AboutThomas Expertise A lot of hobbyist are out there looking for answers, lapidary, jewelry making craft, etc. I can answer to many topics in those areas. I do not generally deal with costume jewelry but can give some advice regarding such. Note that I do not string pearls(or other bead work) or do twisted wire work jewelry. I can give info on gemstones and jewelry making tools and techniques.
Experience Experience: Over 25 years as a professional jeweler, working at the bench with the everyday problems of everyday people, plus good knnowledge on the do`s and dont`t, what to expect, what is unexpected, how to get beyond the simple into a rewarding hobby.
Clients: Owned and operated a "trade shop" servicing designers, retail jewelers, etc, and owned and operated a school for jewelers now gone by the wayside due to certain personal and economic conditions). I produced fine jewelry for one national opal company. Also lectured, demonstrated, and taught at the request of clubs, societies,etc.
I have a double strand of mother-of-pearl beads that have lost their shine. Is there some way to restore the shine to these beads. I am a crafts person who is comfortable using jewelry-making tools, but I have never had to polish any stones before. I would love to be able to use these beads again. Thanks for any help you can give me.
Answer Janet, I appreciate the question.
I also appreciate nice mother-of-pearl and many of the affordable but quite lovely gems of nature, organic or mineral. This is not a cleaning but rather a polishing situation. Fortunately, mop is not hard like a stone bead and is not difficult to polish. The problem you will have is that you are dealing with beads. These cannot be polished while on string. The beads have to come off the double strand to be properly polished and used again in a more attractive state.
Depending on the wear of the surface, polishing will go with perhaps one simple step. If there are deep scratches, you will need more work to restore the beads to a totally smooth surface. As for me, I would likely ignore deeper scratches and polish the beads in an "as are" state. The surface of mop takes a shine quickly and yes, deep scratches will remain. Still, the look is of older beads and the shine adds to the appeal. If you want to remove deeper wear marks, you can do that but it will take sanding in a couple of stages prior to the polishing stage and will change the shape of the bead somewhat.
Do you have a rotary tool like a Dremel™ handpiece? With a variable speed version(variable speed is a must), you can use a small felt or firm cotton miniature buff with a white rouge compound to polish the beads. Yes, and yikes, this is one bead at a time. I suggest using a metal rod or wire of a size to go through the bead hole to hold the bead. Otherwise, it is all fingers and there the bead goes flying! With a wire to contain flying beads and fingers to hold gently, the rotating buff is applied to the white rouge then to the bead, working the buff along the surface and turning the bead as you go. When done, wash the beads in a dish detergent solution and dry. You will likely need to rub some a bit with fingers in the detergent to remove rouge. See why a white rouge was recommended? As for speed of the rotary tool, a fast speed is not needed. You will easily find a speed to do the job well.
Another method to polish is to use a vibratory tumbler if you have one. If not, then this idea is for some other time. Small ones like made by Raytech will do the work very well. Here is a link:
Most likely mother-of-pearl can be polished with dry media, starting with a very mild abrasive and finishing with polishing materials as used for jewlery metal polishing. The small versions of the tumblers are very handy but that is an expense you may not need and you might not need to use the tumbler again.
If a tumbler makes no sense for the craft work you do, it is back to hand holding and polishing with an electric variable speed rotary tool. To do it all by hand will take not quite forever but will feel like it and the work will not be as well done. Get a variable speed hand tool if at all possible. Dremel™ is one but several companies make similar tools and it is worth checking hobby shops or at Home Depot, Lowes and Sears stores.
The white rouge I recommend is called Fabulustre, found fairly easily on the net I believe. This is slightly abrasive to remove light scratches and leaves a bright finish on the pearl. Similar white compounds which are made to polish "metals and plastics" will also work. You might find a bar of stuff which will work at an auto supply store. Look for "plastic polish" in a bar form made for use on a polishing buff. The same stuff used to polish auto headlight covers will polish mother-of-pearl.
Janet, this is a lot of info. If you need more, please use the follow-up option. I will be off the web site this coming weekend. Best wishes with the beads and with your craft work overall.
