Pearls,
probably the most classic and timeless of gems they offer an easy elegance and sophistication. Often worn as bridal jewelry
and found in wedding tiara's. Natural pearls are an organic
gem usually formed in the shell of certain mollusks. Fine natural pearls nowadays command high prices, since during
the twentieth century they more or less disappeared form the jewelry market, due to pollution, over fishing and other economic
factors. Caring for your pearls Pearls are very soft a 2 - 4 on the Mohs Scale and be easily scratched and marked. Perfume, hair spray, and perspiration amongst others can damage the nacre. High
heat can cause discoloraton or cracking. After wearing, wipe your pearls with
a very soft clean cloth before putting them away to remove any acid or traces of perfume picked up from your skin. Never
steam clean and never use an ultrasonic cleaner. Occasional cleaning can be done with warm soapy water, if the
pearls are sturng, be sure they are completely dry before wearing. Lloyd Bangle
Pearl & Diamond Bangle Bracelet
Did you know... That in Singapore, it is believed that pearls can help improve your complexion. You can go the the medicine
shop where they will make up the prescription for you, by taking fresh water pearls which are then pulverised to a powder
this is mixed with water to a liquid, which you then drink. History
and different types of Pearl Much of the pearl
jewelry available now features cultured pearls. The mollusks are farmed specifically for culturing pearls, whereby
skilled technicians insert a shell bead or other similar irritant into the mollusk. These act as an irritant and trigger
the secretion of nacre which is what makes the pearl. Culturing of pearls is not new, and began in China and Japan hundreds
of years ago. The positive indentification of natural pearls
requires laboratory testing, but a trained gemologist can often identify cultured pearls with a reasonably high degree of
certainty. Some well known types of cultured pearl on the market today include: Akoya - most are of a cream bodycolor, but other natural colors include yellow, gray and blue.
They can be as small as 2mm or as big as 11mm. Both China and Japan produce saltwater Akoya pearls. South Sea - these are a bit larger and usually
range from 8mm to 18mm. Most commonly are white, cream and golden (dark yellowish brown).
Leading sources are Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines, but also now produced in Myanmar and Thailand. Tahaitian - named as such since they are cultivated in the French Polynesian Islands,
the most well known of which is Tahaiti. They most often range from white to black, but can also be greens and purples.
Typical size is 8mm to 17mm.
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birefringence (doubly refractive gems only) |
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