Pearls

The splendor of pearls‍ ‍

Origin of pearls 

Pearls are found in the shell of a mollusk (mainly oysters and mussels, but sometimes also in snails), commonly called pearl oyster, although they are not actually oysters. The vast majority of pearls used in jewelry are cultivé, that is, cultivated or cultured. Only 1 percent of the pearls sold today consist of natural pearls. Saltwater pearls such as South Sea pearls (Australia, Philippines and Indonesia), Akoya pearls (Japan, Vietnam and China) and Tahiti pearls (Pacific Ocean) come from an oyster. Freshwater pearls from China come from a mussel. ‍

Recognition and types of pearls 

How is the value of a pearl determined? ‍

The seven main elements that determine the value of a pearl are:  

1. Natural or cultured
2. Type of pearl
3. Size or diameter
4. Shape
5. Luster
6. Surface
7. Color

 ‍1 Natural or culturedNatural

Natural (i.e. not cultured) pearls are a rare twist of nature. Natural pearls are extremely rare and therefore precious. As many as 15,000 oysters must be opened to find a single pearl. Such a pearl is a freak of nature, caused by a nuisance organism, such as a parasite or small lobster, invading a pearl oyster. To protect itself, the oyster forms small layers of nacre around the irritant until a round, shiny ball is formed: the pearl. Only rare old pearl necklaces are sometimes still made of natural pearls. ‍Cultivated or cultivated pearls.

Over 99% of all pearls traded worldwide are cultured pearls. The Chinese first managed to initiate the pearl production process from the oyster, but it was Japanese pasta seller Mikimoto who cultivated the first beautiful round pearl. He injected a spherical cut piece of a mussel shell, with a thin skin of mantle tissue around it, into the pearl oyster, and that turned out to be the key to its great success. The pearl oyster went on to form layers of pearl around the ball, creating a perfectly round, shiny cultivé pearl. In many cases, only X-ray equipment can distinguish a cultivé from a natural pearl. When a natural pearl is placed under an X-ray machine, it can often be seen to be made up of many layers, basically just like an onion. 

Imitation pearls‍‍

In addition to cultured and natural pearls, there are also imitation pearls. Imitation pearls do not come from oysters but are completely handmade. Some imitation pearls are almost indistinguishable from real ones. However, imitation pearls are often easy to detect with a simple trick called the tooth test: gently rub the pearl against your front teeth. If the pearl feels grainy, you are dealing with a real pearl. If the pearl feels smooth, then you are most likely dealing with an imitation pearl. ‍  ‍

2 Type of pearl

Tahiti pearls

These pearls are named after the Pacific island of Tahiti (Polynesia) where the oyster species originated. Tahiti pearls grow in the Pinctada margaritifera oyster known as the black-lip pearl oyster, because of the black edges on the inside of the shell. Tahiti pearls come in many colors, but always in darker shades, such as eggplant, olive green, moss green, black, brown, gray with rainbow effect of all these colors together in one pearl. Tahiti pearls are grown in a surgical way, by implanting a round core into the shell.Akoya pearls / Mikimoto cultivé pearlsCultivé pearls originating from the salt water around Japan are sold as Akoya pearls or under a brand name such as Mikimoto cultivé pearls. In the early 1990s, Akoya pearls made up the majority of cultivé pearls. Now these pearls represent only a quarter of the total value of cultivated seawater pearls produced.

South Sea cultured pearls 
South Sea pearls are cultured in the waters off Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia. The size (from as large as 10 to 20 mm), limited growing area and a long breeding process make these pearls expensive as a result. The natural colors (the oyster shell itself determines the color) range from silvery white, creamy white to honey gold. There is a distinction among South Sea oysters: the silver or white edge oyster and the gold edge oyster. This luster is due to the amount of pearl platelets (argonite) that lie on top of each other as many layers.Freshwater pearls / baroque pearlsChina has developed into the producer of freshwater pearls. These pearls are available in a variety of shapes. Because no spherical nuclei, but small pieces of soft mantle tissue are introduced to a freshwater mussel, in the beginning mainly very whimsical shapes were created, called baroque pearls. Now round pearls can also be grown in freshwater. The quantities of freshwater pearls many times exceed those of saltwater pearls. ‍  

3 Size: ranging from (from 1 mm = seed pearls) 4 mm to rare 18 mm and 22 mm South Sea pearls 

‍The larger and heavier the (natural) pearl, the rarer it is. Freshwater pearls create thicker layers of nacre and grow a bit faster. Saltwater pearls need more time to grow and are therefore more precious. ‍  

4 Shape: round or (whimsical) baroque 

The rounder the pearl the more valuable. Baroque or baroque pearls are also highly prized and have a more whimsical shape.

5 Luster: the degree of luster created by deposition of layers of nacre 

‍When buying pearls, lustre is an important consideration. The better the reflection in a pearl, the higher the lustre and thus the value of the pearl. Akoya pearls are considered to usually have the highest luster. Saltwater pearls often have a high luster because thinner layers of nacre are created in the shell. Therefore, depending on the pearl type, several layers are needed to form a pearl. Multiple thin layers of nacre gives a high lustre. ‍

‍‍6 Surface: even or irregular 

A nice even surface is an important quality factor. Pearls are a natural product and many pearls show irregularities. ‍

 ‍‍7 Color: from ivory white to dark gray 

‍‍‍‍The color of the pearls is determined by the color of the inside of the shell and does not affect the value much except by popularity. Ultimately, your own preference determines what color pearls appeal to you. Traditionally, ivory white and dark, black pearls have been in high demand. ‍ 

Length of pearl necklaces 

Pearls are strung and knotted at different lengths. The standard lengths have their own name: 

35 cm - Shorty 

42 cm - Choker 

50 cm - Princess 

60 cm - Matinee 

70 cm - Opera 

80 cm - Queen

100 to 120 cm - Sautoir

Pearls descending in size - Collier en chûte Twisted strands - Torsade

Unworn pearl necklace? Give it a new life! 

Changing a lock is a great tip if you have an unworn string of pearls lying around. Re-knotting the pearls and putting a modern lock between them will give them a whole new look. You can also have, for example, gold beads placed between the pearls or special color stones. Pearls can be effortlessly given a new look.

Maintenance of pearls 

• The best thing you can do for your pearls is to wear them a lot: the natural fat of the skin prevents the pearls from drying out, reducing their shine.
• With a lot of perspiration, it is wise to clean the pearls well after wearing them every time.
• Never store pearls in a box together with other jewelry. They may get scratched.
• A string of pearls can be tarnished by perfume, hairspray and other chemicals. Therefore, for example, always apply perfume or hairspray before putting on your jewelry and do not shower with pearl jewelry.
• If your pearls become dirty, clean them with lukewarm water and a soft cloth. Never use a chemical detergent.
• If you wear your pearl necklace a lot, have it re-threaded once a year. This should involve tying a knot after each pearl. This will prevent you from losing pearls if the cord breaks.