In ancient years, pearls were highlighted in religious ornaments. They were also used for medicinal purposes. Pearls are the first precious gem man wore. It was seen as symbols of chastity, purity and feminine charms.
Natural pearls
Pearls are produced by different kinds of mollusk. When a foreign object like parasite or shell piece enters the shell and lodges beneath the mantle nacre gets secreted. Layers of nacre coat the irritant and pearl is produced. Protein from mantle traces water elements that can turn pearl colors including blue, pink, cream, dove grey, silver and black. Natural pearls are rare. Only 1 out of forty oysters contain pearl. Majority out of them is misshapen. Just one in two thousand is perfectly round.
Cultured pearls
You can get authentic cultured pearls on website Pearlsonly.ca. These are cultivated from nucleus implanted manually in the oyster. Layers of nacre are produced that coats the nucleus. After some months or years sufficient nacre is formed and the pearl is all ready to harvest.
Cultured pearls type
- White Akoya pearls
- Black, white and gold seawater pearls
- Chinese freshwater pearls
The first type of pearls is 5 to 9mm in diameter and the South Sea pearls are large because they have thick nacre layering with 10 to 15mm diameter, they are less likely to degenerate or discolor because of their size and deep luster. Moreover, these are three to twenty times more costly than akoyas.
Sorting cultured pearls
On an inclined glass a bucket full of pearls are poured for sorting. The round ones reach far end, which also include slight oval, teardrop or pear shaped. Roll of the glass pearls are used in earrings.
Sorting is then done on the basis of size, color and surface quality. Japanese processors decide these factors on the basis of their experience and subjective judgment. They even oversee pearl matching, drilling, as well as stringing process.
Pearl farmers sell these pearls to dealers from across the world or middleman from auctions. Pearl industry is still not government regulated. Customers even get swindled with thin layered pearls or an artificially tinted one.
