Know About Pearls
What are Pearls?
Built from hexagonal aragonite crystals of calcium carbonate, Pearls are formed in Clams, Oysters and Mussels, and are found in many parts of the world. They are usually white, sometimes with a creamy or pinkish tinge, but may be tinted with yellow, green, blue, brown, or black. Black pearls are often highly valued because of their rarity.Pearls are either natural or cultured. Natural Pearls are harvested from the ‘wild’, while Cultured Pearls are cultivated in ‘Pearl farms’. Pearls are harvested from the sea bed (Saltwater Pearls) and Inland water bodies (Freshwater Pearls) - this was the primary source of all pearls till the fag end of the 1800s.
“A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever…”
Ever wondered why such idioms are called ‘Pearls’ of wisdom? The story of our passion for pearls stretches into antiquity; in fact, pearls were Humankind’s most valuable gems till the 19th Century. Wars were averted, peace brokered and wisdom and beauty were measured with these wholly-formed gemstones. Art, décor and religion saw newfound expression with them. Pearls are known to have informed many branches of human knowledge – gemmology, anthropology, mineralogy, ecology and biology. Our attraction to pearl is layered with great drama, suffering and artistic nuances.

TYPES OF PEARLS
![]() SOUTH SEA PEARL
The Southern seas host the world’s largest pearl yielding oyster, the Pinctada Maxima. A South Sea pearl can range from 9 - 20mm and are identified by their thick nacre or ‘mother of pearl’ (an organic mixture of Calcium carbonate and crystals) with a satiny luster and a subtle array of colors ranging from white to gold. |
![]() TAHITIAN PEARL
The Pinctada Margaritifera or black-lipped oyster produces the Tahitian pearl. About twice the size of Akoya oysters, they produce pearls that range from 8-12mm. The “Tahitian pearls” are found around the islands and atolls of the French Polynesia. These pearls are seldom round; they come in a variety of shapes and a range of metallic colours - from gray to black to green, peacock-blue and aubergine. |
![]() FRESHWATER PEARL
Freshwater pearls, unlike other pearl types, grow in mussels that live in freshwater ponds and rivers and are found in China, Japan, North America and Europe. The Hyriopsis Cuminigi or Triangle Shell mussel is a common source of Freshwaterpearls and can yield between 30-40 pearls.It is believed that the first gem-quality Pearl was a Freshwater one. Freshwater naturals are not as well known as their saltwater counterparts, although comparable pearls from both sources are still similarly priced. Sometimes, the very best freshwater naturals were usually sold as saltwater pearls! |
![]() AKOYA PEARL
The Pintctada Fucata or the Akoya Oyster is found in Japan. The Akoya pearls are saltwater pearls and come from the smallest of all pearl oysters. A fully-grown Akoya oyster ranges from 8-13cms and the pearl it yields tends to be mostly white or cream with hints of pink and green, but can be seen in colors like silver, and rarely in yellow, pink or blue. The Akoya oyster produces more round pearls of very high luster than any other type of pearl oyster with sizes ranging typically from 2mm to 8mm. |





.jpg)

The Past | The Present |
![]() |
![]()
![]()
![]() ![]()
|

How TO JUGDE QUALITY PEARLS
The value of a pearl in jewellery is determined by a combination of lustre, colour, size, lack of surface flaw and symmetry. Among these attributes, lustre is the most important differentiator of pearl quality.
Lustre The word luster traces its origins back to the Latin word lux, meaning "light", and generally implies radiance, gloss, or brilliance.The unique lustre of pearls depends upon the reflection and refraction of light from its translucent layers and this is finer in proportion as the layers are thinner and more numerous. The iridescence that some pearls display is caused by an overlapping of successive layers - this breaks up light falling on its surface.
![]() |
Surface The pearl is built upon layers of Nacre and Conchiolin, substances secreted by the oyster. This natural growth results in surface imperfections called blemishes. A pearl could be unblemished, slightly blemished, blemished or very blemished. No pearl is truly flawless - hence a ‘perfect’ Pearl has a distinctive signature of rarity and beauty.
![]() |
Shape There are eight basic shapes into which cultured pearls can be classified: round, near round, oval, button, drop, circlé, semi-baroque and baroque. It is believed that the rounder the pearl, the greater is its value. However, pearls with baroque shapes have their own beauty and mystique.
![]() |
Colour Pearls come in every color of the Rainbow – depending on the species of oyster. They generally match the insides of the oyster that produces them. So, Black Tahitian pearls come from the black-lipped oyster - Pinctada Margaritifera. Because each pearl’s color depends on variety of factors affecting its formation, it is difficult to match pearls exactly on a strand. A perfectly matched strand might take years to produce!
![]() |
Size With all factor being equal, larger pearls are more valuable. Measured in millimeters, cultured pearls, depending on the type, can range in size from smaller than 1mm to larger than 20mm.
![]() |


- Fingerprint-like surface ridges (above, left) characterize both natural and cultured pearls. These features, easily seen under magnification, assist in differentiating pearls from glass, plastic, or fish-scale imitations. This slight texture is what you feel when you touch a pearl to your front teeth.
-
Most of a saltwater cultured pearl is a shell sphere nucleus implanted pearl as an irritant inside a life oyster. The quality and durability of the resulting pearl is mainly determined by the number and quality of nacre layers the oyster produces to cover that nucleus. Other quality concerns are secondary to nacre thickness, which is the key to how long a pearl will last.
.
- Nacre thickness is determined by studying either x-rays or cultured pearl drill boles (right). There is a distinct color and texture difference where the nacre coating meets the shell-bead nucleus. In the examples below, the small pearl is adequately coated, but the 0.20mm – nacre coating will not last. Too many such pearls are being sold to unsuspecting buyers. And the backlit whole pearl (below, right) has so little nacre that the shell striations show through clearly. A coating that thin will flake off within months.

Nourish them
Your Pearls need professional cleaning at least once a year, depending on usage. If worn frequently, cultured pearl jewelry should be cleaned and/or restrung professionally once a year. You can also;
- Wipe the pearls with a soft cloth after wearing them
- Wash occasionally in soapy water. Human Perspiration can damage your pearls
- Please take the following precautions to ensure the longevity of your pearls’ beauty and luster
- Store pearls in a soft cloth sack, or a case recommended by your jeweler. Always separate them from metallic necklaces.
- Never use chemical cleaners or varnishes, especially those that contain ammonia or bleach.
- Remove pearls before applying perfume or sprays and before washing dishes or doing housework.
- Keep your pearls away from foods containing acids, for example fruit juice.
- Expose pearls regularly to humid conditions. If stored in a safe, place a glass of water in the compartment with them.
- Do not wear pearls in swimming pools.
- Sometimes, damaged or stained pearls can be restored to their natural beauty. While it is a risky process, it might help you salvage a beautiful gem.
Own Them
From JPEARLS