A natural pearl forms when an irritant works its way into a species of mollusc. As a defense mechanism, the mollusc secretes a fluid to coat the irritant. Layer upon layer of this coating, called nacre, is deposited on the irritant until a lustrous pearl is formed. A cultured freshwater or sea pearl undergoes the same process. The only difference being that the irritant is surgically implanted.
Almost every pearl on the market these days is cultured. It's only at antique auctions that you're likely to come across "naturals". Cultured pearls are still "real" pearls they've simply had a helping hand from mankind. Fakes are usually made from ground fish scales and can be easily detected with the simple tooth test. Gently scrape the pearls along the ridges of your top teeth. If it glides easily, it's fake. If you feel a slight gritty abrasiveness, it's most likely cultured or natural.
Freshwater pearls are available in a far wider color range than saltwater, including purple, violet, orange, blue and gray. They are more economical to produce as each mussell can yield up to 25 pearls.
Buying Basics
You can evaluate any piece of cultured pearl jewelry on the following quality factors. But always remember that the better the quality of pearls you select, the more beautiful and valued they will be over time.
LUSTRE: Lustre is a combination of surface brilliance and a deep seated glow. The lustre of a good quality pearl should be bright and not dull. You should be able to see your own reflection clearly on the surface of a pearl. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky indicates low quality.
SIZE: Cultured pearls are measured by their diameter in millimeters. They can be smaller than one millimeter in the case of tiny seed pearls, or as large as twenty millimeters for a big South Sea pearl. The larger the pearl, other factors being equal, the more valuable it will be. The average sized pearl sold today is between 7 and 7-1/2 millimeters.
SHAPE: Since cultured pearls are grown by oysters in nature, it is very rare to find a perfectly round pearl. However, the rounder the pearl, the more valuable it is. Baroque pearls, which are asymmetrical in shape, can be lustrous and appealing, and often cost less than round pearls.
COLOUR: Cultured pearls come in a variety of colors from rosé to black. While the color of a pearl is really a matter of the wearers preference, usually rosé or silver/white pearls tend to look best on fair skins while cream and gold toned pearls are flattering to darker complexions.
SURFACE: Cleanliness refers to the absence of disfiguring spots, bumps or cracks on the surface of a pearl. The cleaner the surface of the pearl, the more valuable.
SORTING: Unlike imitation pearls, no two cultured pearls are ever exactly alike. Each has its own unique combination of size, shape, lustre and color. The art of assembling pearls in a necklace, a pair of earrings or other jewelry calls for refined skills in blending similar looking pearls together so they look like they match. Here, pearls are sorted by experts with highly trained eyes and years of experience.
DRILLING: Drill holes must be made with care and precision. An inexperienced operator can split or ruin pearls with careless handling. A hole drilled even slightly off-center can ruin a necklace or piece of jewelry that depends upon the symmetrical assembly of its pearls. This stage in the preparation of cultured pearls for jewelry is a very delicate operation.
How To Care For Your Pearls
- Pearls are soft compared to other gemstones and precious metals. So it is important to take special care of your pearls to ensure they do not get marked by other jewellery they may be kept with. The silk pouches we provide are ideal to keep them in.
- Cosmetics, perfume, hair spray and even alcohol contain chemicals that can effect the lustre of your pearls. Even acids contained in body oils and perspiration can work to damage lustre in the same way. Therefore, it is best to put your pearls on 10 minutes after applying makeup, perfume and hair spray. Wiping the pearls with a soft damp cloth after you wear them will ensure that they remain free from any harmful build-ups of these compounds.
- To clean your pearls simply run a damp cloth over them and place them somewhere soft to dry. When they have dried place them in the palm of your hands and rub them. This will bring the lustre of the pearl back.
