Pearl earring storage-maybe a dumb question

[Bravissimo]

Why don’t we store them in seawater if drying out is bad for them?

 

[pearlsngems]

I think this would cause them to deteriorate more quickly. It seems to me the osmotic pressure would draw moisture out of the pearls and actually dry them out more.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

no question is dumb
i think its a very valid question

 

[LilAlex]

maybe. I always store my diamonds and sapphires in magma.

 

[Pearlescence]

Why don’t we store them in seawater if drying out is bad for them?

Because they don't come from seawater. The pearl sac in which they form is bathed in a strong solution of hyaluronic acid (yup, the same stuff which snail facials feature, along with all the this-year face creams). I only discovered this after spending days working with salt water wet hands at a pearl farm and being surprised at no skin puckering or worse. Indeed my hands were silky smooth. It's the hyaluronic acid.

 

[yssie]

Storing mounted pearls in liquid would destroy thread/glue sooner or later.

 

[Bravissimo]

Hyaluronic acid. Interesting.

I guess that would destroy glue or silk string too?

Can it be used to remoisturize pearls?

I envision just laying them down in it like putting them to bed on some jello with the earring backs pointing out.



I bought some powdered hyarluronic acid to use on my face. Just add water and it turns into a nice cool gel.

 

[pearlsngems]

I don't recommend subecting any pearls you care about to experimental treatments.

If you want to experiment, I suggest you get some low quality freshwater pearls that you don't care about to play around with.

 

[Pearlescence]

Pearls don't need remoisturising. Some pearls are centuries old and are just fine (see the crown about to be used in the coronation of Charles lll)
If sloshing on hyaluronic acid enhanced pearls I'm pretty sure that we would have heard at least whispers about it by now.