Where do pearls come from?
Pearls are formed when irritants find its way into the shell of a mollusc. Once the irritant becomes trapped, the oyster begins to coat it with nacre to protect itself, thus creating a stunning pearl.
Aside from oysters, clams and mussels can also produce pearls but at a much rarer occurrence.
Cultured and natural pearls are thought to be of equal quality. But cultured pearls are more affordable and are most sought for stunning jewellery pieces like the classic pearl necklace.
Here’s some insight to how and where pearls are formed.
Natural pearls
The formation of natural pearls begins when a small irritant or parasite penetrates or lodges in the mantle tissue of an oyster. To protect itself from irritation, the oyster will cover the foreign substance with layers of nacre.
Over time, the layers of nacre will build up on top of each other to create a lustrous pearl that’s otherwise known as the ‘mother of pearl’. Natural pearls are rare and it requires experience, intensive study and persistence to find it.
Cultured pearls
Cultured pearls are formed through the process by which a pearl farmer purposefully inserts an irritant to the mollusc to then cultivate pearls after a period of time.
The oyster must be mature enough before the implant and it takes 18 months to three years to harvest the pearls. Amazingly, they can be cultured both in saltwater and in freshwater.
Saltwater pearls are formed by oysters in oceans while freshwater pearls are formed by mussels in lakes, rivers and ponds.
Here are some types of cultured pearls:
Akoya pearls
Akoya pearls are classic white pearls that are farmed in the oceans of Japan and China. They’re perfectly round, having the highest lustre and shine among all cultured pearls.
South sea pearls
South Sea pearls are known for their incredible size and beautiful satin lustre that’s produced in Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia.
Tahitian pearls
Tahitian pearls are vibrant and rare black pearls from the French Polynesian Island. They’re cherished for their exotic colours and mirror-like lustre.
Imitation pearls
Imitation pearls are usually coated with a glass bead solution that’s made from fish scales. This coating is thin and can wear off easily.
A common test to determine whether a pearl is genuine or not is by rubbing it across your teeth. Authentic pearls should be slightly gritty and will show temporary abrasive marks due to its crystalline structure.
Pearls are one-of-a-kind. They can give any outfit the extra glamour or class it needs. While cleverly designed pieces can make a unique statement with a modern touch.
