Sharon, Heat can be used to remove the pearls, but you have to be
careful lest you burn them. It depends on the mounting and how
the pearls are placed, but I usually use a soft solder gun placed
somewhere close to the base of the pearl post and/or cup. I
gently heat the area, pulling constantly on the pearl, until the
glue melts and lets go. You have to watch the edge of the cup
carefully for discoloration. Too much heat and you’ve bought
yourself a pearl. I usually keep some clean water around in
order to stop the heating process in a hurry, if need be. Also,
make sure there’s no soft solder on the soldering iron. Steve