Pearls

Formed in the sea, the pearl is the only gemstone that comes from a living creature. Because of this there are no two pearls exactly alike. Due to their uniqueness and preciousness, pearls have been prized over centuries for the romance, power and mystery that the ages have bestowed upon them.

It is said that Cleopatra dissolved one of her pearl earrings in wine and drank it. The Greek mythological tale of Aphrodite states that when she was born and walked from the sea she shook her hair and the droplets that descended hardened and formed into lustrous pearls. Today because of modern culturing techniques, pearls have become an accessible piece of jewellery that is classical and modern at the same time.

Cultured Pearls

A cultured pearl is created by the combined endeavors of nature, the pearl oyster and man. The natural color of pearls varies from silver rose through many shades of cream to silvery blue grey and black. As a pearl possess the same nacreous substance which lines the shell of an oyster, coloration of this mother of pearl has a strong influence on the pearl color. Pearl coatings applied by the oysters consist of several thousand layers of micro-crystalline aragonite alternating with the thin sheets of protein binding the layers together. It is the composition, structure and thickness of this coating and its reaction to light shining upon it that create the individual colors and luster unique to pearls.

Pearl Production

The process of producing cultured pearls begin by collecting newborn oysters and after a nursery period in a sea water tank the young oysters are transferred to breeding cages suspended from rafts in the sea. After around 3 years the oysters are implanted with a small square of mantle flesh taken from another oyster, alongside nucleus from a clam shell. The implanted oysters are left in the sea feeding on plankton for a minimum of 2 years before being harvested in the winter when the pearls are most beautiful. Unfortunately not every mother oyster nurtures a pearl, around half of the oysters losing their life.

Varieties of Pearls

There are 5 main varieties of cultured pearls, all originating from different parts of the world. They are as follows:

Akoya pearls have been produced in the Akoya oyster in the seas around Japan for over 100 years and are the most well-known cultured pearls. Akoya pearls can be round or baroque in shape and range in color from very pale grey to rich yellow. Naturally white or white/pink Akoya pearls are the most valuable with the largest sizes in this color rivaling the South Sea pearls for scarcity.

Australia South Sea pearls are produced from some of the largest oysters and thus can range in size from 9-18mm and occasionally even larger. The colors of these pearls range from cool silver to pale cream and they vary in shape with very few in a harvest being of gem quality, however the ones that are, are very valuable due to their rarity.

Tahitian South Sea pearls are produced from the black lipped oyster and are the only naturally black colored pearls. Tahitian pearls range in color from blue/silver through musky yellow, touching on aubergine and peacock. The general rule is that the darker ones are more valuable but now all colors are very popular.

Indonesian South Sea pearls are produced from a golden lipped oyster which is a close cousin of the Australian large oyster. Due to the difference in diet and the warmer waters these oysters produce pearls in natural clear white through to the deepest gold. The harvest is the smallest of all cultured pearls which is evident in its desirability.

Freshwater pearls are sometimes referred to as Biwa pearls. Lake Biwa in Japan was one of the first farms in the world to produce cultured freshwater pearls but stopped in the later 80s due to pollution and competition from China. Originally China produced pearls from mussels which were lower grade rice shaped pearls but has been harvesting pearls in oysters in their rivers and estuaries since the mid-eighties, with rising quality. China's Biwa style cultured pearls are worth around 10% of the value of the Japanese quality.

Pearl Grading

The five criteria for assessing the quality if cultured pearls are luster, color, shape, surface purity and size. Luster refers to the thickness of coating and is defined by a combination of surface reflection and refraction from within the crystalline aragonite layers creating the unique glow of real pearls.

Color is matter of preference but the more rare colors such as silver rose are the most highly esteemed and priced. Each pearl can have several color hues and tones of these. Generally the silver rose color favors women with fair complexion whilst the creamy shades blend well with darker skin tones.

Shape is dictated by nature and the most desirable and costliest shape for a pearl is perfectly round. Surface Purity refers to small marks such as depressions, lumps or spots. The fewer marks on a pearl, the higher the quality and price. Size is measured in mm and as it is more difficult to culture pearls over 7mm in diameter the price rises steeply from this point in the respective qualities.

Caring For Your Pearls

Cultured pearls can be affected by cosmetics, perfume, hairspray and natural body moisture. Beauty care should therefore be completed before wear and the pearls wiped after use with a damp, but not wet, cloth or chamois. Keep your pearls separate from your diamonds and other jewellery to avoid scratching. If you wear your pearl necklaces a lot, restringing is advisable every few years, depending on how often you wear your pearls, using high quality silk thread. Please contact us for more information on restringing.

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