Wine...

[Kelo]

OK, I'm all lined up for being shot for asking this question....but, do pearls actually dissolve in wine? I ask because I remember when I was a kid I was told that diamonds burn in fires and pearls dissolve in wine.

 

[waimeamomi]

I've never tried that, but I do know that your pearl will-power dissolves with wine. That's one way to wind up with a collection!

 

[GemGeek]

They say that Cleopatra really put the pearl in a glass of vinegar, but it would take a mighty long time to dissolve, even if you heated it. Like six weeks.

 

[GemGeek]

I've never tried that, but I do know that your pearl will-power dissolves with wine. That's one way to wind up with a collection!

I can vouch for this, although in my case I left a bar and restaurant that was across from the Coach store and somehow I ended up with an expensive new purse!

 

[Kelo]

LOL I thought so. I think it might have been a film I saw it on and, of course, I believe EVERYTHING a film tells me

I totally believe, too, that a mouthful of wine can result in a handful of pearls!

 

[KAC]

well for sure diamonds don't melt in fires or at least not in a normal fire, they use them in on high power saw blades that get extremely hot.

I guess pearls could dissolve in wine since wine is acidic but I'm thinking it would take a very very long time.

 

[Cathybear]

My son Lucas was doing an experiment for school last year. We've had a small handfull of freshwater pearls in a jar of vinegar for about 7 months now. They're a bit slimy but not dissolved. He used cheap white vinegar.

 

[Caitlin]

Great experiment! He must publish the results here! He is adding great information to the world pearl data base. Will it at least have pits in the skin? We await the results.

When will it be time to take one out and wash it off?

Maybe Cleopatra swallowed the pearl whole from its glass of wine!

 

[Cathybear]

He he.. choke! (Cleo) Every now and again we wash a few. In the beginning they still had great lustre, the lavender ones turned silver. They're sort of gooey. I'll wash some and see how they're doing.

 

[Nora]

He he.. choke! (Cleo) Every now and again we wash a few. In the beginning they still had great lustre, the lavender ones turned silver. They're sort of gooey. I'll wash some and see how they're doing.

Could you photograph them for us?

 

[Cathybear]

This was pearls in vinegar after 20 hours

 

[Cathybear]

After 1 week

 

[Cathybear]

In vinegar for about 8 months (lol... ok I missed some)

 

[Cathybear]

After being in vinegar for about 8 months, then washed
(not all, some are in the jar still). The dark grey ones used
to be purple bronze ones, one still has some lustre, some look
chalky but still feel hard (without hammer test heh heh)
and the coin pearls nucleus is still covered in nacre.

 

[pearlescence]

They look a bit manky and you certainly wouldn't want them around your neck I'm guessing.

I would count them as destroyed,

Cleopatra's banquet for Mark Antony must have been a very long meal though!

 

[pattye]

Very interesting, thanks Cathy and Lucas! I've always wondered about the pearl in wine also!

 

[CortezPearls]

Dang! I made this same little experiment. Took a video and photos... haven't finished editing it... not fair!!! Lucas has outwitted me.
I feel just like Darwin must have felt when he knew of Wallace's research...

 

[Caitlin]

LOL We need your experiment too, Douglas. After all a science experiment should be repeatable, even if some genius kid did it first. (BTW, I sent you an email to the perlas.com address. Should I resend it as a PM?

Cathy
I am wondering if when the pearls start dissolving, does the vinegar get too alkaline at some point and need to be changed?

 

[Cathybear]

Oh I'm sorry (
I'm sure yours is much better. Like I bet you kept it up instead of forgetting it, leaving the taco sauce jar to get all dusty on the kitchen counter, and that you took photos regularly instead of only at the beginning.

Dang! I made this same little experiment. Took a video and photos... haven't finished editing it... not fair!!! Lucas has outwitted me.
I feel just like Darwin must have felt when he knew of Wallace's research...

 

[CortezPearls]

I was just kidding...I am actually happy to hear there are children out there really interested in Science and that are willing to find out on their own and always ask the grand question: "Why?"

I actually finished my video and posted the blog on the subject... if you feel like it visit by clicking here.

And yes, vinegar looses its "power" after some time, so you do have to discard the used one and use new vinegar.