Pearl ~ A Natural Beauty

• Appreciation for the natural miracle of pearls began more than 5,000 years ago - long before the discovery of diamonds.
• Pearls, which are naturally beautiful, were the first gem to be used by ancient cultures as treasures. Pearls were seen as a gift from the heavens; they were known as "the tears of angels". Many believed that the wearer of pearls would achieve wealth and live a long life.
• Pearls are straight out of the oyster. High quality pearls have an intense, brilliant lustre and shiny iridescence that are inherent in the pearl itself. That is why pearls have become a symbol of wisdom and natural beauty.

Caring for Pearls
Unlike diamonds, pearls are extremely sensitive gems. With proper care, and by following this checklist, you can keep your pearls beautiful for many generations:

• Clean regularly by wiping gently with a soft cloth. Pearls can absorb perfume, skin oils and dirt.
• Silk thread with knots tied between the pearls is most often used. Re-string pearls annually to keep strands at their optimum strength and appearance
• To clean, use a mild, non-detergent soap and lukewarm water. Let the pearls dry for several days between two soft towels.
• Store pearls separately in their own box or soft silk pouch. Pearls may chip or pit, so keep them away from other jewelry.
• Never close pearls up in an airtight container. Allow them to breathe.
• Protect pearls from temperature extremes and chemicals such as vinegar, alcohol, Ammonia, and hair spray, which can erode their surfaces.

Evaluation of Pearls
The first and most important step is assessing the value of a pearl is to determine whether it is the genuine item or a manufactured faux pearl.

• Real: Cold to the touch; quickly adopts body temperature. Gritty when rubbed across the teeth. Drilled holes are smooth around the edges. Heavy to hold.
  Fake: Always the same temperature as its environment. Holes are bumpy, as if pearl melted during drilling. Light in weight.
• A Natural Pearl is formed when an irritant ~ perhaps a tiny living creature, is wrapped within the mantle tissue of a mollusk. To soothe the discomfort, the oyster covers the irritant with a layer of smooth, ice-like crystals called nacre. Nacre gives the pearl its distinctive silky look and feel.
• Cultured Pearls form in the same way with the exception of instead of waiting for nature to induce an irritant, the pearl technician carefully places a small shell bead inside the oyster tostimulate the mollusk to secrete the nacre. The bead nucleus is covered by the same silky nacre. Pearls sold on the market are cultured.
• A pearl is evaluated by variety of factors:
  • Shape: round, semi-round, baroque, button, coin flat, rice oval and drop. Round pearls are the most rare and treasured.
  • Lustre: Lustre is the inner glow. It is the shine that beams from within the pearl. The deeper the lustre is, the more precious and expensive the pearl should be.
  • Color: The inner shell of the oyster determines the color of the pearl. Natural color can be pink, white, cream, light green, light grey and golden. Pearls' colors can also be dyed.
  • Size: Generally, the value of pearls increase as size increases. Larger sizes are more difficult to cultivate and are scarce. A pearl is measured by its diameter in millimetres.
  • Surface clarity: Blemishes such as wrinkles or pits on the surface devalue a pearl.