Pearls

Pearls are one of the most precious gems in human history, unlike other gemstones that are formed deep inside the earth; pearls are produced by living organism deep under the sea. Pearls do not have to be cut or polished to enhance their natural beauty. Its luster, iridescence and rarity have made pearl a highly valued gem in the world.

Folklore, Legends and Myths

Pearls are said to symbolize tears, to provide love and fertility, to symbolize purity, and to ward off evil. Pearls are also considered to offer the power of love, money, protection, and luck. They are thought to keep children safe. Ancient legend says that pearls were thought to be the tears of the gods and the Greeks believed that wearing pearls would promote marital bliss and prevent newlywed women from crying.

Natural vs. Cultured Pearls

The demand of pearls for the last 150 years have led to the overfishing of the natural pearls. The number of natural pearls available in the world have been greatly reduced, and have become very expensive. As the supply of natural pearls decreases, culture pearls became necessary. The Japanese were the first to develop a reliable method that is widely used in cultivating pearls.

Types of Pearls

Sea Pearls

Sea Pearls are grown in oysters that live in the ocean. Sea mollusks habitat in warmer regions newar the equator and have a life span of approximately 13 years. These mollusks live along the coast, approximately 50 to 65 feet under water. These oysters are ranging from about 2-1/2" to 12" in size.

There are four main types of seawater pearls: Akoya, Tahitian, South Sea and Keshi pearls.

Freshwater Pearls

Freshwater pearls are formed in freshwater mussels, that live in lakes, rivers and ponds. These types of mollusks are habitat along the rivers in Central Europe, Asia (mainly China and Japan), and North America. Freshwater pearls size are ranging from 2 mm to 13 mm in diameter and the average size is 6 mm. Freshwater pearl comes in a wider variety of colour, it can be found in white, pink, peach, lavender, grey, yellow and cream colour.

Treatments

Like other gemstones, pearls can be treated to improve its physical characteristics. Pearls can be treated in various ways, such as bleaching, dyeing and radiations, however, the results are not always permanent.

Caring

Pearls are sensitive to most chemicals, acid, cosmetics, hair spray and perspiration. It is suggested that comestics, perfume and hairspray should be applied before wearing pearl jewellery.

To clean, wipe pearl with a soft, lint-free cloth. Never clean pearl in ultraonic or chemical solutions.

Pearl has a very low hardness and can be scratch easily, store pearl separately to avoid surface contact with other gemstone and metals.

Restring pearl necklace or bracelet from time to time to ensure the string used to hold them together is in good shape.