How to repair imitation leather

[Gold99]

I'd want to ask you a little help to repair a strand pearl box inner side made of imitation leather.
[Pics modified to enhance the problem]

As you can see the leatherette detached from some points, I guess because it's quite old (2004). This is not only an aesthetic problem, the main problem is the leatherette sticks to the pearls themselves!

The only idea that has come to my mind is using white shoe polish to cover the scratches and protect all the leatherette to prevent other points to detach, but I'd like to hear your opinions for first because I don't wont to make a mess!

 

[LilAlex]

his is not only an aesthetic problem, the main problem is the leatherette sticks to the pearls themselves!

It's easy to repair real or synthetic leather -- like car seats and furniture. I think they color-match a liquid vinyl-like product and then hand-match the texture. We had this done for a sofa and while the guy was at our house, a neighbor buttonholed him to fix his car seats (wtf, but that's a story for another day).

But in this instance, where the case is disintegrating and sticking to your pearls, I think it's a discard. Maybe for anything other than pearls, coral, opal, I'd try to limp along. But who knows what plasticizers are leaching out as it disintegrates. You can keep the box if it helps establish authenticity of the piece but I would not keep pearls or other organics in it. And even if you could repair it, I would not trust the repair product on pearls. (On sapphire or diamond, sure.)

 

[pearlsngems]

I agree with what LilAlex said.

The pearls are more important than the box, so save the box if you like, but store the pearls in another box, or silk bag.

 

[Gold99]

I see, I've already moved the strand to another place so it's save.

What if I want to just aesthetically restore the leatherette? I mean I don't want to use this box anymore to store the strand but just keep it, I'd like to hide/cover those detached point, just it. You talked about "liquid vinyl-like product" and I looked for them on the web and I found out these ones:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00B1PNHBC/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KM2Z77C/

Do you think products like these can be good for just an aesthetic restoration?

 

[pearlsngems]

I suppose you could apply some sort of flocking, if you want a fuzzy surface.
I'm not familiar with other products.

 

[LilAlex]

Do you think products like these can be good for just an aesthetic restoration?

Truthfully? i think any home restoration of deteriorating old plastic would look terrible.

I have a "nice" watch and the suede-y lining of the box is falling apart after decades. I keep it for the provenance (and because the outside of the box is lovely wood) but the watch lives somewhere else.