Types of pearls |
Natural Pearls, are formed by nature without instigation from human
being. Natural pearl are formed around an irritant, such as a grain of
sand, a piece of coral or seashell. Today, true natural pearls are the most rare, consequently considered
the most valuable pearls, or already become part of antique jewelry.
Cultured Pearls, generally are formed the same way as natural pearls.
The only difference, is the irritant introduced by man ( the nucleus is inserted
into the oyster by man) and the oysters are raised in a controlled environment,
on mussel farms. Nowadays, the great majority of pearls sold are cultured pearls.
Japanese Cultured Pearls, are originally associated with The Japanese Cultured
Pearl Industry (like Akoya pearl, Mikimoto Pearl). Colors include white, cream, gold, rose.
The sizes are generally smaller than south sea pearls. Large sized pearls are rare.
Freshwater Cultured Pearls, are farmed in freshwater and grown in mussels.
The irritants and the oysters used in making freshwater pearls are smaller than saltwater pearls.
Freshwater pearls cultivating technique usually produce twenty or more pearls in one oyster,
and it only takes one and a half years to two years to harvest.
Saltwater Cultured Pearls, are farmed in saltwater, and grown in oysters.
Only one pearl is grown per oyster. It need more than two years and a half
to get a good harvest (it means the pearls already have thick nacre).
That causes saltwater pearl farming are more expensive than freshwater pearl.
The colors are white, cream, yellow, gold, silver, rose and black.
Countries known as producer of saltwater pearl are Burma, Indonesia, Thailand,
and Philippines in South East Asia; Australia and Tahiti in South Pacific, especially in Tahiti,
you'll find the beautiful black pearls.
Keshi Pearls, are very small pearl byproduct of the pearl culturing process.
If debris enters an oyster while it's open during the harvesting process,
the oyster covers the debris with nacre, thus creating keshi pearls.
Mabe Pearls, are created when human attaches a plastic dome to the inside shell of an oyster,
which reacts by covering the dome with nacre. When harvested the mabe is cut off from the shell,
and the inside filled with plastic or other material, to give more weight,
and the mother pearl are placed on the back of the mabe pearls.
Mother of The Pearl, is not actual pearl, it is the shiny coating that can be seen
on the inside of an oyster. All shell that have ability to create a pearl will have mother
of the pearl coating present.
|
Report A Bug / Request a Product or Feature