Pearl
The pearl is one of Junes birthstones, though it is not actually a stone. Pearls are organic gems, meaning they comes from plants or animals.
Knowledge:
Formed inside of living seawater or freshwater mollusks. Mostly found in oyster and mussels. Pearls form as a natural defence against a foreign substance entering their environment, such as a piece of sand or grit. Layers of nacre build up around the foreign substance to build the pearl. Pearls can form in freshwater, saltwater, streams, rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. The overlapping layers of nacre create an iridescent luster when light reflects on them. With time, more layers form and you develop a larger pearl size.
Natural pearls form naturally (without human assistance) around foreign irritant bodies that have made their way inside the mollusks (shells) of marine or freshwater shellfish. Most pearls are harvested from the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. Due to pollution, over-fishing and economic factors, natural pearls are very hard to find now. Natural pearls are very rare and exceptionally valuable.
Cultured pearls are produced artificially in large fisheries by inserting a foreign substance (usually a bead) called the nuclei into the mollusk (shell) of marine or freshwater creatures. From here the nuclei develops the layered nacre, such as natural pearls would. Most of these farms are found in Japan, China and Australia. Cultured pearls are readily available, though some are much more valuable than others. Value can be attributed to where they are farmed and what conditions they were farmed under.
Types of Pearls:
Akoya- These are the most familiar to consumers. Their sizes typically range from 6mm to 8mm but can be as small as 2mm and as large as 11mm. Saltwater in origin and mostly produced in Japan and China.
South Sea- Sizes typically range from 8mm to 18mm in size. Saltwater in origin and mostly produced in Australia, Indonesia and Philippines.
Tahitian- Sizes typically range from 8mm to 17mm. Saltwater in origin and mostly produced around the islands of French Polynesia.
Freshwater- Found in a wide range of sizes, shapes and colours. Cultured in streams, rivers and lakes and mostly produced in china and the US.
Keshi- These are commonly called seed pearls, or “poppyseed”. They are very tinny in size. They are pearls that form without being intentionally nucleated.
Blister- Cultured or natural in origin. These pearls form over a solid surface with only a portion developing nacre. These do not form in a bead like shape.
Mabé- An assembled pearl by attaching a blister pearl to a flat or low dome backing. Often found in broaches.
Value:
The value placed on pearl jewelry is largely determined by 7 value Factors
Size- Millimetre dimensions of the pearl. Larger is usually better when comparing the same quality of pearls.
Shape- Round, near-round, oval, button, drop, semi-baroque and baroque.
Colour- Body colour, overtone and orient
Luster- The light reflected from the surface, evaluated by intensity and sharpness. Ranging from excellent, very good, good, fair and poor.
Surface- Presence of surface blemishes or irregularities. Ranging from clean, lightly spotted, moderately spotted and heavily spotted.
Nacre Thickness- The presence of thick or thin coating on the bead cultured pearl.
Matching- The uniformity of appearance in strands and pieces of jewellery that contain more than one pearl.
Usage:
Pearls are mostly formed in round sphere like shapes, commonly drilled halfway to make stud earrings or drilled through entirely to make a bead to be strung into a necklace or bracelet.
Pearls vary in colours from white, cream and white with overtones of colours such as pink, green, purple, or blue. Pearls are also available in other colours like yellow, brown and even black. The colours are dependent on the type of mollusk and the water they formed in.
Symbolism:
In ancient China, pearls were believed to protect you from fire and fire breathing dragons. In Europe, pearls symbolize modesty, chastity and purity.
Style:
Pearls are mostly used in jewelry such as pearl necklaces, pearl bracelets and pearl stud earring. These pieces are signature pieces that most women have when building a core jewelry collection. Pearl jewelry is versatile and classics regardless of the age and the personal style of the wearer. For these reasons, pearl jewelry is one of the most affordable jewelry items chosen by gift givers to become family heirlooms. You can wear pearl jewelry on its own or layered with other jewelry pieces to style your look uniquely.
Akoya Pearl Studs- Various Sizes
Akoya Pearl Necklace- Various Sizes
Care:
Pearls are sensitive to heat, acids, dryness and humidity making them less durable than other gems. Pearls are also rated 3 on the Moh’s scale of mineral hardness, making it slightly harder than a fingernail.
Keep away from perfumes, hairspray and other harsh chemicals, which can ruin their surface nacre.
Store pearls separate from gemstones and other jewelry to prevent scratching the surface.
Never place pearls in an ultrasonic cleaner or use steam on them. Either purchase a pearl safe jewelry cleaner or use mild soap and warm water to clean tough dirt. For routine care of pearl jewelry, simply wipe it down with a damp cloth after wear to avoid any environmental buildup.