Many people believe pearls are fragile and easily scratched. But is that really true?
Pearls have a relatively soft surface, but that does not necessarily mean they are fragile or break easily. From my own experience handling pearls professionally and wearing them for many years, I have found that pearls can be surprisingly durable in everyday use.
So, how strong are pearls really, and how easily do they scratch? In this article, I’d like to share what I have learned from actually working with and wearing pearls over the years.
Do Pearls Scratch Easily?
The other day, I showed a customer a ring I had once made, strung entirely with pearls.
That ring has an interesting story. It was originally requested by a senior from my university days, a woman who has been working to spread Japanese sake around the world for over ten years. Long before the Japanese government put any effort into promoting it, she was already abroad, introducing sake to people everywhere. Thanks to pioneers like her, sake is now loved in many countries.
I personally enjoy sake as well, though I try not to drink too much—because when I do, I tend to overindulge and end up with a terrible hangover.
One day, that senior, Ms. O, said to me:
“Could you make me a ring strung only with large pearls? It’s trending in New York.”
I am simple by nature, so I quickly made one.
But over a year passed with no response at all.
When I met with a customer recently, that ring came to mind again, and I showed it to her. Her answer was something like:
“Well, it’s not so much New York—I’m on the west side of the USA, so I don’t really know. But maybe it’s because people worry about pearls getting scratched.”
That explanation made a lot of sense to me.
Even in the past, when I offered pearl bracelets, there were always some people who worried: “What if the pearls get scratched?”
So this time, I thought I would write an article that says, “Pearls don’t scratch that easily.”
Of course, no matter how much I explain that pearls won’t just get scratched, it will be difficult to change the minds of those who already worry. Still, as someone who deals with pearls, I am grateful that people handle them with such care. At the same time, I want to share the facts about their actual durability.
How Durable Are Pearls in Everyday Wear?
When I was in my third year at a pearl company, I bought blue baroque pearls for myself and made a set of accessories—a tie clip and cufflinks.
Photo taken by a customer at a jewelry show in Hong Kong, using a Leica camera.
I wore those cufflinks almost every day for six or seven years. Since my work was mostly office-based, the pearls were constantly bumping into the desk. Whenever I was writing or typing on the computer, the pearls would hit the keyboard or the desk again and again.
You can probably guess the conclusion: the pearls never developed a single scratch.
I even accidentally put them through the washing machine several times—but still, not a single mark.
What Can Scratch Pearls?
Pearls are composed primarily of calcium carbonate. Their surface is relatively soft compared with many gemstones, but in my experience, that does not mean they are easily damaged in everyday use.
Pearls can certainly be scratched by harder or abrasive materials, especially rough metal surfaces, concrete, or asphalt. However, in ordinary use, contact with smoother materials such as plastic, resin, wood, or smoothly finished metal is much less likely to leave visible scratches.
At pearl farms, stainless steel scoops are used to shovel pearls in bulk. They are also shaken through metal sieves, like flour through a sifter, to sort them by size. Yet in my experience, even this kind of rough handling does not normally leave visible scratches on the pearls.
In short, the kinds of rough surfaces that can leave marks on our own skin—like dragging a hand or elbow against concrete—can also scratch pearls.
Still, many people fear that their bracelet or ring might get scratched just by brushing against something while walking. In fact, this fear is partly why people say pearls make their wearers act more gracefully. I myself developed the habit of holding my hands close to my chest in crowded places to protect my bracelet. Perhaps an unnecessary gesture for a man in his forties, but it became second nature.
Even if I write all this, most people probably won’t suddenly say, “Ah, then it’s fine to wear pearls every day.” But if I can lighten the fear that pearls are “fragile and easily scratched” even just by twenty percent, then I’ll be satisfied.
Why Are Pearl Necklaces Rarely Worn Every Day?
I also genuinely appreciate that people treasure their pearls.
In Japan, pearl necklaces are most often worn at school ceremonies for children—entrance or graduation. That’s usually when mothers buy their first necklace. After that, pearls mostly come out only for weddings or funerals. Unless someone is a pearl enthusiast, it’s very rare to see anyone wearing them casually.
And because people believe pearls scratch easily and must be kept safe, many necklaces end up tucked away in drawers.
When I worked at a pearl company, I often told customers, “Please wear your pearl necklace on ordinary days too.” But in the end, both they and I would admit: “It’s hard to wear a classic pearl necklace with everyday clothes.”
Here I mean the traditional type—strands of round pearls, strung without knots or visible spacers, with nothing between pearl and pearl.
It’s a shame, really. Such beautiful necklaces, yet only used for weddings, funerals, or school ceremonies.
That’s why my first encounter with colorful-threaded, all-knot necklaces moved me so much. They offered a way to break free from the image of pearls being too fragile, too formal.
Still, I imagine many families have a strand of pearls sitting in storage, rarely worn.
This also explains why, when my sister-in-law once asked me for a pearl necklace, I actually recommended glass pearls. She had a budget of about 700 dollars and wanted a round, white strand. For that amount, I could only offer baroques of good quality, but round whites at that price would be mediocre at best. It felt like a waste.
With glass pearls, on the other hand, she could get a beautiful necklace with very strong luster for around 60 dollars.
I sometimes have dinner with the president of a company that sells glass pearl necklaces. He occasionally deals in Akoya pearls as well, so we also do business together.
One day over dinner, he told me a funny story.
“The other day, I bought some very high-quality Akoya pearls with exceptionally strong luster, so I showed them to my employees. I said, ‘Look at these. Aren’t they beautiful?’ Do you know what they said? ‘Are they really that beautiful?’”
He continued, “They look at glass pearls all day long, so I think their eyes have become too accustomed to that kind of luster. I’m not showing them Akoya pearls anymore.”
Of course, glass pearls and Akoya pearls are different things, and luster alone does not determine the value or beauty of a pearl. Still, I found his story very interesting.
Since my sister-in-law wasn’t particularly passionate about pearls, I felt glass pearls were the better choice for what she wanted. She bought them and was delighted.
Are Pearls Stronger Than You Think?
So, pearls are stronger than people think.
In fact, I’ve just had an idea: perhaps I should send customers a single pearl as a gift when they make a purchase. A pearl of lower quality, not suitable for jewelry. Then they could try it themselves—drop it, knock it, handle it—and see just how durable pearls really are.
Because I understand: no matter what anyone says, when it comes to the pearls you personally cherish, it’s natural to imagine, “But what if mine gets scratched?” and hesitate to trust.
Still, I hope that with time, more people will come to feel just a little more comfortable wearing pearls.
What do you think about pearl durability?
A Guide to Choosing Pearls
If you would like to understand how luster, nacre thickness, surface blemishes, color, shape, and size affect the beauty of a pearl, you may enjoy this complete guide.
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