The silk that holds it together
Every strand leaves the atelier on premium Japanese silk, hand-knotted between each pearl. The silk is what separates a strand built to last from a piece that frays in a season.
Materials & Care
Materials & Care
A strand built by hand asks to be cared for by hand. Below — what every Hardly Common piece is made of, and what to do with it over the years.
07.
Wearing
Wear them. Pearls feed on the oils of your skin and keep their lustre when worn regularly. Put them on after fragrance, makeup, and hair products have set — perfume and alcohol cloud the nacre over time. Sweat is fine. Chlorine and saltwater are not.
Cleaning
A soft cloth, warm water, no soap. Wipe each pearl after wear and dry the strand flat. Skip ultrasonic cleaners, steam, jewelry dips, and anything labelled "polish" — they will strip the nacre. If dust gathers between the knots, breathe on the silk lightly and wipe; do not soak the strand.
Storage
Flat, never hung. Hanging stretches the silk over years and pulls the knots open. Every strand goes home in a soft pouch — keep them there, away from harder pieces that could scratch the surface. Avoid airtight boxes; pearls are organic and need to breathe.
When to send the strand back
Watch the silk. Knots that have loosened, gaps that have opened between pearls, thread that has yellowed or frayed — these are signs the strand has done its work and is asking to be re-strung. For a piece worn weekly, expect this around year five to seven. Sooner if it lives in damp air or has met chlorine.
Restring Service
Any strand. From $120.
Send us your piece — ours or anyone's. Two-pass inspection, fresh Japanese silk, re-knotted by hand at the Ontario atelier, returned ready for its next decade. Send a few photos and a note — the atelier will reply with a quote within two business days.
From CAD $120 · turnaround ~2 weeks · shipping not included
Request a Quote →Pearls do not age the way other jewelry ages — they keep their first owner's shape, their first owner's warmth. We just keep the silk underneath them honest.
