How Do I Clean the Ripka Mother of Pearl Sterling Shell Enhancer

pezheadbob · ‎04-15-2010

HELP! I just received an item that I won on the auction site e*b*a*y*. The mother of pearl is fine, but on the back of the shell enhancer, underneath the silver holding everything in place is badly oxidized. How can I clean the oxidation without ruining the mother of pearl? All outer edges of the silver are fine, the oxidation is underneath the silver that is holding the mother of pearl in place (does this make sense to you?). This is the Judith Ripka seashell enhancer that is now retired. It is a pretty enhancer but the black oxidation on the back really bothers me!! Any cleaning suggestions? Many thanks!

ennui1 · ‎06-23-2013

Can you find a piece of cotton string, feed it around, slide it back and forth, and polish it that way? Q-tip?

You might try a dip cleaner, but only for a few seconds, and rinse thoroughly.

River Song · ‎03-15-2010

You can use a Sunshine polishing cloth to shine up the sterling. For the places the polishing cloth can't reach, I recommend using Hagerty Silver Foam polish. It's a reddish gel/paste polish I found available at my local hardware store, 8 oz. white plastic jar, and it is safe for sterling, silverplate and gold. I've used it on pearls and turquoise in sterling jewelry with no ill effects. It contains no strong abrasives, chemicals or offensive odor.

I use a soft baby toothbrush to apply the paste to the item (dampen the toothbrush and item with water first), lightly scrub and rinse. If the piece is still tarnished a bit, reapply. That's it!

I owned that shell enhancer at one time and REALLY regret selling it now that the matching earrings are available. What was I thinking, lol?!

pezheadbob · ‎04-15-2010

Sweet Susie and everyone else who answered my plea for help, thanks. Sweet Susie, since you have owned this piece you know that the silver open work on the back is very difficult to get things in to to clean. Apparently the previous owner didn't take very good care of this piece who it came to the stuff underneath the silver on the back. The silver around the mother of pearl is fine and the silver on the back is fine but not the silver underneath. Also, whomever owned this piece must have been a smoker because it has a cigarette odor...BUT the price was right and it is so pretty. Sweet Susie, there are currently two of these enhancers where I got mine. I think that it will be a nice thing to put on the recent Ripka changeable pearl/sterling necklace. Again, thanks to everyone with your suggestions. If you have any more ideas, please post them. Thanks!

River Song · ‎03-15-2010

On 2/18/2014 pezheadbob said: Sweet Susie and everyone else who answered my plea for help, thanks. Sweet Susie, since you have owned this piece you know that the silver open work on the back is very difficult to get things in to to clean. Apparently the previous owner didn't take very good care of this piece who it came to the stuff underneath the silver on the back. The silver around the mother of pearl is fine and the silver on the back is fine but not the silver underneath. Also, whomever owned this piece must have been a smoker because it has a cigarette odor...BUT the price was right and it is so pretty. Sweet Susie, there are currently two of these enhancers where I got mine. I think that it will be a nice thing to put on the recent Ripka changeable pearl/sterling necklace. Again, thanks to everyone with your suggestions. If you have any more ideas, please post them. Thanks!

Well, if your enhancer is as grungy on the back as the one bayside, lol, a good scrub with a toothbrush and Hagerty's should help. You can also apply the Hagerty paste with a Q-tip (or even an artist's paintbrush with long bristles) to really get into the grillwork on the back. And giving it a nice bath in water with a little dish detergent should help remove the cigarette odor, any perfumes, skin oils, lotions, etc, too, and won't hurt the shell. I'm always amazed that folks sell filthy, smelly jewelry and think nothing of it, lol. Ewwww. At least you didn't pay a premium price for it! Good luck!

ennui1 · ‎06-23-2013

On 2/18/2014 Sweet Susie said:
And giving it a nice bath in water with a little dish detergent should help remove the cigarette odor, any perfumes, skin oils, lotions, etc, too, and won't hurt the shell.

Mother of pearl is tough and resilient, but it is also porous. I'd be gentle with it.

Does the pendant smell like smoke, or just the packaging?

pezheadbob · ‎04-15-2010

Ennui and Sweet Susie, yes mine was the one on "that auction site that starts with the letter e"..I got the enhancer for a great price (but you get what you pay for!) The packaging AND the enhancer have a cigarette smell. I don't know if I will ask to return it or just try to spiff it up. The mother of pearl is fine, the silver holding the mop in front and back is fine, but the silver underneath the back that holds the mop in from the underside is tarnished. I too can't see how people would first not take care of such a beautiful enhancer and sell it on an auction site! It didn't look that bad in the pics the seller posted. Keep the suggestions coming ladies and I will try them. I will let you know how everything works out. I sure wish that Judith would bring this piece back. I would buy it in a heartbeat and I would take good care of it!

Iluvlucy · ‎03-09-2010

I've had mine for years, I wash it with SoftSoap and dry it off with a microfiber cloth.

Looks brand new. I know that scares some ladies but I can say mine has stood the test of time.

I actually wash all of my JR like that, even the pearls. I think I started collecting in 2007 and I'd be willing to put any of mine alongside a brand new piece and am confident you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

My gf and dil wash their JR the same way and have never had any problems at all.

pezheadbob · ‎04-15-2010

Pppr mint patty,the problem is the severe tarnish that is allready on the underside of the enhancer in an area that is extremely difficult to reach. I have no problems keeping stuff tarnish free because I never allow them to tarnish, but removing tarnish that has been there for a while that is the problem. Any other suggestions? This is such a pretty enhancer. I am determined to bring it back to life!

River Song · ‎03-15-2010

Honestly, a little mild dish soap and water won't hurt the MOP. I also don't let the piece sit in the soapy water for hours, either. I let it sit for a couple of minutes, give it a scrub with a toothbrush, rinse it off under the faucet, dry it off and Bob's your uncle! What will hurt it over time is using those nasty smelling silver dips with harsh chemicals in it.

I've always washed my JR with mild dish soap and water, too, PpprMintPatty! The dish soap will cut through skin oils and lotions and help make the gemstones sparkle.

If Judith brought back the shell enhancer and matching earrings in gold-clad, I would buy them in a New York minute! I purchased the TSV interchangeable necklace in gold-clad and I have fallen in love with Ripka all over again!