[Caitlin]

HI Pernula
The stabilization process is proprietary knowledge. Not a trace of it made it into Strack, for instance and I spent a while looking. So what I know is overheard- maybe at the gem show and it may be wrong, though I doubt it.

What I heard, and maybe if someone else has heard this, let us know, is that the thinner-skinned akoya pearls are kept in water until they are processed or else their delicate thin skins of nacre would dry out and crack. The processing overcomes that obstacle, but afterward, they shouldn't be put in water, but only a damp cloth should be used to clean them. This is a good example of why you should buy better quality akoya pearls and those from a trusted dealer.

There are also other proprietory processes which accentuate the luster so much that, as Strack says, you can't tell what quality the pearl was to begin with. She also adds that you find out later because cheap akoyas may crack and peel in less than a year, even if stored.......so know who you are dealing with.....

I believe that various secret luster processes are used on on all kinds of pearls. All pearls that visit Japan on their way to market are known to receive quite a bit of processing to make them look as good as possible.

Freshwater pearls like humidity and can get wet. I would not use salt, but a very mild castile soap if absolutely necessary.

Natural saltwater pearls also like humidity and can get wet. They can be cleaned by slooshing in a salt slurry, which acts as an abrasive to crud struck on the pearl, but does not scratch the pearls. Natural pearls are often so old that every generation or so they are worn, they need to be cleaned.

Silk does not like water and silk thread that has been washed will need to be replaced. I forget where, but there are some pictures of some of my granpa's Bahraini pearls before and after the salt slurry bath somewhere on this site.

[Raisondetre]

Originally Posted by Caitlin Williams

Mineral oil has actually been a basic cosmetic oil only since petroleum began to be refined.

It is not the best ingredient for human skin- Heavy use of mineral has caused lesions in the liver and lymph nodes because the mineral oil is is not processed and transformed by humans, its droplets are so fine, they just physically sink through the skin into deeper and deeper tissues until it actually, physically, drifts into the liver or lymph nodes, which are not set up to process it.

I really recommend looking at more scientific sources on which to base any conclusions. That is not to say that the above is wrong - it is just not relevant to the case of topical application. Unless you physically soak a human in a tank full of mineral oil over a number of years, that kind of absorption is unlikely to happen, and even then you'd have to swallow it.

Mineral oil would not be my top choice for human skin, because it has no added benefit other than being occlusive, i.e. it prevents evaporation. Percutaneous "absorption" of oil does not occur via droplets. It's due to the miscibility of the lipids with the cell membranes. That's why alot of oils do not work for different skin types. Intestinal absorption is different - it is reliant on the formation of miscelles or emulsion after breakdown by enzymes. I would neither eat mineral or jojoba oil.

Oils are very individual. I have also been studying the use of oils, humectants, AHAs, BHAs, retinoids, copper peptides, sunscreens etc - you name it. I have yet to find convincing arguments that oils are definitely good for skin. I cannot tolerate oils straight on my skin although I will apply them to my pearls occasionally if I find they lack luster. Jojoba oil is a nice, inert oil that has been for a long time in human history, but it's more likely suitable for dry as opposed to dehydrated skins (which is my skintype), as it is mainly occlusive. Contrary to popular belief, oils do not get well absorbed by the skin. A lipid profile closer to the skin's secretion of sebum will generally be well tolerated, and this will differ with the individual. This is also why some oils will cause comedones - either by irritation or by rebound secretion of sebum by the skin.

The basis of skincare is the provision of moisture and the prevention of evaporation. Without external influences, humectants such as hyaluronic acid in the ground substance surrounding the skin cells, and the collagen network will retain moisture. However, with environmental stresses such as heat and aridity, evaporation tends to occur at a faster rate than can be replaced by the skin. Sebum secretion by the oil glands attached to hair follicles (separate from sweat glands) is thus stimulated. Dry skin lacks this and application of oil can be helpful. Oily skintypes are often dehydrated, and oils may initially help tone down on native secretions by toning down on the negative feedback, but it does not always work. A humectant such as recombinant hyaluronic acid applied topically may help, followed by some oil. The best moisturisers will be a mixture of emollients (i.e. oils) and humectants. Addition of any other active ingredients to rejuvenate the skin is a whole different topic.

But I digress. So, while I agree mineral oil is not the best for skin, fact remains that it is used to soak freshwater pearls at the source, and likely to be harmless topically in small amounts.

[Caitlin]

Some do use mineral oil on pearls before we get them. I think it was Jeremy who said he uses corn oil, but I bet olive oil or any cooking oil would be fine for an individual owner to use.

So back to the original point. After washing pearls such as natural sea pearls or cultured freshwater pearls, a finish of some kind of oil is universal.


Once I get them home and I am responsible for the kind of oil that goes on them, I prefer to use an oil I don’t mind having on my skin. I do mind mineral oil because I think it is one of the dumber products thought up by the petroleum industry. IMHO

If one was to bring pearls to the tropics and the pearls get exposed to sweat (salt water) and rain?

I wouldn't want to subject pearls to copious amounts of sweat (take them off, if you get sweaty on your neck, a rub with a damp cloth is in order before putting them away). The silk string will go fast if it keeps getting soaked in sweat.

People who live in places like Fresno or Tucson, don't wear cultured pearls for sweaty outdoor activities during the summer days and never for swimming in a clorinated pool. (Take the earrings off!)

Don't wear them hiking in the jungle, but save them until after your shower when you dress for dinner.

[pernula]

Thanks for the info Caitlin. What about salt water cultured pearls like Tahitian? Can they be soaked in freshwater or saltwater? I don't own one yet, but someone else in the family does, might be good to let her know.

That stabilization process seems very extensive.

Jeremy, do you mind me asking whether the baroque Akoyas you have for private sale are untreated? Partly treated?

Thank you.

Regards,
pernula

[Caitlin]

Hi Pernula
Just take the word "soaked" out of your vocabulary when it comes to pearls.

If your Tahitians get dirty, wipe them with a damp cloth. I do not own Tahitians or SS pearls, but I wouldn't use salt on anything but natural, solid nacre, sea pearls. And I would not soak them, evere.

Sorry there are so many words in this thread, so it is easy to miss stuff:

Natural saltwater pearls also like humidity and can get wet. They can be cleaned by slooshing in a salt slurry, which acts as an abrasive to crud struck on the pearl, but does not scratch the pearls. Natural pearls are often so old that every generation or so they are worn, they need to be cleaned.

Here is a picture of some of my grandfather's Bahraini pearls before the salt slurry. The one in the middle has had some wear and even slight pealing, but the layers underneath mean all I had to do to restore it, was clean it.

[Caitlin]

This is after the salt slurry:

[jshepherd]

Moisture is good for South Sea and Tahitian pearls. It is good for any pearls that are not treated. But soaking them would not be the right way to infuse moisture.

have you ever noticed that display cases filled with South Sea and Tahitian pearl jewelry usually have little cups of water in them? This is to keep moisture in the air. Not a lot of moisture is needed. For cleaning the pearls, just a damp cloth is fine.

The akoya you are referring to are not treated at all. They have been washed - no one would want to wear them otherwise. Stephen Metzler was the first to have a chance to really look at them in our office yesterday.

[Caitlin]

Re untreated pearls.

I am fairly positive that Jeremy is the first to introduce untreated pearls to his customers.

I think the first untreated strands he brought back were the transitional strands. The natural color in the pearls were strung from dark to light, then through some shades of white.

Since then he has brought back more untreated strands and the ones he has brought back are so high quality, they do not need it!

Jeremy, are the untreated akoyas some of the ones from your farm? Are they the first such untreated akoyas to reach the public?

[jshepherd]

They are a product of Xuwen Pearl Paradise, yes. Are the the first untreated? I doubt it. This style has been sold locally in the past, both in China and Japan. But they are most often treated, and sold as white pearls - almost exclusively when they come this direction.

[Caitlin]

When you sent me the transitional strand, you said you guaranteed it was the first untreated strand I had ever seen.

Just to be clear, you were speaking of cultured freshwater pearls? Or am I wrong?

[jshepherd]

Yes, and the next untreated akoya will likely be the first you have ever seen as well. Those freshwater were from the first time I ever decided to buy loose pearls pre-treatment.