"Elf" of Knowledge - Pearl Care

DIG, our "elf" of knowledge, likes to drop a few "pearls" of wisdom on the occasion (I promise that's the last play on words!). Mostly how to care for your jewelry. 

Today's "Elf" of knoweledge: never let your pearls get wet! Originally pearls were strung using silk. Today we use nylon. Nylon is more durable and doesn’t stretch out as quickly as silk. Regardless, if the string gets wet it’s more likely to rot which means the string will break. If any pearls are lost it will be difficult to try and match a replacement.

Pearl History

Since it’s first cultivation in China, dating before 1000 B.C. pearls have been a symbol of unblemished perfection. It’s one of the oldest gems in history and was considered the most valuable. 

Formed by Mollusk, pearls consist of the same material as the inside of the shell. They can be harvested in both fresh as well as salt water, taking between 13 months to 2 years to develop. 

Japan and Northern Australia are the largest regions for cultivating salt water pearls, with the Mississippi River being one of the U.S. largest region for fresh water.