Pearls by Angela Carol

Making your pearl jewelry last.

Pearls and pearl jewelry have been around for many years and they will continue to be popular throughout our future as well.  Pearls have stood the test of time in their popularity among royals and emperors.  Pearls and pearl jewelry has made its way into our time and is pearls are still as popular as ever.  Perhaps one of the reasons that pearls are as popular as they are and have always been is because of how they stand up over time.

Pearls last about one hundred and fifty years.  At times they last a little longer and at other times they fade a little faster. But they typically last about century and a half. That may seem like quite a long time for something to last but in the grand scheme of history and of time one hundred and fifty years is not really that long at all.  So people have found that by keeping their pearls in really good condition and treating them in a proper fashion they will last a little longer.

First of all you should always store your pearls and your pearl jewelry by them selves. You should not mix them with any other kind of jewelry because pearls are soft in nature and they could scratch and dent very easily. You do not want to ever scratch or dent your pearls or any of your pearl jewelry so to make sure that it does not happen store them alone.  Wrapping your pearls or your pearl jewelry in a silk wrap or piece of fabric will help to keep them safe.  Also putting them in their own jewelry box will be a wonderful way to keep them safe.

Making pearls last a long time will require good care and part of good care is having your pearls and your pearl jewelry cleaned.  You do not want to get your pearls cleaned too often but you do want to make sure that they are cleaned often enough to where there is no build up on your pearls and they are not dull because of the build up.  So professional cleanings once in a while is highly recommended.  But in between professional cleanings you should wipe your pearls and your pearl jewelry down with warm soapy water and then a dry cloth after wards every time you take them off of your body. Pearls can pick up a lot of different materials on them when they are worn so wiping them down when you are finished wearing the pearls is a good way to keep any kind of build up off of them in between professional cleanings.

One very important way to ensure long life for you pearls and your pearl jewelry is to make sure that they are set well in any kind of jewelry setting.  For example you may need to have rings with pearls in them reset after a while.  You will want to make sure that the pearl is secure in its setting.  You will also want to have a pearl necklace restrung after some time.  Pearl necklaces can stretch over time and the strand could weaken and you would not want to risk a pearl necklace breaking all over while you were wearing it.

Keeping your pearl jewelry safe and keeping it clean are both very important to adding life to your pearls and your pearl jewelry.  If you take care of your pearls you will find that you can indeed hand them down from generation to generation for quite some time.  Your grand children and their grand children can treasure a gift from their beloved family member for many years to come.

The new wave of freshwater pearls.

Pearls have always been considered objects of beauty and status symbols of wealth.  Today they are still objects of beauty and they still show some one has wealth but not like pearls have done throughout history.  This is because of the fact that by cultivating pearls we have made pearls more readily accessible to the every day person and not just kings and emperors any longer.  One of the most ironic things that is happening today in the world of freshwater pearls is that the least expensive pearl, which is the freshwater pearl, is now rivaling the most expensive natural pearl that have ever existed in their quality.

Freshwater pearls are now being cultivated in the most unique fashion which is now bringing about a change in the pearl industry.  Freshwater pearls were considered to be sub standard and even at one time called “krispies” due to the way that they were shaped and the way that they looked.  But today freshwater pearls are once again becoming the most beautiful pearls around.

To understand this freshwater pearl explosion we should first look at the process of how a pearl is made.  First natural freshwater pearls are created in mussels and saltwater pearls are created in oysters.  Now when a foreign material gets into the shell and starts to irritate the mollusk, it coats the foreigner with the same material that it uses to build its shell called nacre.  That is basically what a pearl is.

Now for years people have tried to cultivate freshwater pearls that would give even the most highest quality saltwater pearl a run for its money but to no avail.  Freshwater pearls were small and flake like in shape.  They rarely produced a round or even a semi round pearl that was of a higher quality.  Although in Japan in the early 1930’s there was a lake called Biwa.  And in this lake the Japanese pearl farmers discovered that they could cultivate some very nice freshwater pearls in the most unusual colors. They were colors very unlike the colors of saltwater pearls and there for many people desired these new pearls.  They were sold at a much less expensive price than saltwater pearls and these freshwater pearls really exploded.  This lake produced amazing freshwater pearls for decades until pollution from neighboring buildings and factories destroyed the lake and the production of the freshwater pearls stopped. 

When this happened China was there to pick up the dying freshwater pearl market.  There first attempt of cultivating fresh water pearls was to say the least unsuccessful.  This attempt left us with what we call “krispies”.  There was a second wave of freshwater pearls from China in the late 1980’s and the early 1990’s but this attempt barely even registered in the world market.  Now however China has learned from its mistakes in pearl cultivating and has also learned some other technology to help them in their freshwater pearl cultivation.  And this has greatly paid off.

Freshwater pearls that come out of China to day are beautiful and full of luster.  They are coming in amazing neutral and natural colors that the pearl public absolutely loves.  They are cultivating pearls that are larger in size and truly are very close to the prized Japanese Akoya pearl.  The freshwater pearls from China today are being sold at a fraction of the price and are giving the same if not better quality.  Buying freshwater pearls today could soon be something that we all do.  These high quality round gems are taking over because their cost is substantially less than other pearls of the same quality.

Pearls the jewel of love and beauty.

Pearls are an absolutely beautiful jewel.  They are desired by most people and have been so desired for centuries.  The history of the pearl goes back many centuries and there is at least one story or legend in almost every single culture in history.

On of the most popular legends involves the goddess Aphrodite.  She is typically pictured coming out of the ocean waters incased in an oyster shell.  The pearl has traits of love and beauty that are associated with it as does the goddess Aphrodite herself.  Pearls represent many aspects of beauty to many people.

There are legends and stories of pearls that are in the Hindu belief system and there are stories of how the pearl was handed down from gods.  There is mention of the pearl in ancient cultures like Egypt and Rome and also China.  Ancient Egyptians used to use ground up pearls for an anti aging potion as did the Chinese.  In the orient the emperors had an abundance of pearls in their stores and they were very wealthy indeed.  The Roman aristocrats and other wealthy people would use pearls as small buttons on their gowns.  They would adorn themselves with many pearls to show their status.

As time went on and history progressed the pearl was still a symbol of beauty and power.  Only the very rich would be able to obtain pearls and pearl jewelry.  There are many amazing pieces of pearl jewelry and of crowns that are adorned in pearls that are from royal families.  These works of art that are made with pearls are only to be found in certain museums and of course royal house hold treasures.

It was centuries after the pearl was first found that the pearl was actually able to make it into the hands of every day people.  That is people who are not of royal blood.  These every day normal people are now able to get pearls and also many types of pearl jewelry.  The exotic pearl has now been made readily accessible for all people to have and not just the filthy rich.  That is due to the fact that the pearl is now cultivated and farmed to keep up with the high demand from the world.  Years ago the only pearls were natural pearls and they were much harder to come across then now.  This of course made them rare and they were much more valued than in today’s society.

Pearls have found their way across time and history and are still used in jewelry and other fashion items.  Pearls have been a much desired jewel since ancient times and they are still desired to this day. Many young girls desire a strand of pearls and will get a strand of pearls to mark their leap into woman hood.  There are plenty of people who give pearl jewelry every year on holidays and birthdays.  The pearl is still a much desired jewel and is still very valued.

Even though the value of the pearl has lessened over the centuries it is still highly valuable and there are many pieces of jewelry that are still made today with pearls.  Pearls are still used a lot in weddings and are many times sewn into the wedding gown.  Brides still wear a strand of pearls on their wedding day.  Perhaps this all goes back to the goddess Aphrodite and her love and beauty.  If pearls were good enough for the goddess of love and beauty then they should also be good enough for a bride that is in love on her most treasured day.  Pearls will hopefully continue to represent love and beauty for centuries to come.

Basics of the South Sea pearl.

Black pearls and their beauty.

Pearls have always been a symbol of wealth and good society standing.  The classic white pearl has implied a symbol of purity and innocence.  These are always beautiful and very classic pearls but there is another type of pearl, and that is the black pearl.  The black pearl is an exotic and fantastic specimen of a pearl.  The black pearl always conjures up images of beautiful exotic women wearing them as jewelry and bathing in the black pearls beauty.

The black pearl is also known as the Tahitian pearl but the title of “black” pearl has always stuck with it.  When the black pearl was first discovered it was extremely rare.  You see it is a very rare thing when an oyster creates a black pearl naturally. The black pearl can only be created in a black lipped oyster.  These are found primarily in the Polynesian Islands and the Indian Ocean.  These black lipped oysters are able to grow quite beautiful black pearls in these areas because the waters are conducive to the black lipped oysters needs. Black lipped oysters tend to need a significant time to allow the black pearls to grow.  They usually take about 18 months to 24 months to grow to a thickness that is desirable for pearls.  Compared to other pearls such as the Akoya that only take around 5 months to grow, the almost 2 years of growing is a much longer time.  Of course the black pearl grows to a much larger pearl than other pearls do.

Years ago the black pearl was as popular as it is today and that brought many people to the islands to try and discover their own black pearl.  The government now has a big part in regulating much of the black pearl farming industry and make sure about many aspects of the cultivated black pearl are up to what they are supposed to be.  It is now illegal to dive for black pearls in the area and it is taken very seriously.  Natural black pearls are extremely rare and the rules must be followed.  Since the years in the 1980’s, the black pearl has become very popular once again. The government has made sure that they follow very carefully the trade market of the black pearls.  The United States, Japan and also China have been the three largest importers of black pearls as they try to meet the overwhelming demand for the exotic black pearl.

A fact about the black pearl is that it is in fact not black in color at all. The colors range from dark grays and dark greens to dark purples and blues.  These black pearls that are not black come in a range of different darker colors and they typically have a beautiful mother of pearl look to them that offers a number of different colors to the human eye.  The most common color in a black pearl would be dark grays.  The most loved color would have to be the peacock color, a combination of dark green and dark eggplant purple.  This color is the rarest of the black pearls and also the most valued.

As with any pearl the black pearl is graded in a system that will allow you to see what the value of any pearl is.  You can base this decision upon the color, shape, luster and size of a pearl including the black pearl.  These black pearls or Tahitian pearls are very popular in jewelry ranging from necklaces to earrings and everything in between.  Black pearls are truly a wonderful thing to look at and it is no wonder why the black pearl is as popular as it is today.

Freshwater pearls from China

Through out the years the freshwater pearl has been known as many different things but mostly the freshwater pearl has been known as something that was not anywhere as superior as the saltwater pearls.  Freshwater pearls have been known as rice krispies and have been sold at a fraction of what other pearls have been sold for.

Many years ago when the idea of cultivating pearls first began China had produced not so much a true pearl but what is considered to be shell mabes.  These were pieces of pearls so to speak.  The Japanese were actually the first to culture true pearls.  There was a lake called Biwa and it is located near Kyoto.  The very first of the freshwater cultured farms were done here in the 1930’s.  These freshwater pearl farms in Biwa produced many freshwater pearls that were in colors that no one had ever seen before.  They were very appealing to many people and they truly rivaled natural pearls because they were really pearls throughout and not like the shell mabes that china had produced for years.

Through out Japans history with things like World War 2 the flow of these freshwater pearls from Biwa went uninterrupted.  With so many people absolutely loving these pearls they became very popular by the 1950’s, Japan was selling these freshwater pearls on strands for significantly less than other types of pearls.  They were so very popular indeed that all freshwater pearls had begun to be called “Biwa” whether or not they were from the Biwa lake region or not.  There were actually laws that made it illegal to call them Biwas if they were not from the Biwa Lake.  By the 1970’s the lake was producing many fine freshwater pearls.

A decade later though the lake was quickly being polluted by development of the country, the pearl farms were dying out because they could no longer produce quality freshwater pearls. Pollutants were being poured into the lake by industries and farms and hotels that were springing up around the lake.  At this point China tried to make a come back onto the freshwater pearl market.  Although Japan had cornered the market on freshwater pearls for many years China felt that they could grow freshwater pearls that rivaled Japan’s.  They did indeed try and during the years between 1970 and the 1980’s freshwater pearls from China flooded the market.  They managed to produce freshwater pearls that were to become known as “rice krispies”. These were considered very sub standard compared to the freshwater pearls that had come from Japan years earlier.  Unfortunately China’s reputation for cultivated freshwater pearls was damaged. 

It was damaged so much that no one in the industry really even took notice of the second wave of freshwater pearls from China during the years of 1984 and the year 1991.  China at that point started to buy expertise from other countries on how to create the freshwater pearl that was highly desired.  They learned different techniques and procedures for creating a much better freshwater pearl.

The freshwater pearls that are coming out of China today are exquisite.  They are highly developed and have wonderful shapes and luster about them.  They are also being produced in very vibrant colors like peaches and oranges.  In the 1980’s China would dye a large number of their freshwater pearls and they have learned over the years that the natural colors are much more desired.  These new freshwater pearls that are coming out of China today really do rival the best of what Japan had to offer years ago in Biwa.

Legends of the pearl

Pearls have always been known as beautiful and exotic pieces of jewelry.  They have a very long history in which they are treasured in many, many cultures and have been for thousands of years.  They are still held with great admiration even in today’s world but through out history the pearl has seen such greatness that only the stories and legends of the wonderful pearl can give you any ideas of how valuable the pearls was to all of our ancient ancestors.

One of the most popular and loved legends about pearls would be the one that involves Cleopatra and Marc Antony.   In this pearl legend it is said by a historian of the ancient times of a sort named Plutarch that Cleopatra had bet Marc Antony of Rome that Egypt was to grand and wealthy a state to be conquered by Rome.  To prove this she held a grand banquet in his honor and sat down to a dinner that would win her the bet she had placed.  She sat with an empty plate and a goblet of wine (or vinegar) in front of her.  She then proceeded to crush one of the largest and grandest pearls that anyone had ever seen before and put it into her goblet.  She then drank the concoction down.  Marc Antony was amazed and declined his dinner (which was another matching pearl to Cleopatra’s dinner) and declared that she had won the bet.  There is actually history that shows Egypt was already conquered at the time of the banquet but it is a beautiful story none the less and it shows the greatness that the pearl held in many peoples eyes.

Another pearl story actually involves the Egyptian princess again.  It is said that Cleopatra would dissolve pearls in vinegar and drink the concoction.  The result would be that the drink would preserve her beauty.  This legend also has some basis in the Chinese legends of the first Emperor of the Shin kingdom and also the famed Chinese beauty named Yang Kuie-fei.  The Emperor was said to search every where with a huge effort in order to find many pearls.  He believed that they would prevent the aging process.  The Chinese beauty was said to also put powdered pearls into a mixture and consume it to keep her beauty just as Cleopatra did.

Legends of pearls are scattered throughout our history in almost every culture there was.  There are legends of pearls even in the tales of Arabian Nights.  There are many fine and valued pieces of jewelry that contain many pearls.  The British royal crown is one such item.  In ancient Rome, pearls were used as mere buttons to show the wealth of the wearer.

Today pearls still hold the same beauty that they have through out history.  They are found all over the world.  The majority of pearls today are cultivated pearls and there are many pearl farms that can be found.  There is always a great demand for the exotic and loved pearl. 

Today there is still a lot of wonderful and beautiful pieces of jewelry that are made out of pearls.  You can find pearl jewelry and even fine specimens of pearls in the most expensive jewelry collection in the world.  Although pearls were once held with great esteem and reserved only for the extremely wealthy in today’s world the pearl is much more accessible to the every day person.  When once in time it would be unheard of for a common person to own any type of pearl, today it is the norm.  Throughout history and very much today, the pearl has been valued and desired.  The pearl will hopefully continue this for thousands of years to come.

Every woman loves pearl jewelry

The Akoya pearl

Where can you find South Sea pearls?

Enjoying black pearls

Pearl jewelry- a symbol of power throughout history

Pearl jewelry is one of the most treasured of all the jewelry that a woman may have in her collection.  The pearl jewelry is prized above all others and for good reason.  For centuries pearl jewelry and single pearls in many cases have been valued and treasured as some of the most exotic jewels ever.  They have had a long standing of a symbol of wealth and power and to this day they still hold that same view for many people.  Think about a pearl strand necklace and when you close your eyes what kind of woman do you see wearing them?  Queens of England, Russian princesses, a Kennedy woman, these are all people that represent power and wealth and you will surely see pearl jewelry on them.

Why have pearls signified power and wealth for so long?  It may be because when pearls were first discovered they were very rare and expensive.  There is a legend about Cleopatra making a bet with Caesar and saying that she could throw the most expensive party in the world.  He agreed to her wager.  That night Cleopatra and Caesar sat down to her elaborate dining table all strewn with jewels and riches and she ordered her servants to begin the first course.  Upon their plates were placed two large and exquisite pearls.  Caesar was amazed and about confused I would imagine.  Cleopatra then proceeded to crush her pearl upon her plate and put the pearl sand and dust into her goblet of wine.  She made sure that every last bit was put into the wine.  She then drank the goblet of wine and pearl to the bottom.  Caesar was so astonished that she had drunk the wine with the very valuable pearl and quickly declared her the winner of the wager, of course declining to drink his own pearl mixture. The pearl was that treasured.

Pearl jewelry has always been desired by many people and the rich seem to desire it the most.  Later on in history there are stories of people sewing pearls onto the robes to symbolize their status.  All through out history there are tales of how people of power and wealth would desire and obtain pearls, of how they would use them as jewelry and adornments.  People today still use pearls in the same fashion although not to the same extent.  People of today are a bit more refined in their use of pearls and pearl jewelry.  There are no stories of crushing pearls and drinking them that I have heard about lately.

Today many women enjoy wearing pearl jewelry.  Pearls are the birthstone of June.  They are also the most worn jewel during weddings.  Some believe that is because of the birthstone of June and many weddings happening in June, the traditional month for weddings.  Others say that wearing pearl jewelry during a wedding symbolizes love and innocence.  Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love was said to use pearls and that could be where the legend of pearls representing love comes from.  Any legend that you would like to believe is just fine as long as you understand the significant role that pearls have played in our history.

Pearl jewelry today should never be purchased by someone who does not know anything about pearls.  Always have a trusted jeweler that can help you pick out the perfect pearl for you.  Jewelry that is made from pearls is still a very popular item to have and many jewelers carry pearl jewelry.  Pearl jewelry can be a very good investment and should be thought of as such, so find a jeweler that is knowledgeable in pearls and find your self a symbol of power and wealth in a piece of pearl jewelry.

Freshwater pearls of today

Freshwater pearls are a very popular type of pearl.  These freshwater pearls are created by freshwater mollusks and are found in lakes, rivers, lagoons, and bays.  Freshwater pearls are also largely found in the United States and also Japan but they are mostly grown in China now.

Freshwater pearls used to be found largely in Japan but now that market has all but stopped to exist these days.  But many still honor Japan as the first country to cultivate the freshwater pearl.  Japan tried once again a few years ago to become one of the leaders in the cultivation of freshwater pearls but in the year 2006 they once again failed in their attempt.

In the United States in the state of Tennessee there was an early freshwater farm that was founded by John Latendresse.  It no longer functions as a freshwater pearl producer but does however continue to be a tourist attraction for many.  China is the only country that is currently producing freshwater pearls today. 

Freshwater pearls used to be thought of as an inferior type of pearl, a pearl much less than say an Akoya pearl but today freshwater pearls have grown in their standing.  There is a new grade of freshwater pearls and they rival the Akoya in shape and luster.  Freshwater pearls give you the widest range in the selection of shape and color so they are now a much desired type of pearl.

Over the years the Chinese have made the freshwater pearl into what it is today.  In the first round of freshwater pearls that came from china many people thought these pearls inferior to others and even dubbed these freshwater pearls as “rice krispies” because that is how they looked.  They mostly came out of the mussels as rice shaped.  These were mostly in the 1970’ and the 1980’s.  Today’s freshwater pearls that are coming out of china are superior to those.  The Chinese have discovered a way to use other freshwater pearls to cultivate other freshwater pearls of a more rounded nature.  This is what is making the market desire more of these amazing freshwater pearls.  Never before have there been freshwater pearls that rival the prized Akoya pearl, but these new brands of freshwater pearls are doing just that.

One of the great things about freshwater pearls is that when they are growing some mollusks can actually produce up to a few dozen pearls at a time. One of the saddest facts about the freshwater pearl is that in eastern North America about 35 species of freshwater pearl mussels have been lost to extinction over the last fifty years or so.  This has happened because of loss of habitat and because of pollution.  There are many conservation efforts that are being made today to save the species that remain.

Freshwater pearls make some very fine jewelry. Again the freshwater pearl can be judged on the shape and the luster.  Also the size of the freshwater pearl is used to grade it.  Shape, luster, size and color are all used to judge the grade of pearl a freshwater pearl is.  This is what determines how valuable a freshwater or any pearl is.  Freshwater pearls very greatly in size and shape so there really is no standard for them.  But they are very beautiful pearls and should be appreciated for being such.

Freshwater pearls are making a very strong comeback and they are being used in some amazing jewelry.  Freshwater pearls are fantastic jewels and should truly be appreciated for their beauty, especially today with their near perfect shapes.  These are not the freshwater pearls that your grand parents or even your parents remember these freshwater pearls are the round and luxurious pearls of today.

The Finest Pearls In The World

Akoya pearls are some of the finest pearls in the entire world.  These beautiful specimens of pearls are what most people envision in their minds when they think of pearls or a pearl necklace.  They are the most beautiful of all the different types of pearls.

These amazing Akoya pearls are found in waters all over the world.  They are found in the Pacific Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and also the Caribbean Sea.  That is a lot of different places that one type of pearl can be found. 

But the place where the best Akoya pearls can be found would have to be with out a doubt, Japan.  Japan creates some beautiful Akoya pearls.  The word Akoya actually means pearl in Japanese.   You see Japan consistently creates Akoya pearls that are 8mm in size and better.  That is a very big deal considering the average size of an Akoya pearl is 5mm to7mm.  Of course they range in size from 2mm up to 11mm, but that is only the range and not the average.  Any Akoya pearls that are found that are 10mm or 11mm are extremely rare and are very prized.  The oyster that the Akoya pearl grows in is only between three to five inches in size and does not usually allow enough room for a larger pearl to grow.

You may not understand why the Akoya is so valued.  Well it is because even when they are cultivated and not found naturally it is a hard growing process.  The procedure that is used to create pearls only takes %33 of the time.  Finding an Akoya pearl naturally is even harder.  That would make a natural Akoya pearl very pricy indeed.

Akoya pearls come in all the same shapes that all the other types of pearls come in.  There of course is the round shape which is by far the most valued.  These are the much desired shape for making pearl necklaces.  There is also the semi round.  This shape is used in jewelry settings that can hide the shape and make the pearl appear to be round.  There are drop shaped, button shaped and also baroque shaped.  All of the different shapes will vary in price when it comes to how valuable a pearl is. But again the round is by far the most valued.

Although the Akoya pearl is some what expensive for some people it is the only kind of pearl to have.  Akoya pearls are wonderful investments also.  Many necklaces and other jewelry that are made out of pearls are given as gifts.  A very popular gift to give a young lady as she reaches her sixteenth birthday would be a string of pearls.  Pearls are also very popular to wear for the bride during a wedding.  Since June is primarily a perfect time for weddings and many people choose to have their wedding in the month of June it is no wonder that so many people wear pearls.  Pearls happen to be the birthstone for the month of June.  Pearls are supposed to represent purity and going along with the whole bride wearing white theme it works well.

Choosing the perfect pearl for you may turn out to be trickier than you expected.  One of the most important things to remember is to trust your jeweler. If you do not trust the person you are working with find someone else to buy your jewelry from.  Buying pearls takes a keen eye and also certain knowledge.  If you do not have this knowledge find some information out before you go looking for a pearl.

Black Pearls

Tahitian pearls are more commonly known as “black” pearls.  They are some of the most valued pearls in the world.  The Tahitian or black pearl can only be found in the black lipped oyster off the Polynesian islands and take their Tahitian name from the most popular island in the area.   The Tahitian black pearl is not even cultivated in Tahiti but found across the waters in the South Sea Islands.  This is in no way to be confused with the South Sea pearls that are found in the South Seas though.

The pearls that are known as black pearls are not really black at all but more of a collection of rainbow colors that give it its dark appearance.  They are usually colors of eggplant or dark green with iridescent colors around it. The rarity of this pearl comes from the fact that it can never be massed produced as other pearls can be.  One of the reasons that the Tahitian black pearl is rare is because of the difficulty in growing them.  The oyster that produces them has a tendency to reject the foreign object that is used to stimulate the pearls growth making the black pearl hard to cultivate.  The rarity of finding a natural black pearl is extremely high.

When the discovery of the Pacific Islands occurred in the late 1700’s, there was a massive rush of people invading the waters of the islands looking for all of the riches that had been reported there.  Traders and explorers soon depleted the waters of their riches, things like mother of pearl, turtle shell and sandalwood.  Pearls were of course also taken away in droves.  There were two islands that suffered the most and they were Gambier and Tuamotu.  They waters were depleted nearly to the point of their extinction when the French took control of the islands.  When that happened they made sure that there were regulations made and more importantly followed to help protect the waters and its riches.  These regulations gave the waters time to repopulate the oyster beds.

During the 20th century with the cultivation of pearls the black pearl was once again allowed to flourish.  Tahitian pearls take anywhere from two to three years to grow and can only grow in warm waters.  Compared to other types of pearl farms, the Tahitian pearl farms are much smaller.  That is because the amount of the black lipped oyster is smaller than other pearl growing oysters that are cultivated.  A black pearl producing oyster can be cultivated up to four times before it dies.  There is always great care when removing any pearls from these oysters so as not to damage them so the oyster stays healthy and may produce again.

As said before the colors of the Tahitian pearl are not really black at all. The beautiful colors of this rare pearl range from eggplant and greens, to the highly valued peacock coloring and also cobalt blues, with a range of greens in between.  The Tahitian pearl is found in the same shapes as other pearls, round, semi round, drop, button, ringed, and baroque. Finding a black pearl is a wonder and investing in these amazing pearls can be an investment that is well made.

There are legends about black pearls from different cultures in history.  Egyptian people valued their pearls immensely and were buried with them.  In Rome pearls were a status of wealth.  During the Dark Ages brave warriors would wear or take pearls into battle with them with the belief that the pearl would protect them in battle. However you look at it the pearl has been around for many years and it is still highly valued.

Pearls Are Part Of Our Lives

Throughout history there have been many, many references to pearls.  Our world’s history shows that pearls have been around for centuries and have been one of the most precious jewels in the world.

Pearls have become somewhat lesser valued than they were in days long ago.  With the creation of cultured pearls we have made pearls and jewelry made from these precious items much more accessible than they were at one time.  Our history books are full of stories that show the importance of natural pearls and how they were so highly valued at times.  With a natural pearl being much harder to find hundreds of years ago than they are today it is no wonder they were valued so much higher than they are today.  Only the richest and most noble families could afford these prized jewels.

There is no sure reference to who actually first discovered the pearl but it has been written that the find may belong to a small fishing village along the coast of India.  These people were believed to be the first to appreciate the pearl for its beauty.  They would have found the pearls while opening oysters for food.  This theory was written in “The Book of Pearl” by George Federick.  India has many stories and legends that involve pearls.  One such story would be about the Hindu God, Krishna.  It is said that the god Krishna plucked a pearl from the oyster to give to his daughter Pandaia on her wedding day.  This is a story of how the pearl was created.

Pearls were highly prized by Romans during the first century B.C.  This is when the pearl craze was at its highest for Rome.  Women were said to decorate their couches and chairs with pearls and also to sew so many pearls into their gowns that they actually walked on pearl hems.  Caligula, who was the third Roman emperor and a bit insane it was rumored, actually decorated his beloved horse in pearls.

Another culture that treasured the pearl at the same time as the Romans did would have to be the Egyptian culture.  Egyptians used pearls in many items.  There is a story that states that the Queen Cleopatra had made a bet with her beloved Marc Antony that she would be able to throw the most expensive dinner in history.  This was done to show Rome that Egypt rich and wealthy that the empire was beyond Roman conquest.  Marc Antony agreed to the bet.  Cleopatra sat with an empty plate and a goblet of either wine or vinegar while Marc Antony reclined and waited.  She then took a very large pearl from a pair of earrings and crushed it on her plate.  Cleopatra then dissolved the pearl in the liquid of her goblet and drank the pearl concoction down.  Marc Antony conceded and declined to eat his dinner, which was the other earring.  Throughout history pearls find themselves intertwined with historical events.

The Arab culture shows probably the greatest appreciation for the pearl as the gem is mentioned in the Koran, the Muslim holy book.  The book describes Paradise and the pearl is said to be found there.  “The stones are pearls and jacinths; the fruits of the trees are pearls and emeralds’ and each person admitted to the delights of the celestial kingdom is provided with a tent of pearls, jacinths, and emeralds; is crowned with pearls of incomparable luster, and is attended by beautiful maidens resembling hidden pearls.”

In many different cultures the pearl has shown its beautiful shiny face.  Our world’s history has shown the significance of pearls over the ages.  Today pearls are still valued but with the invention of cultured pearls they will never be valued as they were in ancient times.

Akoya Pearls Are A Beautiful

Akoya pearls are some of the most beautiful pearls in the world.  When some one envisions a beautiful strand of pearls the Akoya pearl is what they will picture.  The beautiful round akoya pearl is a perfect specimen of a pearl and they are valued as such.

An Akoya pearl is a salt water pearl and grows in many places.  The word Akoya is actually the Japanese word for pearl so it is safe to say that Japan is one of those places that an Akoya is grown.  The oysters that the Akoya pearl grows in are found in the Mediterranean Sea, the Persain Gulf, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea.  These are all places that the oyster can survive.  Japan though seems to be the place where the pearls thrive the most.  Japan has created some of the best Akoya pearls ever found.  Some Akoya pearls have been grown to around 8mm in size in Japan.  This is something very rare since the Akoya pearl is usually any where from around 6mm to 7mm in size and anything over 10mm is almost unheard of. The oysters that the pearls grow in are only 3 inches to 5 inches in size.  Some think the reason for the larger and rounder pearls coming from Japan may be due to the weather in that area of the world.

An Akoya pearl is one of the most valued in the world.  It is not an easy process to grow the pearls.  Only 33% of all the oysters that inserted with soft tissue and a shell bead will actually create a pearl.  The oysters that do not take to the procedure will immediately die after the insertion.  If the procedure does take in the oyster it will eventually grow an Akoya pearl.  Although the procedure took the oyster itself may only give two pearls before it dies.  This makes the process of finding and growing and Akoya pearl harder and therefore it increases the value of the pearl itself.

Once the pearl has been created and retrieved it will be separated and grouped into classes.  These next procedures are based on several things.  The first would be the shape of the pearl.  Next you look at the color, the size, and the luster.  There are several different shapes of pearls.  The most valued would be the round shape.  The next would be semi-round, button, drop, oval, baroque and circled.  Round and semi-round pearls are most often used in a strand for a pearl necklace.  The rest of the shapes are used in different types of jewelry depending on their shapes.  The drop shaped pearls are used a lot in ear rings.  The jewler tries to hide the shape as much as they can so the pearl will actually appear round in the setting for the jewelry.

The Akoya pearl that is grown in Japan will have an almost liquid appearance to it.  The luster on these pearls is amazing, making them most valued.  The basic color of an Akoya pearl is going to be white.  Then there are many overtones that create an illusion of different colors.  The most valued Akoya pearls have a white body with a pink or gray overtone.  One step down from that would be a white or light cream colored body with a pink, gray, or green overtone.  The last category of colors for an Akoya pearl would be a white, medium cream, or medium pink body with a pink, gray or green overtone.

Choosing an Akoya pearl should always be done with the help of an educated jeweler.  They are the best equipped to tell what grade the pearl you are buying is.  For many people who use jewelry as an investment this is important.

Where Are South Sea Pearls?

South Sea pearls are some of the most sought after pearls in the world.  This may be one of the reasons that there have been so many pearl farms in the South Sea areas over the last few years.  Many people think of what happened to the quality of pearls that were farmed in Japan a few years ago. There were so many farms that the quality of the pearls that were being grown had seriously deteriorated.  Now the market that once belonged to Japan has been taken over by China and their superior pearls.  The pearls that are being farmed in the South Seas however are looking as wonderful as before and there seems to be no question of their quality. There are tons of pearl farms that exist in the countries of Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. 

There has been such a great demand for larger pearls over the years that farming the South Sea pearl has been necessary.  The Akoya is only capable of growing up to around 10mm and the world demands larger pearls.  The South Sea pearl is able to grow any where from 9mm up to 19mm in size.  This is the size of pearl that the world desires.  Many people desire a larger pearl to show off.  The pearl farms in the South Sea provide the world with the pearls that they demand.

What makes a pearl a South Sea Pearl is the location it is grown in and the type of mollusk that it is grown in.  The South Sea Pearl is grown in what is commonly called the silver lipped oyster or the gold lipped oyster.  These oysters are what create the South Sea pearls that we love so very much.  One of the reasons that the South Sea pearls grow so much larger than the other types of pearls is because the South Seas have much warmer waters than those of Japan and other countries where the Akoya pearl is found.  It also takes longer for the South Sea pearl to grow so it allows the pearl to become larger.

The similarities of the different types of pearls are many. How they are all judged and valued are very much the same.  They are all judged by luster, color, shape, size and surface markings.  These are all the same for any type of pearl you find.  The most valued pearls are ones that are very round.  A round pearl is very hard to find as nothing in nature is perfectly round.  There are other shapes that are valuable though.  Oval would be the next valuable, then drop, then pear, then button and then baroque.  These shapes are all used for something.  The round and oval pearls are used for necklaces and even the pear shapes sometimes.  The pear shape can also be used for ear rings. 

The different colors of the South Sea pearls are different also.  They are usually found in whites and pinks.  These are more valuable than the South Sea pearls that are yellow or cream colored.  All of the pearls have some kind of over tone color.  Some have blues or greens and some have pinks.  They are all very beautiful but it depends on your taste and what kind of value you want in the pearls you decide to purchase.

The South Sea pearl is valued for its size and its beauty.  With so many new pearl farms popping up in the South Seas region we should not worry about the ability of the pearl industry to make sure our demand for the pearls are met.

All The Pearls In The World

There are several types of pearls in the world.  There is the freshwater pearl, the Tahitian pearl, the south sea pearl, and the Akoya pearl.  Each of these pearls has their own unique beauty to them.  They are all considered pearls but what makes them vary would be the type of mollusk they are grown in and also the area of the world where they are found.

Let’s take a look at the Akoya pearl.  This pearl is the one that most people think about when they think about pearl necklaces.  These Akoya pearls are what usually are used when making a necklace of pearls.  The word akoya is actually the Japanese word for pearl and the Akoya pearl is mostly found in Japan well the most valued ones are anyway.  Japan has been the only area that could produce a 8mm Akoya pearl.  These pearls have the best color and shape from any other oyster in the area.  Akoya pearls are the most beautiful of all the types of pearls with a wonderful luster and shape but they tend to be smaller in size than the other types of pearls. An Akoya pearl will grow between 6mm to 7mm on average.  Anything over 10mm is extremely rare.

The south sea pearl is considered the “Rolls Royce” of pearls.  These pearls are grown in the countries of Mayanmar, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, and Australia.  These pearls grow to a much larger size than the others.  The average size of a south sea pearl is 13mm, yet there have been many pearls produced that were from 9mm to 20mm.  The reason for this is simple.  The silver lip oyster that the pearl grows in is one of the larger oysters and the warm waters of the South Seas help to produce food for the oysters to eat.  These pearls can only be found in deep ocean waters and can not be grown in lagoons or ponds like other types of pearls.

The Tahitian pearl is the most exotic of the pearls.  These are commonly known as a black pearl or a Tahitian black pearl.  These pearls were marketed in the late 1970’s as black pearls and the name stuck.  The pearls are not actually black in color but they are very dark perals.  Some of the colors that they come in would be greens, blues, grays and reddish browns.  The peacock colored Tahitian pearl is one that is dark green-gray with rose colored overtones.  A higher grade of color for the black pearl would be aubergine(eggplant), a dark purple, and a pistachio or yellowish green colored pearl.  These types of pearls are very expensive and relatively rare.  The best way to describe the value would be to say that a strand of Tahitian black pearls would be ten to fifteen times more expensive than a strand of Akoya pearls.

The freshwater pearl is a pearl that is not as exotic as the other types of pearls. These pearls are obviously found in freshwater and they can be farmed easily.  These pearls are hardly ever found in a round shape and often come out of their oyster in many unique shapes.  China is credited with the original farming of freshwater pearls and today has taken the leading production from Japan.  These freshwater pearls are also grown in the United States. 

Pearls have always been an object of beauty and only the rich and powerful were able to obtain them.  These are still very valued and can get extremely expensive for a certain grade but they are available to most people today.  Pearl jewelry pieces give off a certain air of elegance to those who wear them.

The Greatest Investment That You Can Add To Your Collection

Pearl jewelry can be one of the greatest investments that a jewelry collector can make. Before purchasing some pearl jewelry you should make sure you educate yourself about pearls first. There are many respected jewelers out there and you want to make sure you work with someone like that.

The first thing you need to understand is that some pearl jewelry may not be as expensive as other pearl jewelry even though they may look identical. You have to know that there are a few different types of standards for pearls that will make them either more or less expensive. You will be paying for the grade of pearl that you are buying.

Now pearls can be split into two categories. There are natural pearls and cultured pearls. Natural pearls occur in oysters naturally with no assistance. This is a rare occurrence of itself. There are around 8,000 types of oysters in the world and only about 20 of these oysters are able to produce pearls. Also when the pearl has occurred naturally it is only a slight chance that the pearl itself will actually become round in shape. The round shape is what makes the pearl more valuable. A pearl that is cultured is a pearl that has been basically "farmed". Throughout the world in places where pearls occur naturally there are pearl farms. This is where man intervenes and places material into the oyster shell with hopes that a pearl will form. These are a much more controlled environment than the natural ocean and the chances of getting pearls that are more round increase.

There are also several different types of pearls. There are freshwater pearls, South Sea pearls, Akoya pearls, and Tahitian pearls. The pearls are named according to what type of oyster they were grown in. Freshwater pearls are usually the least expensive and the easiest to find. These pearls do not come in a round shape and tend to form a baroque shape. The South Sea, Akoya, and Tahitian pearls are the most popular for pearl jewelry like a necklace. The Akoya pearl is usually what one thinks of when they think of a pearl necklace. They are larger pearls and many round pearls can be found in this category. The South Sea pearl is larger than the Akoya and has more of a silvery overtone to it. The Tahitian pearl is what is thought of when the term black pearl is used.

When purchasing jewelry you must consider the shape of the pearl itself. There are eight basic shapes to a pearl. Round, semi-round, button, drop, oval, baroque, and circled. Round being the most valued and working its way down to circled. A pearl necklace that is made of button shaped pearls will still be beautiful but much less valuable than one that is made of round or even semi-round pearls. You must also look at the luster, color, and symmetry of the surface when purchasing pearl jewelry.

When making pearl jewelry it is important to consider the shape of the pearl. A pearl that is drop shaped are usually used in earrings or pendants and their shape can be hidden by the setting. Semi-round pearls can also be used in pieces that the shape is hidden to make the pearl look bigger and rounder.

Pearl jewelry may not always be what it looks like. If someone is trying to sell you a "natural" pearl ask to get it x-rayed as that is the only way to tell if the pearl is truly a natural pearl. And if you are considering spending a significant amount of money on your pearl jewelry, please always use a jeweler that is respected in the industry and do some research on them.