Conch Pearl Treatment Could Be Damaging
The new coating that is being applied to conch pearls has been causing damage that is not only visible, but also totally irreversible, warns the Swiss gemology lab, Swiss Gemmological Institute.
The conch pearls that were investigated had been handled with care, worn only a couple of times, and kept in a safe. After an analysis performed with scanning electron microscope, it was concluded that the pearls had been coated on the surface with an artificial resin that was carbon-rich, and the de-gassing of this coating was the cause for the corrosion that occured even below the surface.
More information about this subject, and a more in-depth conclusion can be found here, in the original article. Also, the SSEF.ch website includes more information about conch pearls and appropriate treatments, as well as an online advanced course on pearls.
