Any highly acidic skinned people here who wear pearls?

[ForteKitty]

I've flopped over to the pearl world and have some questions regarding wearability. My skin is probably more acidic than most, and silver reacts on my neck instantly. It starts to smell like base metal after about 5 minutes and will fully tarnish within the hour. My skin laughs at argentium silver, every piece is now black. Same pieces will be fine on my friend all week. I melted the silver plating off the keys of both flutes during high school, and they were cleaned/wiped down after every use. Google seems to suggest this can cause pearls to "barrel" over time, and it may or may not corrode the nacre. Given my skin chemistry and the fact that I wear sunblock all the time (sunny LA), pearl necklaces are probably a bad idea? I really want an ombre strand but the thought of destroying a pricey piece sounds like a bad idea. But I really want one.

Anyone here with the same type of skin chemistry as me, who have successfully worn pearls for a longer length of time without destroying them?

 

[missy]

This is interesting @ForteKitty. I too have highly acidic skin and cannot wear silver because it tarnishes almost immediately on me. Same for Rhodium plated gold. I'm sorry I can't be helpful re pearls as while I do own pearls I don't wear them and they aren't with us for me to try wearing them to see. When we go back to NYC I will take them from the safe and start wearing them in the house as an experiment and update this thread.

 

[missy]

Given my skin chemistry and the fact that I wear sunblock all the time (sunny LA), pearl necklaces are probably a bad idea?

Just to address this question...if you wear pearls maybe don't wear them directly against your skin and put them over your sweater? That way they aren't touching your skin or your sunblock.

Another option is just to clean your pearls with a soft cloth immediately after wearing and that should help somewhat with both the acidity and the sunblock that gets on the pearls.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I can’t wear silver due for the same reasons. At least not without a very thick rhodium plating.

So far so good with pearls but I’ve only owned them for a few months.

As an experiment I’m wearing a bracelet of tiny akoya 24/7 and will compare breakdown over time with choker made from the same strand that I wear more intermittently and take off for sleeping/showering etc. yeah

 

[MakingTheGrade]

 

[ForteKitty]

Just to address this question...if you wear pearls maybe don't wear them directly against your skin and put them over your sweater? That way they aren't touching your skin or your sunblock.

Another option is just to clean your pearls with a soft cloth immediately after wearing and that should help somewhat with both the acidity and the sunblock that gets on the pearls.

What is a sweater? I'm kidding, but sorta not. Even now i'm in a tank top and a light cardigan. I don't own anything that covers my neck because it's too hot!

 

[missy]

What is a sweater? I'm kidding, but sorta not. Even now i'm in a tank top and a light cardigan. I don't own anything that covers my neck because it's too hot!

I'm very jealous right now...it's 19 degrees F here. Brrrrrrr.

 

[ForteKitty]

I forgot about a choker length vintage strand that came with an ebay brooch. Never actually wore it because the length feels a little restrictive, but I'll try it out for a week or two and see how they wear. I'm already envisioning ombre necklace, bracelet, and maybe earrings...

 

[ForteKitty]

Bad lighting but I found the choker and will wear it to see if I melt them after a few weeks lol. See @missy , tank top!

 

[missy]

Bad lighting but I found the choker and will wear it to see if I melt them after a few weeks lol. See @missy , tank top!

I love it. Pearls and tank top. You make elegance effortless.

 

[pearlsngems]

There is someone on the other pearl forum who has posted that she has very acidic skin, and she wears pearls all the time.

I suggest you wipe them off with a damp microfiber cloth after every wearing. For that matter, anyone wearing sunscreen should do the same. I also do this if I've been sweating a lot, whether or not I was wearing sunscreen. It's better for the pearls to be put away clean.

 

[ForteKitty]

There is someone on the other pearl forum who has posted that she has very acidic skin, and she wears pearls all the time.

I suggest you wipe them off with a damp microfiber cloth after every wearing. For that matter, anyone wearing sunscreen should do the same. I also do this if I've been sweating a lot, whether or not I was wearing sunscreen. It's better for the pearls to be put away clean.

I read on some "educational" page that you can use rubbing alcohol on a damp microfiber cloth as well, to remove sunscreen? I wear the thick stuff that doesn't come off with water alone.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

What is a sweater? I'm kidding, but sorta not. Even now i'm in a tank top and a light cardigan. I don't own anything that covers my neck because it's too hot!

I think just think outside the box like our freind @MakingTheGrade does (how you wear your pearls)
i mean attuned to your own style of course

Bur perhaps your future ombre necklase should be a cheaper freshwater strand just in case ?

what a really anoying 'condition' to have

 

[ForteKitty]

I think just think outside the box like our freind @MakingTheGrade does (how you wear your pearls)
i mean attuned to your own style of course

Bur perhaps your future ombre necklase should be a cheaper freshwater strand just in case ?

what a really anoying 'condition' to have

I've decided that I *must* have a strand of blue akoyas too. Love the metallic sheen! Thanks a lot, PS!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I've decided that I *must* have a strand of blue akoyas too. Love the metallic sheen! Thanks a lot, PS!

I think we have all fallen for blue pearls !

 

[pearlsngems]

I read on some "educational" page that you can use rubbing alcohol on a damp microfiber cloth as well, to remove sunscreen? I wear the thick stuff that doesn't come off with water alone.

I would not use alcohol regularly as I believe it can damage the nacre (as opposed to using a bit on a swab once, to remove glue, which is ok.) Alcohol is very drying, and you don't want to dry out pearl nacre. (This is why one is not supposed to use alcohol to clean plastic eyeglass frames--it strips the oils and makes the plastic brittle.)

I clean my pearls with a solution of Dr. Bronner's unscented liquid baby soap (which is a liquid Castile soap) and bottled water (to avoid both chlorine and the hard water minerals in our well water, which makes a scum when it combines with soaps.) Besides Dr. Bronner's, I have also used a solution made with a mild baby wash to clean my pearls.

You could mix up a weak solution of soap or baby wash and water, store it in a bottle, and use that to dampen a microfiber cloth and wipe the pearls clean, then wipe them again with plain bottled or filtered water. Avoid wetting the silk. Silk that is wet is liable to stretch and weaken.

 

[elizat]

No advice, but I read this thread title as any "highly skinny people who wear pearls." Then I realized my brain didn't process it properly.