Don't know much about pearls? Read on!
Pearls are considered semi-precious stones in the jewelry industry, but they are not minerals mined from the Earth. Pearls are produced when an irritant, such as a parasite or a grain of sand, makes its way into a mollusk's shell. The mollusk then secretes a fluid to surround the irritant in order to protect its sensitive tissue from damage. This fluid is called "nacre". Over time, more and more layers of nacre build up around the irritant producing a treasured pearl.
Pearls can be naturally found or cultivated in oysters living in saltwater habitats like bays or the ocean. But did you know pearls also grow in other mollusks too? Today, with the aid of science, the process of creating beautiful pearls is crafted by inserting a tissue irritant into mussels living in freshwater habitats. This process creates a pearl that is virtually all nacre and is in use all over the world from China's inland territories to the Tennessee River.
The color of the pearl is determined by mollusk species as well as water temperature and conditions. The great value of freshwater pearls over seawater pearls lies in the following 6 aspects:
Though it's said that the human eye is the most important tool
in judging the quality of a pearl, several factors exist to judge the pearl
quality:
The most commonly bought pearls are white with pink tones. But pearls may also be tan, yellow, brown, gray, or black with a purple or green luster. Their color depends on the color and chemicals found in the shell of the mollusk. Some pearls are dyed to create extraordinary colors not found naturally.
The luster is the shininess of the pearl. The higher the luster, the sharper the reflection, the higher the value of the pearl.
Nacre thickness is very important to the long term quality and luster of your pearls. The thickness of the nacre determines how the light reflects off of the pearl and also determines how easy it will chip or break. A pearl with very thin nacre may chip and break very easily and its lifespan will be shorter than a pearl with thicker nacre.
Round pearls have also been the most sought after and are still valued as such. However, they are the most expensive simply because they are so rare and demand is very high. However, beautiful pearls come in many different shapes and great deals can be had buying other shapes of pearls.
Since pearls are naturally formed, it is normal that a pearl may have some forms of imperfection. Of course, the fewer spots or lumps that a pearl has, the higher the cost of the pearl is.
Pearls should be stored away from other objects or jewelry that may scratch the pearls’ surface. Wrap the pearls in linen, soft cloth, or place in the silk pouch provided with your purchase.
Wash pearls periodically with mild soap (NOT detergent) and a soft cloth. When finished washing the pearls, rinse them in clean water and wrap them in a thin, damp cotton towel to dry. DO NOT use jewelry cleaners with ammonia or vinegar in them.
Keep pearls away from chlorine bleach, vinegar, ammonia, hairspray, perfume, and cosmetics, as these substances will damage the pearl surface. Make sure to put pearls on after you are finished spraying perfume or hairspray and putting on makeup. Also, remove pearls before exercising to keep them away from perspiration. Be very careful with these substances as they will eat holes in the pearl nacre.