The Pearl
What is a pearl?
Pearls are the only gem produced by a living animal and for centuries, the Pearl has carried a certain allure. Natural freshwater pearls are formed in mussels and natural saltwater pearls are formed in oysters. Pearls are formed when an irritant, such as a grain of sand, enters a mollusk's shell. The mollusk coats the material with nacre, therefore creating a pearl. As you can imagine, it takes an enormous amount of time diving and searching to find a natural pearl. And, to find a perfectly round pearl is even more challenging. That explains why the majority of the pearls found in the world today are cultured freshwater pearls.
What does "Cultured" mean?
To “culture” is to essentially help a mollusk grow pearls. A worker slightly opens the mollusk, cut small slits into the mantle tissue inside both shells, and inserts a foreign material or "irritant". The mollusk will then form the nacre around the irritant thereby creating a pearl.
This procedure was first invented in Japan in the early 1900s. Japan perfected this skill throughout the 1900’s however in the early 1970’s China entered the trade. Now, China has mastered the trade and is now leading the industry. China has all the resources that Japan lacks: a huge land mass; countless available lakes, rivers,and irrigation ditches; and a limitless and pliable work force. By the 1990s, China surprised the market with products that are
revolutionizing pearling. The shapes, luster, and colors of the new Chinese production often match original Japanese quality and sometime even surpass it.
Types of Pearls Freshwater Pearls Freshwater pearls are farmed in freshwater lakes around the world. The largest growing region is China. Freshwater pearls come in a variety of different shapes, colors and sizes which allow us to create amazing fun designs. Naturally, freshwater pearls are white, cream, pink, peach light purple, etc. The round, white, best quality freshwater pearls are strung in classic form. The pearl sizes can range from as small as 4mm up to 14mm or more.
Seawater Pearls
Pearls grown in saltwater are commonly known as seawater pearls. Seawater pearls are not as abundant as freshwater pearls for two reasons: 1) the saltwater oysters cannot grow as many pearls as a freshwater mussel and 2) the saltwater bays are not as “controllable” as freshwater areas. The three most popular seawater pearls are Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian.
Akoya Pearls
The Akoya oyster is found and farmed primarily in Japan and China. Renowned for their luster, akoya are considered the classic pearl. These pearls tend to be the most consistently round pearls making them ideal for classic strands. They are generally white or cream colored, with overtone colors of rose, silver, or cream. Akoya pearls are typically 5mm – 8mm in size.
South Sea Pearl
South Sea Pearls are farmed in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, primarily around Australia, Philippines, and Indonesia. They are very large pearls that grow in a large oyster that only lives in these waters. The pearls are most commonly white, golden, or light silver. They are typically 9mm – over 15mm.
Tahitian Pearls
Tahitian pearls are farmed in the French Polynesia in the waters around Tahiti. They grow in large “black-lipped” oysters which some attribute to giving the Tahitians their dark color. Tahitians range from light silver to dark black with many shades in between. The term “peacock” is often used for the green and purple overtones found in these pearls. Tahitian pearls range from 8mm – over 15mm.
Pearl Quality Factors
Nacre
Luster
Surface
Shape
Size
Color
The portion of the above text was adapted from www.PBS.org and Pearls by Fred Ward (Gem Book Publishers, Bethesda, Maryland, 1998)
Pearls are the only gem produced by a living animal and for centuries, the Pearl has carried a certain allure. Natural freshwater pearls are formed in mussels and natural saltwater pearls are formed in oysters. Pearls are formed when an irritant, such as a grain of sand, enters a mollusk's shell. The mollusk coats the material with nacre, therefore creating a pearl. As you can imagine, it takes an enormous amount of time diving and searching to find a natural pearl. And, to find a perfectly round pearl is even more challenging. That explains why the majority of the pearls found in the world today are cultured freshwater pearls.
What does "Cultured" mean?
To “culture” is to essentially help a mollusk grow pearls. A worker slightly opens the mollusk, cut small slits into the mantle tissue inside both shells, and inserts a foreign material or "irritant". The mollusk will then form the nacre around the irritant thereby creating a pearl.
This procedure was first invented in Japan in the early 1900s. Japan perfected this skill throughout the 1900’s however in the early 1970’s China entered the trade. Now, China has mastered the trade and is now leading the industry. China has all the resources that Japan lacks: a huge land mass; countless available lakes, rivers,and irrigation ditches; and a limitless and pliable work force. By the 1990s, China surprised the market with products that are
revolutionizing pearling. The shapes, luster, and colors of the new Chinese production often match original Japanese quality and sometime even surpass it.
Types of Pearls Freshwater Pearls Freshwater pearls are farmed in freshwater lakes around the world. The largest growing region is China. Freshwater pearls come in a variety of different shapes, colors and sizes which allow us to create amazing fun designs. Naturally, freshwater pearls are white, cream, pink, peach light purple, etc. The round, white, best quality freshwater pearls are strung in classic form. The pearl sizes can range from as small as 4mm up to 14mm or more.
Seawater Pearls
Pearls grown in saltwater are commonly known as seawater pearls. Seawater pearls are not as abundant as freshwater pearls for two reasons: 1) the saltwater oysters cannot grow as many pearls as a freshwater mussel and 2) the saltwater bays are not as “controllable” as freshwater areas. The three most popular seawater pearls are Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian.
Akoya Pearls
The Akoya oyster is found and farmed primarily in Japan and China. Renowned for their luster, akoya are considered the classic pearl. These pearls tend to be the most consistently round pearls making them ideal for classic strands. They are generally white or cream colored, with overtone colors of rose, silver, or cream. Akoya pearls are typically 5mm – 8mm in size.
South Sea Pearl
South Sea Pearls are farmed in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, primarily around Australia, Philippines, and Indonesia. They are very large pearls that grow in a large oyster that only lives in these waters. The pearls are most commonly white, golden, or light silver. They are typically 9mm – over 15mm.
Tahitian Pearls
Tahitian pearls are farmed in the French Polynesia in the waters around Tahiti. They grow in large “black-lipped” oysters which some attribute to giving the Tahitians their dark color. Tahitians range from light silver to dark black with many shades in between. The term “peacock” is often used for the green and purple overtones found in these pearls. Tahitian pearls range from 8mm – over 15mm.
Pearl Quality Factors
Nacre
Luster
Surface
Shape
Size
Color
The portion of the above text was adapted from www.PBS.org and Pearls by Fred Ward (Gem Book Publishers, Bethesda, Maryland, 1998)
