Pearls – Page 2

Pearls are imitation pearls - as they consist of shiny shells with mother-of-pearl on thick, very round ones, they have a mother-of-pearl luster, their density does not differ much from real pearls. Therefore, if it seems to you that you are rubbing your teeth with sandpaper, then the pearl is real. Freshwater pearls are real. Pearls can form within nearly any clam or oyster, and numerous species exist within the freshwater systems of the world. Rivers seem to be the formation where freshwater pearls are most likely to naturally occur. Use a 5x or 10x magnifying glass to observe the surface of the pearl; if it is a real pearl (including natural pearls and cultured pearls), the surface seems to grow grains, like the wind on the sand dune; but if you see the rough surface of the eggshell, then this It is an imitation pearl. A real pearl should have a rough and slightly grainy texture, with small scale-like defects on the outer surface of the mother-of-pearl. Faux glass or plastic beads are almost always perfect and smooth. This happens when the cultured pearls rub against each other and rub off the paint that makes the pearls look real. Here, an experienced technician implants a stimulus into the mussel to stimulate pearl formation. Growing pearls, on the other hand, means that the pearl farmer gently opens the shell and injects a small object as an irritant (usually pearls or metal), then places them back in the water and waits for the pearls to form. A real pearl is made from pearl oysters in fresh or salt water. Depending on whether human assistance is involved, this organic gem can be cultured or natural. Similarities between Wild and Grown Pearls Both natural and cultured gem-quality pearls have pearlescent and iridescent colors. You can find more information about different types of pearls in our pearl guide. The value of pearls can vary greatly depending on various factors such as type, size, color, surface quality, etc. Therefore, even though the quality of cultured pearls may be the same as natural pearls, they are usually much cheaper due to their rarity. Cultured pearls are real pearls grown in fresh or salt water. Cultured pearls are pearls that form in salt or fresh water after a pearl farmer has inserted an irritating substance, such as a tiny bead, into the shell of an oyster. Pearls, whether natural or cultured, are formed when a mollusk forms layers of nacre (pronounced NAY-kur) around some irritant inside its shell. When the pearl is rubbed and pierced, the smallest particles of mother-of-pearl come out. Real pearls create this feeling because the outer layers of mother-of-pearl have small imperfections that prevent them from flowing smoothly. If these layers are thin or damaged, they can peel off effectively from the pearl surface. The Effect of Masking Pearls Used for necklaces or pieces where pearls can be masked to make them look more rounded. But even with the perfectly round strand of a real pearl necklace, you can still see slight differences in the shape of their pearls. However, high quality pearls have only minor defects and can be difficult to detect. These high-quality pearls are usually white or golden and have a high luster. Most South Sea pearls are white, but some slightly golden pearls are sold at higher prices. The natural colors of sea beads are white, light gray, dark gray, peacock, eggplant, dark gray and gold. Real pearls are the color of mother-of-pearl produced from oysters or mussels…usually white, dark silver, turquoise green, light silver, gold, gray, or white with light blue, pink or silver. Freshwater pearls are made from mussels or oysters found in rivers, lakes, or ponds. They are usually more irregular in shape and more diverse in color than sea beads. Freshwater pearls are supplied in large quantities every year. Unlike sea pearls, their perfect round shape and specular luster make them a true model. The availability of freshwater pearls and sea pearls are different, which is why the former is so available. Freshwater Pearls and Modern Farming Finally, if you can find freshwater pearls grown using modern methods, you will find that the luster and shape of these pearls usually match those of seawater pearls, but the price is more reasonable. Generally speaking, freshwater pearls are also cheaper than seawater pearls because of their shorter growth time. The quality of freshwater pearls is poor, but the price of pearls produced by freshwater pearl farmers today is comparable to the best seawater pearls. Freshwater pearls grow in pearl farms, which is why they are cultured pearls, and sea pearls or akoya are called wild pearls or natural pearls. Generally speaking, freshwater pearls are almost entirely cultured from oysters or mussels from pearl farms (most commonly in Japan, Australia, Indonesia, and China). Cultured pearls are a wonderful gemstone and are found in both fresh and salt water. Most pearls, both salted and freshwater, are grown in culture rather than in nature. Natural pearls grow without human intervention, and cultured pearls are formed when a farmer inserts a clam into an oyster shell. Naturally Occurring Saltwater Pearls Natural means that there is no human intervention and pearls are naturally formed from oysters or mussels. The pearl oyster exudes mother-of-pearl, an iridescent material composed of calcium carbonate. Saltwater pearls are formed by nuclei, which usually consist of ground shells of nuclear mussels, which cover the surface of mother-of-pearl with a thickness of 0.1-0.3 mm. Sea oysters can grow very large and produce pearls between 8 and 18 mm. These sea pearls are obtained from oysters that live in the oceans. Freshwater pearls are commercially produced from Hyriopsis cutingi (triangular shell) and Hyriopsis schlegeli (Biwa shell) in China, as well as other bivalve molluscs found in lakes, riverbeds and creek beds in Japan (Biwa pearls and Lake Kasumigaura) and the United States (Mississippi River Basin). Cultured pearls or those grown from pearl oysters and freshwater mussels make up the majority of the pearls sold. All of these types of pearls can only be grown with one pearl in one oyster at a time. Pearls grown in seawater are more expensive than pearls grown in fresh water because a sea oyster usually only produces one pearl at a time. A freshwater mussel can hold up to 50 pearls at a time (compared to two or five pearls that sea oysters can hold). Freshwater cultured pearls without beads can be implanted up to 25 at a time in one mussel. You can collect up to 30 pearls from mussels and keep reusing them as long as the water stays clean and healthy. Therefore, the next time you hear the word "natural pearls" in a store, you will realize that in fact it means that they are real pearls and not a fake. However, in the world of jewelry, pearl labels can be confusing: some call freshwater pearls simply cultured pearls, and saltwater pearls akoya or natural pearls. Almost all natural pearls on the market today are vintage pearls and, given their rarity, they are expensive.