Federal Trade Commission rules, and are formed in the same way, most of them have no value except as curiosities. Although these may also be legitimately referred to as "pearls" by gemological labs and also under U.S. However, almost all species of shelled mollusks are capable of producing pearls (technically "calcareous concretions") of lesser shine or less spherical shape. Whether wild or cultured, gem-quality pearls are almost always nacreous and iridescent, like the interior of the shell that produces them. They have also been crushed and used in cosmetics, medicines and paint formulations. Pearls have been harvested and cultivated primarily for use in jewelry, but in the past were also used to adorn clothing. Imitation pearls are also widely sold in inexpensive jewelry, but the quality of their iridescence is usually very poor and is easily distinguished from that of genuine pearls. Cultured or farmed pearls from pearl oysters and freshwater mussels make up the majority of those currently sold. These wild pearls are referred to as natural pearls.
The most valuable pearls occur spontaneously in the wild, but are extremely rare. Because of this, pearl has become a metaphor for something rare, fine, admirable and valuable. The finest quality of natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes, known as baroque pearls, can occur. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carbonate (mainly aragonite or a mixture of aragonite and calcite) in minute crystalline form, which has deposited in concentric layers. China is the leading source for freshwater cultured pearls.A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. They are usually cultured in freshwater lakes and ponds, often with many pearls grown in one oyster.
#Do they make aqua pearls plus#
This is due to their remarkable range of sizes, shapes and colors, plus their commercial availability at lower price points.
Freshwater Cultured Pearlsįreshwater cultured pearls are the most commonly produced pearls and they are one of the most popular pearl types among shoppers and jewelry designers. They might be gray, black or brown, and they can have blue, green, purple or pink overtones. These saltwater cultured pearls, sometimes referred to as black pearls, have a wide color range. Tahitian Cultured PearlsĬultivated primarily around the islands of French Polynesia (the most familiar of these is Tahiti). Their large size and thick nacre, due to a long growth period, plus their limited critical growing conditions are all factors contributing to their value. South Sea cultured pearls can be white to silver or golden, depending on the type of oyster. South Sea Cultured PearlsĪustralia, Indonesia, and the Philippines are leading sources of these saltwater cultured pearls. Japan and China both produce akoya cultured pearls. Many customers think of white or cream colored akoyas as the classic pearl used for jewelry, especially single-strand necklaces. There are four major types of cultured whole pearls: Akoya Cultured PearlsĪkoya cultured pearls are the most familiar type of saltwater cultured pearl to most people in the U.S and other western markets. Workers tend the mollusks until the cultured pearls are harvested. If no bead is used, nacre forms around the individual implanted mantle tissue pieces. If a bead is used, the mantle tissue grows and forms a sac around it and secretes nacre inward and onto the bead to eventually form a cultured pearl. To begin the process, a skilled technician takes mantle tissue from a sacrificed mollusk of the same species and inserts a shell bead along with a small piece of mantle tissue into a host mollusk’s gonad, or several pieces of mantle tissue without beads into a host mollusk’s mantle. Blaire Beavers, courtesy Takayas Mizuno This group of cultured pearls displays some of the exotic colors pearls can exhibit. Manage Your GIA Alumni Association™ Membership Comprehensive CAD/CAM For Jewelry Certificate