Pearls by Angela Carol

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.