Pearls: Glowing through '22
A new year, in which I would like to feel fully alive instead of stored in a vault, more fit than fretful. I hope you had a restorative holiday; here, the festivities were diminished by restrictions that made cancellations more common than carols, but we mustered.
Pearls lifted my mood, as they had all year. I don't look so pallid, feel as enervated. I'm comforted by the reminder that nature creates beauty as well as inimical viruses.
And hello there, 2022! We continue the tradition of re-opening with a pearl post: light-hearted, wear-with-everything pearls, pearls with movement, whether a wink or flourish. Anything but the same old, know what I mean?
A pair of modern pendants
This sterling silver Myo necklace, a graceful, stylized flower with a 6mm keshi freshwater blossom, is handmade by Montréal jeweller Andrea Desforges-Caron, of L'Amoreuse. This is not a pearl plunked on a manufactured bail. With the pendant, the total length is 49.5 cm (slightly under 18 in.) Price, $CDN 150 from Simons.
WWAKE's Long Metaphor Necklace of freshwaters in a hard-to-find shape. The chain and frame are 14k yellow gold, available in 16 or 18 in. length. Price, $US 624 from WWAKE, New York. Sometimes you spend your kitty on one piece; if so, choose a design that's versatile but not generic.
Curvy, dancing dangles
These earrings provide pearly pleasure for under $100. They are 6.3 cm (nearly 2.5 in.) long and weigh a reasonable 5.58gm. The detail that makes the difference: the single pearl at the bottom, with a joint so the dangle is not static. Price, $CDN 92 (with free shipping). Handmade to order by Etsy seller JohnnyBjewelry, in Langley, B.C.
Not-classic necklaces
Anita Berisha's Mother of Pearl Mediallion Necklace combines freshwater pearls (the larger ones are 12mm) with a striking medallion. Price, £240 at Tomfoolery, London. (Note the toggle clasp, meant to be shown.) The model wears it layered but this has the presence to stand on its own.
Playful keshis
Every time I've put on my pearls from Kojima Pearl Company during this two-year grind, I feel grateful to Sarah Canizzaro; she has fascinating pearls, and is deeply respectful of the natural environment from which they come.
These rare Japanese keshi come with a free wink! Joining the 19 in. necklace of graduated 2mm-5mm natural colour akoya keshi (which not many makers have the patience to design), is an 18k yellow gold pig clasp.
If you have a discreet white strand, layer it with this punchy piece to entirely change the vibe.
If I were a needlepointer—like Passage commenter Laura J—I'd make a pillow with one side that reads, "Help Someone" and on the other, "Wear Your Pearls", my resolution for 2022.
Comments
The Christmas things were put away early this year(before epiphany) as the greens were shedding like crazy. The glorious white amaryllises are still going strong and I’ve cut the remaining blossoms from the Christmas rose to put in a vase. I’m hoping to nurse the plant along until spring. Cold sunny and flurries…a classic January day. Be well
I don't decorate for THAT holiday, but a friend brought me evergreen cuttings from Jean-Talon Market, which have a lovely odour.
Happy Solstice (longer days!) and a better New Year.
lagatta:I hope you figured this out, as it is easy to download and print or email the pdf doc to a friend to do that favour for you. Or, put it on a usb key and take it to a print shop, such as the UPS store on Beaubien.
LauraH: You can email me the photo and I can post it! At your discretion... but those are wonderful earrings.
I love pearls, of course, but seeing the first pendant on sterling silver reminded me that I have a lovely silver necklace which incorporates pearls as well as other stones and it is very badly tarnished - how do I clean it without damaging the pearls? It would be so nice to wear it again.
Susan D
Happy new Year!!
I adore my pearls, I don't have a lot of them, a few earrings, a few rings and an amazing necklace with one pearl. A pity I can't post pictures of it here ;-)
I clean my jewelry (gold, stones and pearls) with an ultrasonic device.
2. Now, the stones
Because of the pearls, do not use a sonic cleaner. see my comment below to Gerd. All you need is to soak the piece in a bath of mild soap (I use baby shampoo but dish detergent is ok too) for 10-15 min. If there is embedded dirt under the setting, such as in filagree, you can use a soft toothbrush on that, but don't scrub hard. Rinse in clear water, pat dry with towel and if the setting is ornate let it dry further on a dry towel.
Gerd: Please do not use your sonic cleaner on pearls, or on some other gems; see this: https://www.jewelrynotes.com/what-jewelry-you-should-not-put-in-an-ultrasonic-cleaner/
Though you may have used your ultrasonic up to now without incident, all you need to clean pearls is water and a few drops of mild soap; I use baby shampoo. See this: https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-clean-pearls-2042649
If you take a moment to gently wipe your pearls after each wear, you hardly ever have to wash them. The most important thing is keeping body oil or sweat and air pollutants off them so they don't rest in storage with these damaging elements on them. I have seen hundred-year-old pearls looking magnificent because they were cared for, and a three year old pearl necklace that was trashed because someone blasted them with perfume.
Sonic cleaners are marvellous gizmos for stones and settings that can stand up to the vibration, I love mine but it will never see a pearl.
Happy New Year all….in Ontario and Québec it’s lock down time or circuit breaker time or whatever they are calling it this week. Be kind, help when you can, stay safe.
We’ll get through it……wearing our pearls of course!!
We will get through it, thank you!
The pearl cleaning advice was so helpful, thank you - and also very timely, as I'm in the midst of cleaning my jewellery and handbags.
Jane in London
I would be really grateful if you could give us the benefit of your advice on the topic of re-stringing pearls - how often, in what circumstances, pointers to look out for, etc.
I've had re-stringing done on occasion, but without any real organisation behind it on my part. I'm sure some others in the Passage will be a bit at sea with this topic too, and would value your opinion. Perhaps it's something that would need a post all to itself?
Please forgive me if you've already covered this in the past!
Jane in London
Susan D
I cannot tell you how often I have gone back to it over the last few days, looking at all the gorgeous pieces you show and going to the sources and discovering more great necklaces and earrings. Wonderful distraction for these winter days. BTW, those curvy earrings by JohnnyBjewelry are on sale right now….Happy New Year to me!
I will stop using the sonic cleaner.
However, I used it not very often, maybe once a year? Mostly I used a soft cloth and of course no perfume or creams or lotions near my pearls.