What color Akoyas? Treated?

[ofgemsandcoffee]

I haven't gotten to a stage where I would need to wash my pearl strands but taking note of all the tips here! @A Breaker, I regularly wash my gemstone rings, and use a gentle toothbrush to clean both in front and behind the setting. I do this whenever I notice that they're not as sparkly as they should be, because sometimes soap residue builds up because I wear them when I wash my hands.

 

[A Breaker]

I stand corrected about pearl washing. I personally follow the last on - first off practice, and occasionally wipe my pearl strands with the damp cloth that comes with Pearl Paradise purchases. I don't use sticky lotions or sunscreens when I plan to wear pearls. Hot summers are for diamonds (some are diamonds, some are not, ha ha).
Sadly, the donation/thrift stores near me don't carry jewelry, so I haven't been fortunate to find any pearls whatsoever, dirty or otherwise.

Early on in my time here...someone talked about a woman who "loved her pearls to death," she never took them off! She had not only worn all the nacre off...had even worn down the bead. I have only seen a couple of photos like that...one with "natural pearls" for sale....made me look closer...it was a strand of "loved to death" pearls...so worn the nacre was off most & the beads were all lopsided and irregular.