[Jewelry making - Article 01540] - Re: [Orchid] Resurrecting old pearls

[Helen Hill]

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Hi Mary,

    Thanks for your email regarding my mother-in-law's pearls. It's
    proving to be a bit of a nightmare of a job. I cleaned them all
    yesterday. I thought they were a dark sort of oyster colour of
    "pearl" but when I saw all the bits of paint that just literally fell
    off the glass beads by just being sat in warm soapy water, I realised
    they were the normal creamy coloured pearls. They were just very
    dirty and greasy. I had a feeling that the coating would all come off
    as the damage was so extensive and they are very old. I'm hoping be
    be able to knot them onto cotton thread temporarily, hang them up in
    my garage and spray paint them with an etching primer then a
    pearlised top coat. I may also do a clear coat over the top but I'm
    not sure whether that would ruin the lustre. All being well and the
    beads having been painted successfully, I then hope to knot them
    onto silk and attach them to a new silver clasp which I'll fabricate.

    Oh incidentally, do you send your gemstones outside of the US? I
    live in the UK and am thinking of purchasing some of your cabochons.
    If you would ship to the UK, how much would shipping cost? 

Many thanks.
Helen
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