365 Days of Pearls

[baby nurse]

Lucky you, Pareltje! I've never been.

Thank you, hanadama! I'd love to go there in person as well.

I thought the same thing, Katbran, but there's gold in the strand and the earrings have a little bit of salmon overtone.

Thank you, MSC and JerseyPearl!

BWeaves, do you think the black is permanent? No, you don't have to buy in person at Golay. They send pics via email and you can pay with paypal.

Thank you, pattye!

 

[baby nurse]

Beautiful pearls on a beautiful lady. I don't notice the black between the pearls much in the photos, but this is one reason I did not purchase strands from Cardellini with the gold-colored beads. I'm sure you can get the strand prettied up even more.

Thank you kindly, Red

Most of the pearls I have from her don't have the beads because they either came without or I asked to have them removed. So that's one option; you can ask to have the strand restrung without gold beads. She's very easygoing about it.

 

[baby nurse]

BN, the necklace is gorgeous but I LOVE these studs. Amazing!

Thank you, Karman! The studs are very special.

 

[BWeaves]

BN: I have no idea if the black stains are permanent on pearls that had gold beads next to them. I don't know if it's just tarnish that will rub off, or if it actually stains them. I try to avoid any bead that I think will tarnish: gold colored beads, silver, brass, metallic seed beads, etc. I have real gold beads next to pearls and I've had no problem with those.

I've seen some lovely pearl and bead necklaces from vendors I admire, and I just don't buy the ones I think will have a tarnish problem. I know blackened silver is all the rage, but I just can't go there. And I avoid brass. I've not had good experience with brass at all.

 

[JerseyPearl]

BWeaves, that's why Tahitians can be so wonderful...you can use them in darkened settings without worry that they will darken the pearl (talking about dark green, not light colors).

 

[Pearly-Whites]

Wow those studs from Golay are over the top! So beautiful.

Vermeil, is as you know gold plating over silver. If it wears, the silver will oxidize (Ag2O) and silver oxide is a black powder. One of the safest ways to remove it is with an electrolytic plate and plain washing soda or baking soda which will be safe for the pearls. If they are strung on silk, getting it wet may be an issue with fraying and stretching. I believe most of the Catherine C pearls are strung on power pro which is polyester and should be okay.

I have read that museums use this method for delicate and valuable pieces.

You place the electrolytic plate in a sink with warm water and add some washing soda or baking soda. It will remove the oxide from the pearl and the metal. Soak, rinse and air dry. You should then keep it in plastic or airtight to slow down reoxidization process. You can use the plate over and over again, if you are inclined to polish your mother's silver.

Here is a link to the electrolytic plate on Amazon.com/ CHEFS Electrolytic Cleaning Plate/ Home & Kitchen

Now if you want to do the exact opposite and oxidize silver, for my other favorite Navajo pearls that's a whole other discussion!

 

[JerseyPearl]

I believe simple heavy duty aluminum foil will work as the "electrolytic" plate. I've always used washing soda, foil and boiling water for sterling silver (although I wouldn't use boiling water on pearls). ETA, I have a copper kitchen sink, so I use a pyrex glass baking dish.

 

[baby nurse]

BN: I have no idea if the black stains are permanent on pearls that had gold beads next to them. I don't know if it's just tarnish that will rub off, or if it actually stains them. I try to avoid any bead that I think will tarnish: gold colored beads, silver, brass, metallic seed beads, etc. I have real gold beads next to pearls and I've had no problem with those.

I've seen some lovely pearl and bead necklaces from vendors I admire, and I just don't buy the ones I think will have a tarnish problem. I know blackened silver is all the rage, but I just can't go there. And I avoid brass. I've not had good experience with brass at all.

I have to ask-- what happens with brass?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I do the same as you do, JerseyPearl. Aluminum foil in my 1 qt Pyrex measuring cup, add Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda and nearly-boiling water, stir to dissolve the washing soda, and add the metal, making sure the metal you're getting the tarnish off is in contact with the foil.

Washing soda is sodium carbonate; I find it works better for getting tarnish off than baking soda (sodium bicarbonate.) It is more alkaline than baking soda.

If you don't want to bother buying a whole box of washing soda, you can convert baking soda into washing soda. Put a shallow layer of baking soda on a baking sheet and heat it at 400º F for about half an hour. Stir so it bakes evenly.

I've never put pearls in this solution, however. Also no plated metals.
ALSO: Don't use this method if there is patina you wish to have remain in recessed parts of the silver, as it will remove patina.

 

[pattye]

Some of my "best" pearls, GSS, SS and Tahitians were from Carolyn at Druzy when she was stringing with waxed linen and tiny gold spacers. They got all black on the pearls and the tiny gold spacers where they touched. I have reknotted all of them, washed the pearls, threaded the spacers on a wire washed them also. All the gunk came off just fine. I would always try gentle washing first.

The plates and washing soda are great for cleaning silver, but I wouldn't put pearls in that solution.

I've been having fun applying and experimenting with dark patina on silver findings and wire for years; I love the look; not sure I've put up any pics as yet; no worries about it tarnishing!

 

[baby nurse]

Thank you, Pearly-Whites, JerseyPearl, Pearl Dreams, and pattye for all the information re how to remove tarnish stains!

Day 26:

Pearl Paradise cherry peacock Tahitian strand and dangles. I'll update information on sizing once I find the receipt but the strand was purchased during the PP August 2014 Tahitian sale and the earring pearls are 11-12mm and set on the romantic setting.

 

[Luvglitz]

BN, your cherry peacock strand is beautiful. I dream about owning a strand of cherry peacocks like yours. I love your pairing with that sweater as well. How do manage such great photos? I can never photograph Tahitians and get their true colors to pop.

 

[pattye]

BN, terrific baroques, gorgeous color! That earring setting is so much more graceful when seen on the ear; I love a little movement, too!

 

[Sanippy]

These are beautiful. You have an incredible collection of Tahitians!

 

[kalmen22]

Those cherry peacocks are calling out to me! Beautiful

 

[Pareltje]

Your peacocks are beautiful, BN. They are so colorful. It's been so cold here and your daily post cheers me up.

 

[MSC]

Your peacock T set is outstanding. I love smooth, blemish-free skins.

 

[BWeaves]

I love these Tahitians, too. Wow.

For whoever asked me about brass, I strung a necklace with brass beads and they tarnished terribly. I have brass candlesticks and a brass headboard that are coated and don't tarnish. But the brass beads turned black and left black marks on my clothing and the other beads in the necklace. This was not a pearl necklace, but I was still very disappointed in the results.

I don't want to ding any vendors here who use these beads. I hope I haven't hurt anyone's feelings.

Also, I've tried the baking soda / aluminum foil thing with my silver and I have not had good results with my sterling silver flatware. I suspect I need to try washing soda instead. I'd be wary of putting my pearls in this solution, so I stay away from silver strung with pearls, too. Although, I think Argentium silver might be OK with pearls, because it does not tarnish.

 

[Pearly-Whites]

Such a gorgeous well matched strand. It is the best of what pearls can be.

 

[Pearly-Whites]

Some of my "best" pearls, GSS, SS and Tahitians were from Carolyn at Druzy when she was stringing with waxed linen and tiny gold spacers. They got all black on the pearls and the tiny gold spacers where they touched. I have reknotted all of them, washed the pearls, threaded the spacers on a wire washed them also. All the gunk came off just fine. I would always try gentle washing first.

The plates and washing soda are great for cleaning silver, but I wouldn't put pearls in that solution.

I've been having fun applying and experimenting with dark patina on silver findings and wire for years; I love the look; not sure I've put up any pics as yet; no worries about it tarnishing!

In my experience, these tend to be surface marks on the pearl and not a stain. As pearls live in the ocean with a pH of 8.2 slightly basic, the most damaging solutions to the nacre are acidic solutions (just like teeth). A slightly basic solution of baking soda or washing soda shouldn't harm the nacre. I will have to get out my chemistry set! We have all seen the harmful effects on nacre from acidic chemicals!