Pearls

According to a Hindu legend, the god Vishnu appeared and plucked a pearl from the depths of the sea to adorn his daughter on her wedding day. What better way to enhance a bride's beauty?

The pearl, June's birthstone, has always exerted a tremendous fascination and aura of enchantment. Pearls are unique in that they are the only gem of the sea from living creatures requiring no faceting or polishing to reveal their natural beauty. In the Orient, pearl powders are sold as an aphrodisiac.

In every 10,000 oysters, you might be lucky enough to find a single natural pearl. Because of this scarcity, most pearls today are cultured pearls. A tiny bead is implanted in an oyster so that it is gradually coated in layers of a beautiful, lustrous substance called nacre.

When selecting a pearl, consider that the larger the pearl, the more nacre it has, so it will also exhibit even more luster. Compare a 5mm Freshwater cultured pearl with a 10mm South Sea cultured pearl, and the difference in the amount of nacre is obvious.

The size of the pearl greatly depends on the type of pearl. Freshwater pearls range in size from about 3-7mm, Akoya pearls range from about 6-8.5mm, and South Sea and Tahitian pearls reach sizes as large as 15mm and larger.

Kinds of Pearls

Natural pearls - Sometimes called "oriental", these pearls are extremely rare and are produced naturally in a certain type of oyster primarily in the Persian Gulf. It begins when a grain of sand or other fine particle enters its shell and creates an irritation. The oyster automatically coats this substance with layers of nacre to reduce its irritation. It takes a number of years for the oyster to produce a pearl.

Cultured pearls - Developed in Japan, these beautiful gems are started by the insertion of a mother of pearl bead inside the living tissue of a similar oyster. The oyster coats this bead with concentric layers of calcium carbonate called nacre and thus grows a cultured pearl in from one to three years depending upon seasonal conditions and water temperature. Because the production of cultured pearls can be scientifically controlled, they are beautiful as well as reasonably priced.

Simulated Pearls - These are imitation pearls and are manufactured by coating beads of glass, or plastic or other material with an artificial man-made substance that gives them a fake pearly glow.

How to Judge

Lustre - Lustre depends upon the reflection of light from the surface of the pearl. Generally, the more coatings, the deeper and more brilliant the lustre.

Orient - Orient is the result of refraction of light through the various layers of nacre. It enhances the lustre of the pearl and gives it a unique quality.

Cleanliness - Cleanliness refers to the absence of blemishes. The fewer blemishes, the higher the value of the pearl.

Color - Pearls come in an almost infinite variety of hues and shades, including pink, gold, green, blue, silver and black, but the most important color for any woman is the one that flatters her the most. Rose tones compliment a fair complexion and darker shades are the best for creamy or olive skin tones.

Size - The size of a pearl is measured by its diameter in millimeters, a millimeter being approximately 1/25th of an inch. Generally, prices of pearls increase as the size increases. This is because larger pearls are scarcer than smaller ones. It is important to remember, however, that size is only one factor in determining the quality and value of a pearl.

Shape - Pearls are found in many shapes. The round pearl is perfectly spherical while the baroque is irregular in shape. Other shapes include pear, drop, button and mabe (a half round).

Matching - No two pearls are ever exactly alike. Most necklaces are the result of careful blending of pearls which resemble each other in respect to color, lustre and size. Matching pearls is a fine art and the result is evident in beautiful necklaces and pearl jewelry.

Styles

Graduated - Necklace in which pearls of gradually increasing size are strung with the smaller pearls near the clasp and the largest at the center.

Uniform - a necklace with nearly equal-sized pearls throughout.

Choker - a uniform pearl necklace that drops to just above the collarbone, 15-16"

Princess - 18" in length

Matinee - 22-24" in length

Opera - 30-32" in length

Bib - a pearl necklace of more than three strands

Rope - a necklace 45" or more in length. Also called a sautoir or lariat

Pearls are always in fashion…

Because pearls are appropriate for every occasion, from morning until night, they are highly valued by fashionable women everywhere. Pearls are so very flattering to every woman and add beauty, warmth and radiance to every outfit. The modern pearl jewelry wardrobe consists of pearl rings, pins, pendants, bracelets, earrings and necklaces. Zachary's Jewelers will assist you in selecting the pearl jewelry that suits you best.

How to Care for Pearls

The more pearls are worn, the more beautiful they become. But they must be kept free of dirt, perfume, cosmetics and perspiration, all of which may cause even the finest of pearls dull in lustre. Wipe your pearls frequently with a damp cloth and have them restrung at least once a year. Pearls should be not be worn on hands or wrists which will be exposed to laundry detergents or when bathing. When not being worn, pearls should be kept in a separate compartment of your jewel box.

Published by Mastaloni Pearls