Pearl : What is it?
| Pearls are hard organic stones obtained from the shells of bivalve mollusks. They are formed from small particles that enter the shells, causing the mollusk to produce a protective substance called nacre or mother-of-pearl. When enough layers of nacre have hardened over the particle, the pearl is extracted from the shell.
Pearls come in various colors, the most common being white, off-white, and black. Artificial coloring can also produce exotic shades like green, pink, and blue. They may also be smoothly rounded or irregularly shaped. Perfectly round pearls are very rare and are considered the most valuable. |
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Kinds of Pearls include the following: |
Natural pearls
- Natural pearls are formed from natural processes without external intervention.
- Their shape is determined by the shape of the center particle.
- They are considered the most valuable pearls in the market. They are usually sold in carats.
Cultured pearls
- Cultured pearls are made by inserting a particle into a shell, causing the mollusk to produce nacre.
- The shell is placed in specific environments and left for specific periods to control the thickness and shape of the pearl.
- They are evaluated according to their thickness. Thicker pearls are more valuable.
Saltwater pearls
- Saltwater pearls are formed in the gonads of saltwater mollusks.
- They are more lustrous than freshwater pearls and are considered more valuable.
- They may be natural or cultured, but cultured varieties are more common.
Freshwater pearls
- Freshwater pearls are obtained from the mantle tissues of freshwater mussels.
- They are easier to produce than other pearls. A single mussel can produce up to 50 pearls at a time.
- They are usually irregular in shape and come in a wide range of colors, such as green, copper, red, blue, and lavender. Pastel pink and similar shades are considered the most valuable.
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Luster: Choose a pearl with a highly reflective surface. Larger pearls usually have more luster because they have thicker nacre layers. The most valuable ones have “orient,” a valuable feature where the layers are perfectly aligned so that light forms prismatic rays as it bounces.
Surface quality: Choose a pearl with a smooth, shiny surface. Perfectly smooth surfaces are rare, but the best commercially available ones have very little and very fine grain. Check for damaging and non-damaging blemishes – non-damaging blemishes such as spots and wrinkles are fine, but damaging ones like holes and cracks must be avoided.
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