Some pearl shops keep pearls in a special kind of 'wrap' that also keeps then under reasonable humidity and keeps many strands from touching each other. No idea what it is called, never seen these sold retail, but again, the thing only holds pearls and it is meant to keep dozens of strands at a time - outside this forum perhaps not many found buyers of such specialized support aside pearl sellers!

What it looks like; imagine a roulade of thick quilted velvet (two layers, with a thin bouret layer and something impermeable in between) with peral filling It can double onto itself and closes with three ribbons - mid way and at each end. Each strand is kept straight running the length of the roll by little hook & eyes made of fabric (no scratches).

You can mist the inside just a little to keep moisture up w/o damaging the threads. The idea is just to compensate for the desert-dry city / vault environment, not soak the pearls.

The object is inconspicuous and portable. And you get to see all your strand side by side on black velvet when the roll opens flat. Said jewelers managed to make a heck' of a show of that gesture alone!

Anyone knows the object I am trying to describe here?

[Pearl Dreams]

Caitlin--

My 12 year old daughter bought some of the green tinted round water retaining beads a few days ago at a toy/gift shop --rehydrated, they are as big as marbles, firm yet delightfully squishy and they even bounce! They are non toxic (but not edible). My cat watched, wide-eyed, as we bounced them on the table.

[Caitlin]

Hi ana101

Yes I do know what you are describing. My sister has one she made herself. It would be great to find some online........If I could think of what they are called.

Originally Posted by Caitlin Williams

My sister has one she made herself.

Same approach here - my beads live in one during the short breaks when they are actually strung as opposed to kept loose in a bowl...

The 'professional' ones were definitely for show. There should be a source somewhere.

[knotty panda]

Yes, I do think I know what you're talking about. I think they have a very techincal name -- uh, jewelry roll. Truly, that's what I know them by. I never thought of the misting thing. The mold issues would concern me, though. I know you're not talking about soaking it, but still, fabric left misted with no ventilation could be a breeding ground. If they have a more technical name, I'm unaware of it. I've seen them used for other pieces besides pearls such as keeping 50-100 chains in a small space without tangling.

[Caitlin]

jewelry roll. duh.

Like one of these?

[gravityalwayswins]

Knotty, you make an excellent point about insurance. I wish more people knew about the limitations of standard homeowners policies when it comes to jewelry! A friend of mine learned the hard way when she lost a very expensive ring and thought it would be covered but only ~$2500 of it was. Regardless of a safe, hiding place, or nothing, I insure most pieces > $300 or so. My motivation is mostly items that I consider irreplaceable emotionally but not always monetarily - the exotics, for example, some custom pieces, and heirlooms.

Pearl_dreams - I hadn't thought of the crystals. I'll definitely look into those! Thanks!

Originally Posted by knotty panda

Yes, I do think I know what you're talking about. I think they have a very techincal name -- uh, jewelry roll.

I never thought of the misting thing. The mold issues would concern me, though.

Ha! You'd never guess the strange things I've tried on Google (or the strangest that came back!) That's the idea.

Mold... hm... never thought of that. One spray with a vaporizer releases a minute amount of water, and then, pearl roils would be opened every day in a jewelry shop. No time for mold. Maybe that was part of the equation too.

So far I had no problem of the sort, but my homey roll is not kept very tight and allows air circulation.

[Raisondetre]

Hmm, the beads remind me of the Bindeez beads scare we had in Australia. A couple kids came in after swallowing those toy beads, which apparently contained GHB after they were hydrated ...

[Hanaleimom]

I have one of the leather jewelry roll with suede interior. Although I bought it with the intention to store jewelry during travel. I don't think I will mist the suede interior though. It has the slender long pillow for rings and holes for earrings, but just zipper pouches for necklaces. It was a Royce Leather pouch. The link posted that shows the tab to hang the necklaces seem nice.

I started collecting ideas posted here and am thinking of just putting them in the safe by itself, not with other documents. I don't know the effect of the moisture crystals and/or sponge has on the documents; thus a separate safe comes to mind. I'd use the water-retaining crystals. Costco also sells some acrylic storage with pull-out drawers. I have to get measurement to see if it will fit inside a safe. ( I don't have a separate pearl safe yet). I am thinking of storing the pearls inside silk organza bags and put them inside the acrylic box. Everything should be see-through at a glance. I can pull out a certain drawer and get my strands, etc.

As far as insurance, it gets costly. We insured my diamond ring years ago and it cost $20/month and it was added to home insurance. Instead of spending $240/yr, I'd rather buy the safe with water crystals. Besides, I become attached to these pieces; and certainly they are irreplaceable to me.

Please keep new ideas coming. Thank you for sharing.

Originally Posted by Hanaleimom

I don't know the effect of the moisture crystals and/or sponge has on the documents; thus a separate safe comes to mind.

Or an airtight box for the pearls in the existing safe...

[barbie biggs]

Just wanted to share two thoughts:

1) My insurance agent said that if the jewelry I'm insuring is not in said safe and a robbery occurres, there might be a question of whether it's covered. He says if it's valuable enough to insure, it's valuable enough to lock up.

1B) I compromise by keeping the appraisals in the safe. The pearls I wear. I have a shell dish on my country french writing desk. Sometimes I'm so irresponsible that there are two or three necklaces lying draped over the shell dish at the same time. Oh dear.

2) The humidors. Back to woodworking. I love humidors, they are beautiful and they smell great. Even if I do spend part of my life counseling people who are addicted to tobacco, I still quite like the smell. But the wood is toxic, toxic, toxic. It's traditional to make them of Spanish Cedar. Wonderful wood, beautiful fine grain, great smell. If you look close you will see that the cedar parts of the humidor are finished on one side so the wood can breath. Otherwise the sap works its way out and ruins the finish. I don't know what that could do to a pearl.

I wouldn't put my pearls in a humidor. Hmmm, it might be the perfect place to store jewelry appraisals. You could keep a number of important papers in there.

Just a thought,
barbie

[knotty panda]

Catilin: I was thinking about one with loops and snaps on both ends, the professional kind.

Barbie: So Bob Curtis' Travelin' Toolboxador is ok since there is no wood involved? I keep my beads which are awaiting homes (and have been for years in some cases) in hinged/latched cigar boxes. The aroma has long since departed my collection.

[lisamla]

I have a safe and I keep all my jewelry in it, except for my pearls. I also have insurance for all my jewelry. I have a blanket policy to cover anything less than $2500 - this includes watches. And then I have an individual policy for anything over $2500. Although I would be replacing my original pieces and it wouldn't be the same, it would be even worse not to have anything should all my jewelry be stolen. The cost of the insurance is such a small fraction of the replacement value that it is worth it in my opinion.

[Nerida]

I have a safe. I have jewellery rolls. I have a lovely Chinese jewellery box. BUT my rings are usually sitting where I left them - on my dressing table, at my computer, on the kitchen bench even! I WISH I could remember to put them in my safe. When I store my pearls, they are in silk pouches (can't see through them.... same problem as everyone), but I usually alternate between 3 or 4 different strands, then change again every couple of weeks - I hate to say it, but the ones I am alternating between tend to sit out on my dressing table....even my diamonds are usually just in a small jewellery box on my bedside table .... I am a burglary waiting to happen..