Though once reserved for royalty, nowadays it’s cheap enough to be readily available to the average person, and it’s exquisite enough to convince many to pass the jewellery down from generation to generation.

That’s not possible without the proper care and maintenance. Mother of pearl can easily lose its luster.

Here are six great tips to keep your mother of pearl jewellery bright.

(1) Be gentle with your jewellery. Put on and remove the item with care; don’t allow the pearls to grind against one another. The friction will strip the nacre in time and you’ll be left with some dull, but nicely shaped lumps.

(2) Don’t jostle your jewellery. This means don’t run, don’t crawl, don’t headbang, don’t do anything that will cause your jewellery to be cast about. If you do, you risk snagging your jewellery, which is not only unpleasant but could also wind up with you losing or permanently damaging pearls if they should fall. Sweat can wear down the string in a necklace and cause the pearls to rub together, thus breaking down the nacre and ruining your jewellery in the process.

(3) Don’t bathe or shower while wearing your necklace. It’s never a good idea to submerge jewellery in water, and mother of pearl is no exception. Doing so can result in a situation similar to the last tip – water can break down your jewellery which could cause friction among the pearls. Be smart: remove all jewellery before bathing.

(4) If your jewellery does get wet, allow it to dry completely before storing. The thought process here is twofold. First, allowing it to dry prevents any unnecessary wear and tear on the jewellery itself. Second, being dry, there’s much less chance of bacteria growing in your jewellery. You want a beautiful accessory, not a germ farm. You are putting this on naked skin, after all.

(5) Clean your jewellery carefully if it gets dirty. Mother of pearl is very delicate, and any cleaner that’s even slightly abrasive can cause trouble. For the same reason, never put mother of pearl jewellery in any kind of ultrasonic cleaner. If you can, wipe the offending dirt with a soft cloth to clean your piece, or, if you must, use a very mild soap and water mix. Don’t forget to allow it to dry.

(6) Store mother of pearl jewellery in its own soft cloth bag. Keeping your mother of pearl jewellery separate from the rest of your stuff prevents any wearing down or crushing. Being in the bag will help reduce dust issues as well.

Mother of pearl jewellery is beautiful when you buy it, no question. It’s something you’ll want to keep forever. With a little attention paid to the above details, you’ll find your mother of pearl breathtaking for many years to come.

Platinum Overlay Sterling Silver Mother of Pearl & Cubic Zirconia Pendant, 18″; $32.00

You can have this affordable little pendant at Amazon.com for just a little more than a newly released DVD, and boy is it a looker! It’s a classic style mother of pearl pendant featuring some sparkling cubic zirconia flourishes with a silver and platinum vine framing its bottom. The 18 inch silver chain leaves plenty of room for your comfort.

Genuine Mother of Pearl Stone Chip Shell Crescent Stretch Bracelet; $9.99

This is a delightful stretch bracelet with elaborate crescent shaped chips of mother of pearl throughout its length. A wonderful gift for just about anyone – only $9.99 from Amazon.com – and appropriate for any trip anywhere, and the best thing is that you can really see how iridescent mother of pearl can be.

Mother of Pearl and Pink Shell Beaded Necklace by Sajen, 21.5″; $49.00

Mother of pearl is best known for its incredible necklaces, and this one is yet another. A shimmering square of mother of pearl is attached on the string to warm, pink shells intricately beaded with browns, greens and whites. It’s bright and clean and absolutely perfect for any occasion. Amazon.com’s price is $49.00, but this necklace is worth far more.

Sterling Silver Carved Black Mother of Pearl Dragon Dangle Earrings by Sajen; $49.00

This is another great piece from Sajen – one that’s particularly awesome because seated in a beautiful sterling silver earring is an awe-inspiring Chinese dragon carved in black mother of pearl! A cute decoration not unlike silver flames lines the top. For $49.00 at Amazon.com, this one is quite a steal. Even if you’re not a fan of fantasy imagery, this one is just too cool to pass over, so make sure you pick one up before they’re gone.

Beautiful jewellery doesn’t have to cost you. There are quite a few deals out there for those willing to look, and if these four aren’t to your taste, then don’t worry. There’s plenty of jewellery out there to be had, and with prices like these, how can you say no?

Mother of pearl can be found in many different types of jewellery and can be any color and any size, any style – there are literally infinite variations. The only thing that remains the same regardless is how gorgeous they are to look at.

Though most mother of pearl jewellery uses a limited palette of white or black, there are plenty of products out there that sport nifty new colors. Since it’s entirely possible to dye the mother of pearl, there is really no limit to the range of colors you can play with.

Let’s take a look at some of the more popular varieties of mother of pearl jewellery.

Mother of Pearl Earrings

Mother of pearl earrings will light up your face with their shimmering glow. With many items under $50, these are easily the most affordable type of jewellery you can find with mother of pearl. Try to go for the “less is more” mentality when it comes to earrings or you’ll end up with your ears weighed down with pretty but painful anchors.

Mother of Pearl Pendants

There are as many types of pendants as there are stars in the sky. One common style is using a flower motif, with gentle strokes of color to compliment the natural chipped look of the pearl’s own colors. Try to buy one with another gem mounted on the piece of jewellery to give you and the rest of the world more to look at. Don’t forget to match this with an equally stunning necklace.

Mother of Pearl Necklaces

The options are literally endless when it comes to pearl necklaces. There’s the simple and excessive sixty inch necklaces that flappers wore back in the ’20s, and then there are the more complicated necklaces that pair with pendants and gemstones. The latter can get quite intricate, with each stone colored to form a desired effect of calm, fun, or passion.

Mother of Pearl Watch

Mother of pearl can be used for the dial, and can really bring out some style in an otherwise mild watch. New colors can really bring a watch to life – but make sure the color you choose isn’t too dark, or your watch’s hands will be hard to read, especially at night. Don’t kill functionality for style.

Mother of Pearl Bracelet

Bracelets are almost completely restrained to silver and pink colors, and subtle variations between the two. That being said, mother of pearl bracelets are unbelievably pretty and pair nicely with pendants, which dangle seductively from the bracelet’s links.

Mother of pearl jewellery comes in all different shapes, sizes and colors – the sky is the limit as long as the maker uses some imagination. Whether you decide to buy necklaces, bracelets, pendants, or watches, you’ll be sure to have a gorgeous accessory that’ll get you noticed at any party.

Mother of pearl has been used over centuries for many different purposes and effects. Your options might seem a little intimidating at first – after all, mother of pearl has been used in architecture, for decorative inlays, and elaborate pieces of jewellery. With a good imagination, pretty much anything is possible. But where do you begin?

Here are some ideas to get you started.

Making Mother of Pearl Jewellery and Accessories

Use your imagination. There are tons of opportunities here for incredible pieces. Mother of pearl can easily be used to craft earrings, charm bracelets, necklaces, and if you’re feeling up for a challenge, even watches. Mother of pearl also make fabulous buttons for shirts.

When you know what you want to make, start thinking about what you want to do with it. Make it as unique as you can. Don’t settle for black and white like any other piece of jewellery. Need your jewellery to match an outfit you already have? Try dying your pearls to give them that unique touch. There are plenty of commercial dyes, but stick to the acid (vinegar) based dyes, as they’ll have a stronger effect. Use your favorite colors to give your jewellery your own flavor.

Since mother of pearl is found in nature, it’s not going to be shaped perfectly – but that’s why it’s beautiful. When you set out to make your jewellery, make sure those oddball pearls are easily viewable. This will add to the exclusive nature of your work.

Decorate the House

This technique can get tricky, so plan ahead to work at your own pace. You’ll have to cut your mother of pearl, but trust me this isn’t that hard.

First, use an everyday jeweller’s saw to carefully cut your mother of pearl into unique pieces and weave them together. After quickly laminating your decoration to ceramic tile or metal, you can cover your design with lacquer for an extra glossy finish. Use sandpaper and polishing compounds as a nice afterthought, preferably on felt. Do be careful, though – mother of pearl is brittle and prone to cracking.

You can even put this on musical instruments – say, a neat pattern on the neck of a guitar. Use a little epoxy glue and slap on your new creation.

This is good for freshening up your jewellery boxes, too. You’ll see the old in a brand new way.

There are many ways mother of pearl can brighten up an otherwise boring room. Try these ideas and you’ll have a good place to start. Enjoy yourself!

Mother of pearl is one of the most beautiful and readily available stones. Its lustrous sheen can cast many colors, and some are even multiple colors. Even so, sometimes their natural color isn’t enough. Maybe it doesn’t match a particular outfit you own, or maybe you’re just curious about the many colors available to you.

You can customize your jewellery and add a unique flavor to any piece with the following simply dying technique.

Preparatory Steps

The first thing you should do is ask yourself if dying your pearls is absolutely necessary, because if you mess up you could wind up having wasted your time. You can either purchase the dye to color your pearls online, or try to make it yourself. Do yourself a favor and buy it online. Commercial dyes provide deeper colors than most homemade dyes – unless you really know what you’re doing.

Next, decide on the color you want. There are a lot of dyes sold online and in stores that work well, but stick with the vinegar based dyes, as they will stain harder and mark the pearl more effectively. Once you’ve picked your color, I’d advise doing a color swab next to the pearls to give yourself an idea of what it’s going to look like. Does it look the way you want it to? If so, then you’re ready to begin.

The Dyeing Process

Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the dye. If you feel lucky, experiment with the basic process – try a thicker concentration of the dye for a darker look, for instance. You can either dye them singly or on a strand. Either way will work just fine. Try soaking your pearls for different lengths of time. Write down as much information as you can when you change your process, so if you like it you can do it again for the other pearls.

End Results

When you’re finished, try placing your pearls in order of lightest to darkest and see how it looks. Or, put the darkest ones at either end of eachother to give your jewellery a nice “coming full circle” feel.

Not satisfied with just one color? Feel free to try more than one and combine your results on the same piece of jewellery. Your results will be amazing, and you can feel proud that you’re holding a piece of jewellery that’s uniquely your own.