What are pearls?
Define the (cultured) pearls
Pearl is a kind of gemstone, it touches hard and shows glistening. But unlike the diamond, sapphire, pearl usually is recognized as an organic gemstone, mainly produced by nacreous molluscs like clams and freshwater mussels. In many cultures, round pearls are associated with the moon. Ancient Chinese believed that pearls could protect people from the damage of fire and fire-breathing dragons. In Europe they symbolize humility, chastity and purity.So in the western countries, the pearls are set as the birthstone of June. Pearls have been harvested and cultivated primarily for use in jewelry, but they have also been crushed and used in cosmetics, medicines and paint formulations.
Cultured edison loose pearls
The pearl history
According to geological and archaeological research, pearls first appeared 200 million years ago. And since the ancient time, people treasure the natural pearls and pass down the natural pearl jewelry from generation to generation.
The world's earliest written record of a natural pearl was recorded by a Chinese historian in 2206 BC. In the year 1498 and 1502, during his voyages to the New World, Christopher Columbus found out that the indigenous people wearing natural pearl decorations often. And he discovered natural pearls in the waters of what is today Venezuela and Panama. This discovery greatly increased the demand for pearls in Europe. The most valuable pearls occur in wild, but extremely rare, these wild pearls are called as natural pearls. So in the ancient time, no matter in europe or aisa, the pearl represents the power, only the nobility and emperors could wear the pearl jewelry. However, over the past century, natural pearl production has declined due to overfishing.
The Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I of England
The Chinese Queen Wearing The Pearl Necklace
To meet the demand, cultured or farmed pearls appear. Pearl farming began hundred years ago in China and Japan successfully cultivated fully cultured pearls in the 1920s. And since then cultured pearls had been developing as an important commercial area. From the 1930s to the 1980s, the pearl cultivation technology has been spread worldwide. Nowdays the cultured pearls occupy 99% of te markets.
How do oysters make colored pearls
In China, the process of pearl formation is generally used to encourage people to bravely overcome difficulties and and they will eventually get good rewards. So how the pearls are made? When the irritants, such as grains of sand enter into the soft tissues of oysters or mussels, to protect themselves, the pearl mussels secrete layers of a substance known as pearl nacre, or mother-of-pearl, to coat the sand and alleviate the discomfort. This process will last years until the pearls are formed finally.
People imitate how the natural pearls are formed process, they insert a round bead or a piece of matle tissue into the pearl oyster, and it makes the pearl mussel secrects the pearl nacre. And this is how the cultured pearls are made. Most saltwater cultured pearls are grown with the beads implanted, they are called as cultured akoya pearls, cultured white or golden southsea pearls, and cultured tahitian pearls. And the cultured freshwater pearls are with mantle tissue inserted, while the Edison pearls and the freshwater ak pearls are with bead implanted.
You may be interested in below information:
Types of pearls
Pearls are produced in the water, so they can be divided into freshwater pearls (freshwater cultured pearls )and seawater pearls (seawater pearls). The mainly types of pearls can be follows：
Freshwater cultured pearls:
Edison pearls
Freshwater ak pearls
Seawater cultured pearls:
Japanese akoya pearls
Southsea pearls
Tahitian pearls
Freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls have their own unique characteristics, for more information, please click below link:
Freshwater pearls vs Saltwater pearls
Pearl value
When we talk about the pearl value, there are 7 common factors we need to focus on：
The pearl shapes
The ideal pearl shape is perfectly round, but many other shapes, known as baroque pearls, can occur. The finest quality of natural pearls，even they are not round, have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries. Because of this, pearl has become a metaphor for something rare, fine, admirable and valuable.
The pearl size
With the same pear type, the bigger the pearl more expensive.
The pearl nacre
The pearl nacre reflect the light and thus appear the pearl luster. Sometimes if the pearl nacre is not thick enough, the pearl skin may peel easily.
The pearl colors
Pearls are with abundant colors. Besides the classic white color, black, purple, gold,bronze and etc. Different type of pearls are with different pearl color range.
The pearl surface
Withe same pear type, the less blemishes, the better quality. When you buy the pearls, do not focus on the “flawless” only. We often say that a real pearl is always with unavoidale blemishes.
The pearl luster
The pearl luster makes the pearl unique, a piece of quality pearl is always with vivid luster.
Matching
For paired pearls and pearl strand, we always ask the pearl size, pearl color, pearl luster,pearl surface matching.
Nowadays, pearl jewelry is no longer only for the nobility, people can buy pearl jewelry easily and get the most suitable pieces based on their own budget.
Feliz Pearl Company specializes in the wholesale and retail of pearls and pearl jewelry online. We strive to provide our customers with afforable quality pearls. If there is any inquiry, please feel free to contact us.