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If you run a boutique jewelry brand or supply wholesale designs, you probably already know that educating your customers about care and maintenance of the product helps to keep your brand trustworthy in the long run. When buying organic Gemstones for sale, mother of pearl is undoubtedly a top pick for custom inlay and one-of-a-kind luxury pieces. Due to its natural organic composition, it is quite fragile when compared to conventional minerals.
This detailed mother of pearl care guide will be useful for you and your retail customers to safeguard the lovely shimmering finish of this valuable ocean product. Through sharing these methods with your contacts, you are decreasing the chances of customer complaints, securing your production profits, and establishing business confidence for the future.
Mother of Pearl Care: Quick Guide
There are four basic rules most important to master how to care for mother of pearl. They include: wipe only using a soft and damp cloth, stay away from all harsh chemical products and heat sources, in no way soak or submerge the stone, and separate pieces from hard metals. Adhering to this straightforward mother of pearl care guide will ensure your luxurious items stay in top condition for a very long time.
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How to Clean Mother of Pearl Without Damaging It
Learning the precise method of cleaning mother of pearl is one of the best ways to avoid the permanent dulling of a pearl surface. As it is a natural nacre layer, the pearls do not stand the usual chemical scrubbing techniques.
Here is a safe, gentle step-by-step guide to washing your precious items:
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Combine warm water with a very small drop of mild and chemical-free liquid dish soap.
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Using a soft microfiber cloth, dipped in the soapy water (and wrung out totally) gently wipe the surface.
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Then wipe immediately with a clean cloth, which is damp with only clean water to get rid of any soap residue.
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With a clean towel, pat dry immediately. Never submerge, as trapped water can dissolve behind-the-scenes jewelry-glues.
What to Avoid: Common Mother of Pearl Care Mistakes
If you want to provide expert mother of pearl jewelry care, one of the things you have to do is to tell your customers about its vulnerable nature. It only has a hardness of 2.5 to 4.5 on the Mohs scale so it can be very easily scratched.
You should not make these big mother of pearl maintenance mistakes:
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Ultrasonics & Steam: Sonic waves and sudden changes in temperature will cause the fragile organic layers to break apart.
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Abrasives: The use of toothpaste or baking soda will create small scratches that will remove the luster of the rainbow-like surface.
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Chemical Exposure: Avoid at all costs any contact of the pieces with bleach, ammonia, perfume, makeup, and hairspray
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Showers & Pools: It would be good to remind your customers to take off their rings before swimming in pools containing chlorine or using cleaning products.
How to Store Mother of Pearl Jewelry
Safe handling of decorating mother of pearl during storage is one of the ways to avoid friction damage accidentally. For example, never throw these pieces loosely into a mixed box of jewelry where metal chains and harder gems can scratch them.
On the contrary, put each piece in a separate soft cloth pouch or fabric-lined tray compartment. Never airtight seal this material inside plastic bags. Since it is organic, it only needs very small amounts of ambient humidity to prevent it from drying out and cracking. If your customers happen to mix geological items with their collections, and even like to cleanse crystals at home, a good idea would be to remind them of keeping ocean gems completely away from liquid-based cleansing methods.
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How to Restore Dull Mother of Pearl
If regular wear dulls the luster a little, simple mother of pearl maintenance can still do the trick. To start with, lightly polishing with a dry, very soft chamois cloth in tight circular motions should pull up the surface a bit. But if the layer of nacre has been chemically attacked in such a way that the acid has burnt the shell deeply, then it is not something you can do by yourself. The item must be given to a professional lapidary jeweler who can safely re-polish the outer organic layer.
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Conclusion
Following this mother of pearl care guide will help you safeguard your manufacturing investments along with your retail reputation. Want to elevate your design workbench with exquisite materials? Check out our certified premium mother of pearl for sale here to find the right shimmering elements for your next jewelry collections!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can mother of pearl get wet?
A quick wipe with a damp cloth is fine, but it should never be soaked or submerged. Long-term water exposure weakens jewelry glue and structural integrity.
Why is my mother of pearls turning yellow?
Yellowing occurs after the mother of pearl is exposed to sunlight, heat and even production of body oils. These factors together and individually cause the mother of pearl to oxidize. It can permanently discolor the surface unless it is wiped clean in the first place.
How often should I clean it?
After use, a quick wipe with a piece of fabric is suggested in order to avoid the accumulation of oils. A thorough cleaning with soap and a damp cloth should not be performed more than once per month.
