Pearls are the only gemstone on the earth created by a living creature!
Yes that is correct! Pearls are the only gemstone created by a natural creature. It is amazing that such an item of beauty can be created piece by piece, layer by layer and emerge from the shell of this creature in its beautifully shiny and natural state ready to be made into a spectacular item of jewelry.
The Pearls that we sell on our site are of the following types:
- South Sea Pearls - Australian
- Freshwater Pearls - sourced world wide
Because pearls were so rare it has become necessary over the years to farm them in certain areas so that we can have the joy of wearing them. The common pearls are now farmed and have become less rare because of it. There are two main types of farmed pearls, the sea water pearl and the freshwater pearl.
The rarer of the salt sea pearls are the South Sea Pearls. There is the black Tahitian Pearls and the Australian South Sea Pearls.
Tahitian South Sea Pearls are blacker in color because the type of Oyster used has a black surround on the shell. This is absorbed by the Oyster and the Pearl has a beautiful black and purple color depth to it.
Australian South Sea Pearls are a different breed of Oyster and they do not have a black coating on their shell. The Australian Oysters often have a silver, pink or gold coloring to them. This is very natural and adds to their value immensely.
The rarity of pearls comes to light when trying to find matching pearls. When pearls are farmed they need to be carefully matched in both size and color, this is a very time consuming task. Thankfully this is done before they come to our workrooms to be constructed into beautiful jewelry for you to enjoy.
Some Pearls are more Valuable than others
Singular pearls of certain shapes and sizes are highly valuable. Our store does not sell these individual pearls. The individual pearls that we sell are set in pendants for you to enjoy.
The above pendant is an Australian South Sea Pearl. As mentioned earlier these pearls come in a golden color and are quite spectacular to the eye. This particular pendant has a rope pattern around the outside and is set in 18K yellow gold.
Freshwater Pearls come from Mussels
When farming freshwater pearls it is not the oyster that is used. Here the mussel comes to the fore. To create a pearl within a mussel the mussel is implanted with a tiny bead and then the mussel will build layers of nacre over the bead to form the Pearl. As many as 40 beads can be put into 1 mussel. It takes approximately 4 to 5 years for the pearl to reach its full growth, but the wait is certainly worth it.
Hardness of Pearls
The Pearl hardness is 3.5 to 4.0. This makes it softer than an Opal. Pearls can be scratched and so need to be stored in a soft case to protect them to keep them looking as lovely as possible.
The hardest pearls have the highest shine. This is because the layers of nacre are thinner and there are more layers which makes the pearl stronger, harder, and more valuable.
Colors of Pearls
Pearls are found in various colors. The color of a pearl is dependent on the type of oyster or mussel. If the oysters color is white the pearl would also get the same color. If pinkish then the pearl would be pink in color and so on. Colors from white, pink, purple, yellow, cream, green, blue etc can be found on pearls.
White is a symbol of purity and peace. Thus, many people like to purchase a white pearl. Golden pearls symbolize success. Peach pearls symbolize health. Lavender pearls shows love. Each of the different colors can have their own identity.
Care of Pearls
Pearls need to be protected, because pearls are organic they are affected by perfumes and sprays and other chemicals we may use on our body. When you take your pearls off always wipe them with a soft cloth before storing them away safely.
Weddings and Anniversaries
Pearls are often the necklace of choice for brides. The elegance of a white pearl will always enhance the bridal gown to its full potential.
The Pearl is the symbol given and celebrated on the 30th Wedding anniversary. Why not give your lovely wife a Pearl Pendant to commemorate the event?
Pearl Necklaces need to be re-stranded
It is not very often that a pearl necklace needs to be re-stranded but it is important to know to protect your necklace over a long period of time. How often will depend on how often the necklace is worn. If you don’t wear the necklace very often it may be years before it can be replaced. Generally every two or three years, check your necklace over. The necklaces are stranded together with silk chord. Check the cord to see whether you can see any fraying of thread between the pearls. If you see fraying then your necklace may be due to be re-stranded. Task it along to your local jeweler to have it re-stranded for comfort of mind knowing that you have done what is right to protect your jewelry.
Some Pearls are very shiny, some not so.
The outside layer of pearl is nacre. Some pearls have many many thin layers which create a greater shine. If the layers of nacre are thicker then there is not as shiny.
All pearls have an amazing natural shine. Pearls are not treated from their natural form. They come out of their shells shiny and ready to be crafted into a beautiful piece of jewelry to be worn.
The most valuable of the Pearls and the one with the highest shine. These pearls have many many thin layers of nacre. The more layers of nacre also makes these pearls slightly harder.
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