Pearls
have been valued for their beauty and rarity for thousands of years.
They are considered biological based gemstones and have records
in ancient cultures for much longer than any other gemstones. Unlike
other your stereotypical gemstones, pearls do not have to be cut
and polished, they are ready to wear in their natural form. Pearls
can be used and worn in a variety of ways. While the most traditional
way to wear pearls are strung together on one strand, many jewelry
designers are using them as accents and unique elements in their
unique jewelry designs.
How
is a Pearl formed?
Pearl
is a concretion formed by a mollusk and consisting of the same material
as the mollusk's shell, which is the mineral aragonite (calcium
carbonate). In addition to aragonite, the shell contains small amounts
of conchiolin, a hornlike organic substance; together these are
called nacre, or mother of pearl. The finest pearls are those produced
by mollusks whose shells are lines with mother of pearl. These mollusks
are limited to a certain species of saltwater oysters and freshwater
clams. The mollusks body tissue is called the mantle, and when a
foreign particle enters the mantle, the cells build up more or less
concentric layers of pearl around it to protect the mantle. Pearls
are valued by their translucence, luster, surface color and shape.
Since most natural pearls are irregularly shaped, the round or spherical
pearl are highly prized.
It is very uncommon for an oyster to produce a natural pearl. Of
the small percentage of those oyster that do produce a natural pearl,
only a few of those will develop a desirable pearl in shape, color
and size. Only about one in ten thousand oysters will naturally
produce a gem quality pearl. As pearls have been valued and desired
by so many people, the need has lead to the production of cultured
pearls. Actually, the cultured pearl industry has far surpassed
the natural pearl industry. Natural pearls are becoming harder to
find, and the demand for pearls is too great.
Are
cultured pearls fake pearls?
No,
a cultured pearl is an artificially created pearl, but they are
still real pearls. Instead of the foreign substance entering the
mollusk naturally, the foreign object is manually inserted into
the mollusk and returned to the sea, allowing the pearl to develop
naturally. This method not only allows pearls to develop naturally,
but their shape can be easily targeted by the placement of the foreign
substance.The method for cultured pearls is used for many, if not
all types of pearls.
What determines the shape of pearl?
Since
pearls form naturally, pearls can come in many unique and interesting
shapes. Although we associate pearls to be round, it is actually
very uncommon and rare to find a perfectly round pearl. The shape
of a pearl is determines by a number of variable factors, including
the shape of the nucleus the pearl is formed in and the placement
of the developing pearl in the mollusk. A pearl usually takes the
same shape of the nucleus, so if the nucleus isn't perfectly round,
the pearl won't be either. It will take on the irregular shape of
the nucleus. The placement of the developing pearl will also effect
its shape, for example: If the pearl is positioned against the shell
of the mollusk, the pearl will be flat on one side. There are three
basic categories for pearl shapes, Spherical (or perfectly round),
Symmetrical (balanced and regular, but not round), and Baroque (irregular
and abstract, there is no symmetry to these pearls.) There are many
pearl shape variations within these categories as well. The shape
of a pearls is one of many factors in determining a pearls quality
and value. The round pearl being the most valuable, followed by
symmetrical shapes and finally baroque. However, the unique shapes
to baroque pearls are increasingly desirable, as these pearls are
one of a kind.
How
can I tell if a pearl is real?
There
are two types of genuine pearls, natural and cultured pearls. A
fake pearl can be simulated, faux, plastic, resin, glass or artificial.
There are some tests you can do to pearls to see if they are real
or fake, however, the best test is to bring them to a certified
professional. It's not always easy to tell these pearls apart.
Have
you ever seen someone pick up a strand of pearls and bite them?
They were making sure they were buying real pearls. Since a real
pearls are made up of layers of nacre, the surface will be gritty
against your teeth. A fake pearl is usually smooth. However, this
method isn't as reliable as it used to be, some fake pearl manufacturers
are adding a coating to their pearls to simulate the gritty feeling
on your teeth. In addition, pearls are all so different and unique,
you might even find some pearls to be more smooth than others, even
through they are real.
If
you have a strand of pearls, take them outside into natural daylight.
Real pearls will not all be same color under the sun, unless they
are very expensive. You should be able to see slight variations
in their iridescence and color. If they are perfectly matched, they
probably aren't real.
You can magnify your pearls as you would a diamond at a jewelry
store. You should be able to see the ridges and irregularities of
a pearl. If the surface is smooth or lack irregularities, your pearls
may be fake.
Real
pearls also tend to be more dense than plastic, resin or hollow
pearls. Good glass pearls might have the same density and you may
not want to rely on this method of testing. But you should be able
to tell right away if the pearls are plastic, resin or hollow.
Look
at the holes drilled in your pearls. The nacre of fake pearls tends
to flake away in the area where the holes were drilled. While the
nacre could possible flake away on a cultured pearl, even though
it's real, it will not flake away on a natural pearl.
Finally,
you could have the pearls tested by a certified professional. They
will not only look at your pearls under magnification, but they
will x-ray your pearls as well. An x-ray will show you what is inside
of your pearls. This includes the density variations, the presence
or absence of a parasite or "foreign object" that caused
the formation of the pearl in the first place, and the shapes of
drilled holes, if there are holes in your pearls. There are a few
other tests and tricks to judge your pearls as real or fake, such
as the treatment in your jewelry, the settings, the other materials
used in your jewelry, etc. However, bringing your jewelry to a professional
is the most reliable test.
Caring
for your pearls
Pearls
are softer and more delicate than other gemstones and precious metals.
They can be easily scratched, cracked and damaged. In addition,
substances such as hairspray, perfume, cosmetics and body oils can
dull your pearls. It's a good idea to apply perfume, hair spray
and other cosmetics before wearing your pearls. You want to minimize
the contact your pearl will have with these substances. After wearing
your pearls, wipe them with a soft cloth to remove any traces of
cosmetics or body oils. You can wash your pearls with a mild soap
and a soft cloth to remove build up, but don't do this every day.
Your
pearls should be stored away from other jewelry in a padded hard
case or a soft cloth pouch in your jewelry box. This will prevent
scratches from your other jewelry.
If
you pearls are strung, you can have your pearls re-strung every
few years to prevent your necklace from breaking when you least
expect it. The last thing you want are all your pearls on the floor
of the grocery store or restaurant. If your pearls have a knot between
each pearl, this will prevent all your pearls from falling off the
strand if your necklace were to break. This also prevents your pearls
from rubbing against each other and causing damage. For more information
on jewelry care, visit Frequently Asked Questions at Kincaidesign
Handmade Jewelry. www.kincaidesigns.com
Pearl
Glossary
Saltwater
Pearls: Pearls formed within oysters which live in the
sea. Saltwater pearls tend to be more lustrous, which means they
have more reflective quality ont he surface of the pearl nacre,
than freshwater pearls, which increased their value. Most Saltwater
pearls today are cultured saltwater pearls.
Freshwater
Pearls: Pearls formed in mollusks that live in freshwater
lakes and rivers. Freshwater pearls tend to appear in a wide variety
of shapes and colors, and they tend to be less expensive than saltwater
pearls. They are very durable and they resisit chipping, wear and
degeneration.
Mother
of Pearl: Mother of Pearl is the basic substance which
is secreted by and oyster and/or mollusk to form the inside of their
shells. This is the same substance which forms pearls.
Tahitian
Pearls: Black Tahitian pearls are produced by the black-lippid
oyster in the islands of French Polynesia. The oyster is very large
and are sometimes 12 inches across and as much as 10 pounds. This
results in larger than normal pearls. They are unique because of
their dark colors of gray, silver, charcoal, etc. Truly black pearls
are extremely rare.
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