From Audrey Hepburn and the English Crown Jewels to long necklaces done by fashion giant Chanel, there is absolutely no doubt to the timelessness of a great pearl jewelry. Pearls are a wonder of nature, like most jewels are. Born from an irritation in the inner lining of mollusks (oysters and pearl mussels create pearls that are considered valuable); it becomes something beautiful and spectacular. There are different kinds of pearls, they come in different shapes, sizes and colors. The rounder the pearl is the rarer and much more expensive it tends to be. Pearls are either salt water or fresh water pearls, cultured or natural. The environment of which the pearl is created greatly contributes to how a pearl will turn out.

STORAGE ? Pearl jewelry cannot be haphazardly thrown in with the other jewelry in your armoire. Pearls have a softer surface compared to other jewelry. In fact, pearls are located in the lowest rung when it comes to hardness with diamonds being at the top. So, if you throw your pearls with other jewelry that contains sapphires, rubies, emeralds, etc. or even gold links that have sharp edges on them, you are endangering your pearls from getting scratched or damaged. The best thing to do is to put the pearls in a separate container. If you do not have the luxury, the time or the space to store your jewels separately, then you could get inexpensive felt or velvet pouches that you can buy in craft and fabric stores. Keep your pearls in these pouches so that they do not get scratched by harder gemstones.

CLEANING ? There are a lot of jewelry cleaners that are available in the market. DON'T use them with your pearls. Again, as said, pearls have a softer cover in comparison to other gems. Commercial jewelry cleaners can damage the surface of your pearls and cause them to loose their luster. When you need to clean your pearls, the best thing to do is to clean them with a dilute solution of soap and water. This will help remove the dirt and still keep your pearls intact. For better results, use warm water when cleaning them and soak them for at least 10 minutes. Don't leave them on too long because it can also damage the pearl and make it loose its luster. Another tip that will keep the pearl clean and help it keep its shine longer is to put on your perfume first before putting on the pearl. This way, you do not get any of the oil and the alcohol from the perfume directly on the pearls.

MAKING THEM LAST ? Pearls need to be restrung at least every year or when the string they are attached to becomes frayed. Re-stringing pearls help avoid a fiasco of having your pearls rain down all over your floor with you getting on your knees looking for each individual piece. Restringing can be done by a professional; your local jeweler can probably do the job for you.