Learn About: Pearl

Pearls are known as the gemstone of lovers, protecting innocence and symbolizing purity-which is why they are often worn at weddings. Pearls match well with everything and are a timeless fashion statement. In families, they are often passed down from generation to generation because when appropriately cared for their beauty has the potential to last forever. Pearl is also the birthstone for June.

How Pearls are formed

A Pearl is formed when a small irritant or parasite penetrates and lodges in the mantle tissue of a mollusk. This results in the secretion of nacre by the mollusk, and the creation of a pearl begins. Nacre is a combination of crystalline and organic substances. The nacre builds up in layers, as it surrounds the irritant to protect the mollusk, and after a few years, this build up of nacre forms a pearl. Natural Pearls are formed by chance that the irritant will lodge into the mantle tissue so today; virtually all Pearls are cultured, where pearl farmers induce the creation of Pearls manually.
Watch a video of how pearls are cultured .

Common Pearl Types

Freshwater Cultured Pearls are the most abundant pearl type. Most of the world's freshwater cultured pearls are grown in China. They resemble the Saltwater Akoya Pearls from Japan and are available for about 1/5th the price. The primary reasons for more affordability is that Freshwater Pearls have a far shorter growing time, are generally smaller, slightly less symmetrical and not as exactly matched as a strand as the Akoya Pearls. If you're looking for value, these pearls can offer a lot of look for little price. Another benefit of Freshwater Cultured Pearls is they can be created in a variety of colors, done either naturally or through treatment and irradiation processes.

Akoya Cultured Pearls are the specialty of Japanese pearl farms. Akoya Pearls originated in the early 1900's and are grown in the cooler saltwater off the coast of Japan and in China. Their white and rose overtones look unlike the Freshwater Cultured Pearls and when placing each of these pearl strands side by side, it's clear that the Akoya Pearls are well matched for color, size and shape. Akoya Pearls also look smoother, rounder and more lustrous than Freshwater Pearls. Akoya Pearls are rarer and take many more months to grow inside its mollusk, making these pearls more expensive.

South Sea Pearls are an exceptionally large pearl grown in the South Sea regions including Australia, Myanmar, or Indonesia. Their colors are usually white and almost silver in appearance. These pearls, harvested from giant oysters are much larger, more rare and exceptionally smooth and round in appearance, and difficult to harvest making them more expensive.

Tahitian - Black South Sea or Tahitian Pearls come only from Tahiti. The natural black color of Tahitian Pearls come from the giant oysters that are a foot or larger in diameter and with black lips. The rarity of supply and difficulty in harvesting these pearls make them costly to produce and an extraordinary gift.

Factors Determining Pearl Quality

Consistency in Pearl Strands

It is desirable in strands of pearls for all of the pearls to be about the same size, shape and color. In graduated strands (growing from small to large), the matching pearls adjacent to one another should match. Strands should be of similar hues closely matched in size. Pearls strands should roll smoothly and consistently across a flat surface.

Size

The size of a pearl depends on the type of mollusk it is grown in, the size of the initial matter infused in the pearl and how long it has been left to grow. Depending on whether or not the pearl originated from freshwater or saltwater, the size will vary. Larger pearls are rarer than smaller ones. Pearls are measured in millimeter (mm) size. Freshwater and Akoya Pearls can grow up to 9 - 10mm while South Sea and Tahitian Pearls can grow as large as over 15mm.

Luster

Luster is the high reflective shine and slight iridescence, or ability to see other colors within a pearl's overall color. It is created by the many layers of calcium carbonate, called nacre that is secreted by the mollusk and coats the irritant, or seed. A fine luster will be free of spots, cracks, bumps or hot spots - which appear slightly black. A freshwater cultured pearl is almost 100% nacre while an Akoya Cultured Pearl has only a fewer layers. The rarest, most valuable cultured Akoya Pearls have the highest luster.

Surface

Surface of a cultured pearl relates to the lack of visible blemishes on the surface of the pearl, to the unaided eye. Pearls with smooth and unblemished surfaces are more rare and expensive than pearls with visible blemishes or markings.

Shape

Cultured Pearls grown in the rarest pearl shape are perfectly round and symmetrical. Most pearl are not perfectly round ranging from being slightly off round or "baroque" when the pearl is obviously off symmetry. Many baroque pearl are used in creating today's fashionable pearl jewelry, making them more affordable than perfectly round pearls. Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian Pearls tend to be the roundest whereas Freshwater Pearls can be slightly oval or off round.

Care of Pearls

The best way to care for your pearls is to wear them and allow your body's natural oils to keep them looking lustrous. Keep them away from chemicals that are alcohol based, especially perfume and hairspray. Store you pearls inside a soft cloth pouch when they are not in use.