Yellowing Pearls and How to Stop This Happening

A pearl’s luster and color are what immediately attracts us when we look at pearls. But with age, some pearls tend to discolor, turning yellow and losing their freshness. Here’s what you can do about it.

Yellow Pearls vs. Yellowing or Yellowed Pearls

Don’t confuse yellow pearls with yellowing or yellowed pearls. Pearls occur in a range of colors, especially freshwater pearls, and can be found in pinks, greens, whites, purples, yellows and so on.

Yellow pearls are naturally yellow or golden and get this color due to the cultivation process. Probably the most popular type are Golden South Sea pearls which sometimes come in yellow hues.  In addition to this, some yellow pearls are dyed to achieve that color. These pearls look fresh and new and often have a vibrant, vivid hue.

Yellowing pearls, on the other hand, are pearls that started out as white, but are slowly becoming yellow due to age and exposure.

Are Yellowing Pearls Fake?

When pearls turn yellow, this is a completely normal process that happens as pearls age. A pearl is an organic gemstone that is affected by its environment. As the composition of the pearls change due to certain natural processes, the appearance of the pearls also undergoes changes.

The good news is that if your pearls are changing color, you’ll know for sure that they’re genuine pearls. Fake pearls don’t change color in this way.

Why Do Pearls Turn Yellow?

The main reason that pearls discolor is due to lack of proper care and maintenance resulting in the pearls drying out.

Pearls are very fragile and need to be looked after properly to keep them fresh and lustrous. If they’re stored in airtight bags or containers, rarely worn or subjected to heat, they react by drying out, which turns them yellow and brittle.

Moisture is essential for pearls to look their best so storing them appropriately and wearing them regularly will keep them lasting lustrous for longer.

The Trouble with Yellow Pearls

Yellow pearls are not only unsightly to look at but they’re also very brittle which can cause the pearls to crack or chip easily.

Pearls are naturally very soft, only ranking at 2.5 on the Mohs scale, but as they dry out, they begin to become even more fragile and easily damaged. You may start to notice that the surface layers of the pearl begin to flake off, especially around the drill holes.

In other words, yellowing pearls is a sign that the durability of your pearls have been compromised.

Can I Reverse Yellow Pearls to Their Original Color?

With yellowed pearls, prevention is always easier than cure. Reversing the damage done to the pearls depends on how long they’ve been yellowing.

If these pearls are already dried out and you can notice the damage, it’s likely that undoing the damage is next to impossible.

If it’s only been a short while, taking good care of the pearls may give them a semblance of their former self.

How to Prevent Pearls from Becoming Yellow

Preventing pearls from yellowing is easier than it seems. Here are some steps to take to stop your pearls changing color:

1. Wear your pearls regularly. If you love pearls as much as we do, this won’t be a hard instruction to follow! The interesting thing about pearls is that the more you wear them, the more they look good. This is because pearls come into contact with your natural body oils, which keeps it polished, moisturized and reflective. You don’t have to wear them every day – every other week or so should be fine to maintain their color.
2. However, although body oils are good for the pearls, sweat can do damage. Sweat can affect the pearl’s luster so always take off pearls when engaging in vigorous physical activity.
3. Storing pearls should be done very carefully. Don’t put them in zip-locked, airtight bags, as this cuts out air circulation and accelerates the drying out process. Instead, store pearls in fabric pouches or fabric-lined jewelry boxes that allows the pearls to breathe.
4. After wearing pearls, always wipe them to remove any traces of sweat, make up, perfume or other chemicals from them.

Think of pearls like skin. Let it breathe, keep it moisturised and avoid chemicals for best results. Just like us, pearls age with time too, so taking care of them can help stave off this aging process. If looked after well, pearls can last for decades, looking as beautiful as when you first bought them. If the oldest pearl in the world, which is more than 7500 years old, is still lustrous and still mostly whitish, then there’s no reason you can’t keep your pearls from turning yellow too!