilled water is best. If they are loose pearls, you can submerge them in the plain water for a few minutes during the process. Good luck!
@@HarrietKelsall Hi Harriet
thanks You, very helpful and yes they are loose
Nice video.. What will be the easiest way to store about -50-60 pearls necklaces and bracelets? ... I have too some pearls that are mix with stones (semi-precious gemstones) and metal ... how should I storage this pearls without using to much space? i have jewelry boxes are just full ... and now I have about 30 pearls necklaces in a single display ... any help be grateful ... thank you
Hi there, with pearls it is best to store them in a way where they are not in sunlight. So the ideal would be in some kind of box but they scratch easily. You could look at some of the velvet roll style jewellery packaging solutions on the market. You could wrap each strand in acid-free tissue paper and store them next to eachother in a simple wooden box or similar?
@@HarrietKelsall Thank you so much
I have inherited my late Grandmas pearl necklace. I am getting married later this year & want to wear them as my something old. However my Grandma smoked her whole life, & the pearls are stained from her smoking. How can I remove the stains please? Or am I best trying to find someone to clean them professionally?
Hi thanks for your question. When it comes to cleaning pearls yourself at home, the methods I described in the video are best. Have you already tried this? If the staining persists it is best to get them professionally cleaned by a good jeweller who understands pearl well. In my experience getting smoking stains off is challenging but usually possible although the smell may linger even after cleaning unless you actually get them re-strung as well. They may well need restringing anyway if they are a little old. Where are you based? best wishes, Harriet
Hello mam...I need your help..my brother gifted me a pearl necklace and earrings set..I kept the necklace carefully but..the earrings..I kept that by mistake in a box with red paper in it..it was light pink but now it is light cream in colour now.Can you help me to restore the colour of my pink pearls.plz
Hi there I am afraid that once pearls loose their colour I don't know of a way to get it back. It may be possible but I don't know of a jeweller who knows how. It sounds as though the colour might have faded by being in UV light which will fade the colour from even naturally coloured pearls. Or some pearls are coated with something that slowly wears/washes off. Sorry not to be able to help more here.
I inherited a choker of pearls and they have yellowed. Can I clean them and bring them back to their original color?
Hi it is hard to advise without seeing them. Sometimes pearls do naturally darken a little. It rather depends on what has been darkening them. I'd recommend trying what I have said in the video and if that doesn't do it, maybe take them to a good jeweller who understands pearl to have a look. Best wishes, Harriet
Hello, I have a broken set of pearls which I am restringing (after much research) and nowhere can I find instructions on how to clean individual pearls with lots of buildup around the hole. I know I need to keep them all in order, and will clean the main surface very gently, but what about the little bobble of grime surrounding the hole? Many, many thanks, Lynne
Hi and thank you for your question. It is very hard to comment on this without seeing the pearls. Are you sure they are real pearls and are you sure that the build-up is grime and not actually layers of pearl nacre (as the pearls may either not be completely round or they may have a build up from the way in which they were originally drilled). I would be very careful and stick to my method. It would be OK to soak the loose pearls in distilled pure water for 10 minutes or so and then you may find you can very gently loosen the dirt off from around the holes with a gentle finger, but be careful as I say, it might actually not be dirt but a little dirt on top of a layer of actual pearl. If you are at all worried or if this doesn't work I would suggest that you go to a good jeweller for this rather than trying it yourself. And do be very careful - restringing is a lot harder than it looks when you see us professionals do it. There can be all kinds of problems like string stretching etc. It really is rather a specialist skill when it comes to pearls in particular. But good luck and let me know how you get on.
Tiene traduccion al español?
How about the black pearl ist good to wear?
If they are real black pearls (as opposed to coated artifically) you can clean the in the same way. With all pearls, avoid leaving them out in UV light, but store them in boxes away from the light.
hi what is the best way to to get rid of old strong perfume smells on neckless , bracelets or loose freshwater cultured pearls. i bought these pearls from a charity shop in London and i want to use them to make a gift for someone. thanks
Hi and thanks for your question. This is tricky because real pearls do absorb oils. The best thing I can suggest is to clean them as I indicate. However I think it is unusual for the actual pearls to retain the odor for long. Try changing the box and also you may well find that some of the fragrance is in the actual thread so I would advise getting them professionally restrung as this may help. Good luck! Harriet x
@@HarrietKelsalld
Where can I find that soap?
Hi you can use any brand of hand soap that doesn't contain a lot of colours or scents. I often use the brand 'simple' but any basic and pure hand soap (not liquid soap) will work.
I checked in for my cat not understanding it was your cat😂😂😂
Ha ha! This made me laugh! Hx
My pearl necklace has tarnished inbetween the pearl, i want to clean these silver links with baking soda and foil, does baking soda had a bad effect the pearls? I aim to clean it carefully . Thank you
Hello
I strongly advise against using baking soda on or near pearls as even just a small amount will damage the pearls considerably. If the links are made from real silver, you could try cleaning them gently and carefully with a dry silver polishing cloth (eg a Goddards one or similar) but be very careful not to rub the pearls too. If these are real pearls you might prefer to take this to a jeweller to have it cleaned professionally. Good luck! best wishes, Harriet
Mam in Bali where we get pure pearl pls give me a address please
How do I figure out, if the pearls I got "for free", when I bought some jewellers tools, are real and what they are worth, so I don't cheat my self or some buyer?
This isn't really something that can be answered over a message like this in easy terms. Best to take them into a jeweller and ask them.
The perks come from woder
Hahaha! Luna is contributing.
Meow?
Grrrrrrrrr Woooof