Pearls are not glass. They are organic, grown slowly, and they remember how you treat them. Care does not need to be precious. It needs to be regular.
Put pearls on last. Perfume, sunscreen, and hair spray are harder on nacre than a day of ordinary wear. Take them off first when you come home. A soft cloth — the one in your pouch is enough — wipes away the day’s oil and leaves the surface clear.
Never soak pearls in jewelry cleaner, and never leave them in a heap with harder stones. Store them flat, apart, in a soft pouch. If a strand has been sitting unworn, wear it. The slight moisture of skin keeps silk and knots supple; pearls that live only in a box can dry.
If a knot loosens or a clasp feels tired, stop wearing it and write to us. A well-kept strand should last years, then be passed on. Two minutes after each wear is the whole ritual.