ChicJewelryLive.com Pearl Information
While most gemstones are formed by the heat and pressure of the Earth's molten
core, pearls are created in calm waters by a living gem factory - the oyster.
What starts out as an irritating bit of sand trapped inside the oyster grows,
layer upon layer, into one of the most luminous and lovely of all gems, treasured
for more than 4,000 years as a symbol of purity, modesty and virtue.
In every 10,000 oysters, you might be lucky enough to find a single natural pearl. Because of this scarcity, most pearls today are cultured pearls. A tiny bead is implanted in an oyster, so that it is gradually coated in layers of a beautiful, pearlescent substance called nacre which build up to create a lustrous pearl.
At JewelryByNet, we offer beautiful Freshwater, Akoya, South Sea, and Tahitian cultured pearls. Below, read about the qualities that define a fine pearl.
Pearls are fashionable with daytime and evening wear. They are at home with a silk chemise or with jeans and a simple sweater. Without a doubt, pearls are one of the indispensable accessories in a jewelry box.
The Makings of a Pearl
Pearls begin when a grain of sand, another piece of pearl, or any other irritant contained in the oyster’s shell. To protect itself the oyster secretes multiple layers of a calcium carbonate substance called nacre around the foreign object to isolate it from the rest of the oyster. After a few years, the original irritant is covered in a silky coat and that is a pearl.
Both natural and cultured pearls are born and grow inside live oysters. The difference between the two is that natural pearls are formed by nature, or by chance, and cultured pearls are made by man’s assistance by injecting an irritant into the oyster. Today, most pearls are cultured.
Pearl Color
The general color of a pearl is also called the body color. Typical pearl colors are white, cream, yellow, pink, silver, or black. A pearl can also have a hint of secondary color, or overtone, which is seen when light reflects off the pearl surface. For example, a pearl strand may appear white, but when examined more closely, a pink overtone may become apparent.
Pearl Luster
Pearls produce an intense, deep shine called luster. This effect is created when light reflects off the many layers of tiny calcium carbonate crystals that compose the pearl. This substance is called nacre. When selecting a pearl, consider that the larger the pearl, the more nacre it has, so it will also exhibit even more luster. Compare a 5mm Freshwater cultured pearl with a 10mm South Sea cultured pearl and the difference in the amount of nacre is obvious. The difference in luster is as clearly visible as the difference in the pearl sizes.
Care of Pearls
Pearls are very soft and need special care and attention. You should never store your pearls in a jewelry box next to other jewelry, because both the box and other pieces of jewelry can damage pearls by scratching and nicking, so keep them in a fabric lined box or fabric pouch.
Skin produces acids that can harm your pearls, so if worn regularly pearls should be wiped down with a soft cloth after every wear. A pearl necklace will gradually absorb acid from the skin that will eat into the pearl causing it to lose its luster. Wiping pearls of with either a wet or dry, soft cloth will prevent dirt from accumulating and keep perspiration, which is slightly acidic, from eating away at the nacre. If you desire you can even use a drop of olive oil on your cleansing cloth to help maintain your pearl’s luster.
Along with being soft and easily scratched, pearls can be damaged by chemicals and heat. Only use jewelry cleaner is clearly marked safe for pearls. Never use ultrasonic cleanser. Never use dish or wash detergents, bleaches, baking soda or ammonia based cleansers. Never use toothbrushes, or any other abrasive materials to clean your pearls. Always take off your pearls before you use any cosmetics, hair spray, and perfume. Avoid heat and dry air because both can cause pearls to turn brown, dry out, and crack.
CULTURED PEARL CARE
To care for your cultured pearls, avoid using chemical or alcohol cleaners, nail polish, abrasives, solvents, and polish removers while wearing them. Soft gems like pearls should never be put in an ultrasonic cleaner. Instead, wash your cultured pearls in very mild, soapy water.
Before storing your cultured pearls, wipe them with a soft, damp cloth to ensure that they remain free from any harmful buildup of these compounds. Easily scratched if bumped by other jewelry, cultured pearls are best stored in a soft cloth pouch or in a separate, lined jewelry box.
If you wear your cultured pearl strand several times a week, consider having your jeweler re-string it once a year to prevent strand breakage. Experts advise using silk or nylon thread to re-string pearls, with a knot between each pearl. Should your strand break, replace the entire cord. If the pearls are in graduated sizes, try to keep them on the old cord to maintain the same sequence until they are re-strung.
Pearl Shape
At JewelryByNet, we offer the highest quality, rarest pearl shape - round. Shapes that are not spherical or even symmetrical are considered lower quality. Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearls found in jewelry have a tendency to be the roundest, while Freshwater pearls can be oval or slightly off-round.
Pearl Surface Markings
As an oyster creates a pearl, the layers of nacre do not always adhere smoothly. Sometimes spots and bubbles can appear in the layering process. Pearls with the smoothest surfaces are the highest-quality, most sought-after pearls. At JewelryByNet, to offer you a range of prices, we offer pearls with a range of surface qualities.
Pearl Size
The size of the pearl greatly depends on the type of pearl. Freshwater pearls range in size from about 3–7mm, Akoya pearls range from about 6–8.5mm, and South Sea and Tahitian pearls can reach sizes as large as 13mm.
TYPES OF PEARLS
There are two types of pearls - natural and cultured - which are judged by their luster, absence of blemishes, color, size and shape (round, irregular, baroque, pear, drop or button).
Natural pearls are produced - without any intervention by man - by certain types of mollusks (oysters and clams) found in a number of both salt and fresh water sources including areas of the Pacific Ocean, the South Sea Islands and the Persian Gulf. Natural pearls are extremely rare and therefore, generally more costly than cultured pearls.
Cultured pearls - the type carried in our stores - have almost completely replaced the natural variety on the market since the process was first discovered in the early 1900s. Perfected in Japan by Kokichi Mikimoto just prior to World War II, cultured-pearl farming yields pearls that are also produced by mollusks but their production is scientifically controlled. The process begins with the insertion of a mother-of-pearl bead inside the living tissue of the mollusk, which coats the bead with nacre, producing a cultured pearl within one to three years (depending on seasonal conditions and water temperatures). The advent of pearl cultivation has made pearls more affordable and thus more available to consumers. Cultured pearls come in a wide range of values.
CULTURED PEARL CATEGORIES
White Cultured Pearls
Most cultured pearls on the market today are white pearls, which are fairly translucent and can have undertones of pink, yellow or other colors. To find an entire string of cultured pearls in the same shade, you may have to consider dyed or irradiated pearls. The particular shade should be chosen based on preference and what best complements your skin tone. If you are buying a string of cultured pearls, make sure there are knots between the individual pearls to prevent rubbing and to ensure that only one cultured pearl will drop if the string breaks.
Freshwater Pearls
Recently, techniques have been developed to culture pearls in freshwater mollusks (mussels and clams), found in freshwater lakes and rivers. These pearls are sometimes called "Biwa pearls" after the lake in Japan where they were first developed, but today that name should only be used for cultured pearls from Lake Biwa. In fact, freshwater cultured pearls are cultivated around the world, including Tennessee (United States), and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are spheres and used like other round pearls; some are buttons and used to accent jewelry; and some are blister shapes called Mabé, which are often used in earrings and other pieces with closed backs.
Black Cultured Pearls
Black cultured pearls can come from a variety of sources like the large black-lipped oyster found in the South Seas. Producers of the rarest black cultured pearls, these oysters create large, silver-gray to black pearls that can have other colors as overtones - peacock green being the most valuable. For less costly alternatives to the rare South Seas type, try enhanced black cultured pearls from China and Japan that are actually white cultured pearls, either exposed to radiation or dyed all the way through using a process called "French dying." This process will produce an even, strong color that lasts for years. Colored cultured pearls require the same care as naturally colored pearls.
QUALITIES OF CULTURED PEARLS
Luster and orient. Luster is the sharpness and intensity of reflections on the pearl's surface, and orient is the iridescent colors one sees within the pearl. The higher the luster and orient, the more valuable the pearl.
Color. Describes both the main color (usually white, black or yellow) and the undertone (often pink, rose, or even green.) Pearls can also be dyed any shade to meet personal preference.
Cleanliness. Describes how many imperfections are found on the surface of the pearl. Some imperfections are expected on all pearls, natural or cultured, but the fewer and less noticeable they are, the more valuable the pearl.
Shape. In general, spherical pearls are the most prized. However, it is common to find small imperfections of shape, which can be desirable as long as they are symmetrical. For example, teardrop-shaped pearls are often used in earrings and pendants.
Size. Cultured pearls are sold by diameter, measured in millimeters. In general,
the larger the size, the more costly the cultured pearl.
CULTURED PEARL JEWELRY
Well-matched cultured pearls used in jewelry items refer to pearls that are essentially the same size, color, shape and luster in a given piece, like earrings or a necklace. In general, the closer the match, the higher the cost. That's why cultured pearl earrings cost more than two individual pearls. If cost is a factor, you may want to consider, for example, a graduated strand of cultured pearls (range of sizes) versus a straight strand (all one size), or colored cultured pearls versus traditional white.
Whether purchased as a June birthstone or for a 3rd wedding anniversary, the cultured pearl still takes center stage in jewelry fashion. The traditional white of the Akoya cultured pearls are now joined by Tahitian cultured pearls in black and gray, golden and cream cultured pearls from Indonesia, Australia and the Philippines, and purple and orange freshwater cultured pearls from China. Available in a variety of settings from strands and earrings to pendants, rings and brooches, cultured pearls appear in a wide selection of jewelry styles. While diamonds and cultured pearls together remain a classic, the combination of cultured pearls with colored gemstones creates a fashion-forward look that is becoming more popular.
CULTURED PEARL CARE
To care for your cultured pearls, avoid using chemical or alcohol cleaners, nail polish, abrasives, solvents, and polish removers while wearing them. Soft gems like pearls should never be put in an ultrasonic cleaner. Instead, wash your cultured pearls in very mild, soapy water.
Before storing your cultured pearls, wipe them with a soft, damp cloth to ensure that they remain free from any harmful buildup of these compounds. Easily scratched if bumped by other jewelry, cultured pearls are best stored in a soft cloth pouch or in a separate, lined jewelry box.
If you wear your cultured pearl strand several times a week, consider having your jeweler re-string it once a year to prevent strand breakage. Experts advise using silk or nylon thread to re-string pearls, with a knot between each pearl. Should your strand break, replace the entire cord. If the pearls are in graduated sizes, try to keep them on the old cord to maintain the same sequence until they are re-strung.
Types of Pearls
Nearly all pearls sold today are cultured pearls. This means that humans assist in the oyster's natural process by implanting a tiny irritant, or nucleus, in the oyster's tissue. These "mother oysters" are then treated to ideal pearl-growing conditions in pearl farms. Most of the world's pearl farms are in calm bays or coves in Japan.
There are two basic kinds of cultured pearls - saltwater and freshwater.
Saltwater cultured pearls usually come from the Akoya pearl oyster. They take longer to develop and are more expensive than freshwater cultured pearls.
Freshwater cultured pearls usually come from a freshwater mussel. Cultivated throughout eastern Asia, freshwater cultured pearls offer the beauty of saltwater cultured pearls at a more attractive price.
Pearl Color
The general color of a pearl is also called the body color. Typical pearl colors are white, cream, yellow, pink, silver, or black. A pearl can also have a hint of secondary color, or overtone, which is seen when light reflects off the pearl surface. For example, a pearl strand may appear white, but when examined more closely, a pink overtone may become apparent.
Pearl Luster
Pearls produce an intense, deep shine called luster. This effect is created when light reflects off the many layers of tiny calcium carbonate crystals that compose the pearl. This substance is called nacre. When selecting a pearl, consider that the larger the pearl, the more nacre it has, so it will also exhibit even more luster. Compare a 5mm Freshwater cultured pearl with a 10mm South Sea cultured pearl and the difference in the amount of nacre is obvious. The difference in luster is as clearly visible as the difference in the pearl sizes.
Pearl Shape
At Jewelry By Net, we offer the highest quality, rarest pearl shape - round. Shapes that are not spherical or even symmetrical are considered lower quality. Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearls found in jewelry have a tendency to be the roundest, while Freshwater pearls can be oval or slightly off-round.
Cultured Pearls
There are Four basic kinds of cultured pearls - Freshwater, Tahitian, South Seas and Akoya.
Freshwater Pearls
Most Freshwater pearls come from China, and are the product of an elaborate process in which a single resilient mussel can be harvested many times, yielding several pearls at a time. To provide these pearls at an exceptional value, we offer them with good levels of quality, and set with 14k gold posts and clasps.
The Freshwater pearl looks remarkably similar to the Akoya pearl, but Freshwater pearls are available for almost 1/5 the price of Akoya pearls. The only tradeoff is that Freshwater pearls are generally smaller, less symmetrical, and not as well matched when strung on a strand. But if you’re looking for pearls at an outstanding value, Freshwater pearls are the perfect gift.
Size Surface Markings Luster Shape Color
3.5–7.0mm Lightly spotted High to Medium Mostly round to
off-round White with rosé overtones
Our round Freshwater pearls make an excellent, affordable gift of good quality
pearls. As opposed to rice-shaped Freshwater pearls, these pearls are mostly
round, and look very similar to Akoya pearls when worn, but are available for
a much lower price.
Tahitian Cultured Pearls
Tahitian cultured pearls are cultivated from the black-lipped variety of the oyster which reaches a foot or more in diameter, and produces very large pearls. This oyster is very sensitive to the pearl culturing process, which makes the pearls very costly to produce. A gift of Tahitian cultured pearls makes an extraordinary, unique gift.
Size Surface Markings Luster Shape Color
3.5–7.0mm Lightly spotted High to Medium Mostly round to
off-round White with rosé overtones
Tahitian pearls offer a dramatic touch. The natural black color of these pearls
comes from the color of the oyster’s black lips. These pearls are traditionally
called “black”, but their color can range from a metallic silver,
to the color of pencil lead. And within this range of colors they can have
bluish, purplish, or greenish overtones.
South Sea Pearls
South Sea pearls come from the white-lipped variety of the oyster. This oyster is much larger than the oysters that produce Akoya and Freshwater pearls, so the pearl that it produces is much larger as well. Because of the rarity and sensitivity of this type of oyster, cultivation of these pearls is much more difficult, making them more expensive.
You’ll find South Sea pearls set with 18k gold posts, and set with brilliant, high-quailty diamonds. These are the pearls to choose when you want an extraordinary gift that makes a statement.
Size Surface Markings Luster Shape Color
3.5–7.0mm Lightly spotted High to Medium Mostly round to
off-round White with rosé overtones
South Sea cultured pearls are exceptional quality pearls with a whitish, almost silver color. Much larger than the average pearl, the smoothness and roundness of these pearls are exceptional. These are the most rare and extraordinary pearls you'll find in jewelry.
Akoya Pearls
Akoya pearls are the specialty of Japanese pearl farms. The first pearls to be cultured early in the 1920s, their white color and rosé overtone complement a fair complexion. Because Akoya pearls are a high-quality pearl, you’ll find them set with 18k gold posts and clasps, and you'll find they are well matched for size, shape, and color. You’ll also find few blemishes and a deep, beautiful luster.
You may notice that the Akoya looks very similar to the Freshwater pearl. When compared side-by-side, the difference is clear. Besides being more expensive, Akoya pearls are on average larger, smoother, rounder, and more lustrous than Freshwater pearls. If you’re looking for a remarkable gift, choose a gift of Akoya cultured pearl jewelry.
Size Surface Markings Luster Shape Color
3.5–7.0mm Lightly spotted High to Medium Mostly round to
off-round White with rosé overtones
If you’re looking for the classic set of pearls, look to Akoya pearls. The Akoya is the most popular pearl, commonly seen in pearl strands and in earrings. You can count on the quality of an Akoya cultured pearl being very high on average.