Pearls in the summer heat
Humidity, perfume and silk thread: keeping pearls bright through an Iraqi August.
Pearls are the only gem made by a living thing, and they still behave a little like one. They need air, a little moisture and protection from anything acidic.
An Iraqi summer tests all three. Heat dries the silk, perfume dulls the nacre and sweat, over time, can etch the surface.
Last on, first off
Put pearls on after perfume, hairspray and creams have dried, and take them off before anything else at the end of the day. Wipe them with a soft, slightly damp cloth before putting them away.
“Pearls like to be worn. Kept in a box for a whole summer, they lose their glow.”
Pearl stringer, Beirut workshop
Silk and storage
Store them flat in a soft pouch, away from harder stones that can scratch them. The silk stretches with wear, so a strand worn often should be re-strung every year or two.
Our boutiques re-string pearls with a knot between each one, so a broken thread never means a lost pearl.