A Pearl Primer

Some ask’d how pearls did grow, and where?
Robert Herrick
“The Rock of Rubies, and the Quarry of Pearls”

Nature has blessed its many creations with a wide range of ways to defend themselves. The several species of mollusks that produce pearls possess one of the more unique (and effective) methods.

The glorious and beloved pearl, in all its delightful variations, is made of an organic substance called nacre (aragonite). In order to protect their sensitive inner surfaces, certain types of shellfish (especially the bivalve oyster and the mussel), secrete nacre around an irritant, such as a pebble, or a deliberately inserted (by man) bead. Layer after layer of nacre is added until the object we know as a pearl is formed.

Natural pearls occur when the irritant is accidental; i.e., a tiny sea creature or a rock somehow ends up inside an open oyster. These types of pearls are completely oyster-made and are very rare and, thus, quite expensive. Natural pearls come in shades of white and cream and the rarest color, black. They are often irregular in shape and tend to be not as perfectly round as cultured pearls. There are many sources for natural pearls around the world, including the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Persian Gulf, although their cost prohibits their routine use in jewelry.

Cultured pearls come into being when man gives nature what you might describe as a little “push,”: Pearl farmers deliberately implant an irritant -- usually a mother-of-pearl bead -- in a mollusk. The oyster reacts to this “intruder” in the same way as if the invading object was randomly introduced into its body. The living creature builds layer upon layer of nacre around the bead until the growth resembles the familiar gem we know as a pearl.

Cultured Pearls

Cultured pearls were developed in Japan in 1904 by Kokichi Mikimoto, although the first attempt to culture pearls dates back to an attempt allegedly made by the Arabs of the Red Sea in the second century BC, as chronicled by the Greek writer Apollomius of Tyre (although many historians doubt Apollumius’s claims).

The largest producer of cultured pearls today is Japan. China is also a major supplier. Another important source of cultured pearls are the coastal waters of Tahiti and many of the other Polynesian Islands, as well as the coastal waters of Australia.

Only one out of every twenty oysters contains a valuable pearl. Cultured pearls range in size from 2 millimeters to 8 or even 9 millimeters. (Helpful Tip: There are 25 millimeters in an inch, which makes it simple to calculate how many pearls of a given size make up an inch. For example, five 5 millimeter pearls make up one inch of pearls; while it takes eight 3 millimeter pearls to equal an inch, etc.).

Cultured pearls are graded and evaluated by five factors: Luster, Size, Shape, Surface, and Color. Let’s look at these characteristics one at a time.

• Luster: Luster, which is also called “orient,” is the way light reflects off the surface of the pearl and is often described as the sheen. Pearls range in quality from a very high luster -- an intense, brilliant reflection off its surface -- to low luster -- a dull, flat appearance that has almost no reflection whatsoever. The luster of a high quality strand of pearls is one of its most appealing visual elements and is often the deciding factor when purchasing pearls. There is nothing more dramatic than placing on a black velvet showcase pad a high luster strand of pearls right next to a same-size strand with very low luster. The contrast is striking and effectively illustrates the differences between pearls of varying sheen.
• Size: As previously discussed, cultured pearls most often occur in sizes from 2 millimeters to 9 millimeters in diameter. The size of the pearl is determined by the size of the implanted bead and the thickness of the nacre growth. (Tiny cultured pearls from 1 millimeter to 1.75 millimeters in diameter are referred to as “seed pearls.”) As the size of cultured pearls goes up, so does the price, with the most expensive being the rare 7, 8, and 9 millimeter pearls. Lately, 5 to 6 millimeter pearls have been extremely popular and affordably priced. “Half-drilled” pearls are used in rings and earrings; “full-drilled” pearls are used for stringing on nylon bead cord for necklaces and bracelets.
• Shape: Cultured pearls grow in nature in many shapes, including round, oval, pear, button, and other forms. For a traditional look, the perfectly round pearls are the rarest, the most prized, and usually the most expensive. The other shapes of pearls often lend themselves to interesting and appealing uses, such as earrings, brooches, and in free-form rings. Strands require round pearls (as closely matched in shape as possible) but there are many opportunities for the use of other shape pearls in a wide range of jewelry pieces.
• Surface: This term is used to describe the imperfections found on the surface of a cultured pearl. These include bumps, blisters, cracks, spots, and welts. Better pearls are free from large blemishes. When selecting a strand of pearls, each pearl should match as closely as possible the others on the strand. (Some minor blemishes can be effectively eliminated in pearls for stringing by drilling the pearl at the site of the imperfection, although this is usually not practical when the pearls have many bumps or cracks.) As with other gemstones, the “cleaner” the pearl, the more expensive the pearl. However, tiny marks on pearls should be viewed as part of their basic nature. They should not be considered a detriment; they are, in fact a hallmark of the pearl’s natural essence.
• Color: Pearls range in color from light to dark, in a wide range of body colors and with a variety of overtones. Light pearls come in soft shades of pink, white, or cream. Dark pearls are called black and includes pearls that are silver-grey, dark blue, purple, blue-green, green, and bronze; with or without metallic overtones. Colored pearls come in light to medium shades of yellow, green, blue, violet, purple or gray. Color is more common in freshwater pearls than in saltwater pearls.

Pearl Questions & Answers

What is an Akoya Pearl?
Akoyas are saltwater pearls cultivated in Akoya oysters in Japan and China. They are slightly rosy; many are naturally pinkish; some are naturally pewter grey; they are roundish in shape; and they range from 2 to 9 millimeters in size. Today, Japanese Akoya pearls are unrivaled in their color and luster.

What is a Baroque Pearl?
A baroque pearl is a pearl that is uneven in surface texture, regardless of its shape. Baroque pearls can range from pear-shaped to very irregular and unusual shapes.

What is a Black Pearl?
A black pearl is a natural pearl formed when a high amount of mineral salts are present in the waters where the mollusk is found. It is believed that other factors influencing the formation of black pearls are the type of plankton the oyster consumes as well as the specific species of oyster. An important source for black pearls today is French Polynesia (especially the waters around Tahiti).

What is a Blister Pearl?
A blister pearl is a pearl that is formed while attached to the wall of a mollusk which must be removed along with part of the oyster’s shell. Blister pearls vary in size and shape.

What is a Circle Pearl?
Circle pearls are a relatively new subspecies of the baroque pearl that many pearl aficionados have noted resemble fancy Christmas tree ornaments. A circle pearl is a cultured freshwater or saltwater pearl that has concentric circles running around its diameter, producing an intriguing “ribbed” look. Recently, strands of 10 millimeter and larger circle pearls have become very popular due to their unique look and ultra-affordability.

What is a Freshwater Cultured Pearl?
Freshwater cultured pearls are grown in lakes and rivers in the United States and in Japan and China. They come in several colors, including white, pink, lavender, peach, apricot, and beige. Chinese freshwater pearls boast excellent color, luster, and value. Some freshwater pearls look like grains of rice; some are ovalish; and some are close to being completely round.

What are Honora Pearls?
Honora pearls are a nearly round type of freshwater pearl.

What are Mabe Pearls?
Mabes are half-sphere pearls that are cultured against the inside shell of an oyster. Mabe pearls have one completely flat side.

What is Mother-of-Pearl?
Mother of Pearl is the pearly internal layer of a mollusk shell. Mother-of-Pearl is often used as a decorative gem and as watch dials.

What is a South Sea Pearl?
A South Sea pearl is a large saltwater pearl averaging from 10 to 20 millimeters in size. It is cultivated in the oceans around Australia, Myanmar, Indonesia and other South Sea countries. South Sea pearls occur in round, off-round, and baroque shapes. They are plentiful and their colors range from white and gold to pastel shades. The industry magazine Modern Jeweler said in their March 1999 issue that “The South Sea pearl is for the customer who wants something of great prestige and is willing to pay whatever it takes to get it.” Golden South Sea pearls from Australia are the rarest of the South Sea pearls.

Pearl Fashion Tips

Pearls are subtle, gracefully elegant and they go with everything: They look lovely with suits and dresses and also add a stylish accent to sportswear and even jeans and t-shirts. Many women consider a strand of pearls, a pair of pearl earrings, and a pearl ring to be three very important components of their basic jewelry wardrobe.

• Dark-skinned women look best in pearls with a gold tint.
• Pink complexions are most complemented by pearls with a creamy rose color.
• Pearl chokers look best on long necks.
• Uniform strands are the most popular style of pearl necklace today.
• Graduated strands look best on short and wide necks.
• Pearl earrings with diamonds call attention to the eyes and hair.
• A single strand of pearls is perfect for daily wear at the office; a multi-strand necklace is the ultimate accessory for evening wear.

Legend and Lore About Pearls

The world pearl comes from the Latin word sphaerula which means “sphere.” Pearls were among the first natural objects to be valued by man and the largest pearl in the world is the Pearl of Asia, which weighs an astonishing 605 carats.

Pearls were once believed to be the tears of the gods, and ancient Greeks believed that pearls were drops of moisture flung from Aphrodite’s body as she emerged from the sea and shook off the water.

Cleopatra possessed two magnificent pear-shaped natural pearls. When Marc Antony questioned her love for him, she came up with a dramatic way of proving it: she dissolved one of her precious pearls in a goblet of wine and then drank the wine.

The pearl fisheries of the Persian Gulf are at least 2,000 years old, and in China, pearls were worn for adornment more than 3,000 years ago.

Pearls represent purity, modesty, and gentleness. They are also symbolic of the moon, and signify hidden talents, sexual fulfillment, and the soul.

Jesus refers to pearls in his Sermon on the Mount: In Matthew 7:6, he says, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet...”

In 1917, Pierre Cartier paid for a New York mansion on Fifth avenue with a double-strand pearl necklace. Today, that mansion is Cartier’s world headquarters.

Pearl Lengths and Sizes

• Choker: 15 inches.
• Chute: 16 to 18 inches.
• Collar: 16 inches, with a flat design.
• Dog collar: 13 or 14 inches, consisting of several rows of pearls and worn very snug around the neck.
• Matinee length: 22 inches.
• Opera length: 30 inches.
• Princess length: 20 or 21 inches.
• Rope: 40 inches or longer.
• Standard (traditional) length: 18 inches.
• Torsade: Several strands of pearls (usually freshwater) twisted together into one strand. Sometimes different colored strands of freshwater pearls are used for a torsade, providing a striking multi-colored look.
• Lariat: A long strand with decorated ends that are tied or looped instead of clasped.
• Earrings: Usually 4 to 9 millimeters in size.
• Uniform: A strand of pearls that are all one size, ranging from small 3 millimeter pearls to 9 or even 10 millimeter pearls.
• Graduated: A strand of pearls with one large center pearl and progressively smaller pearls tapering down to the ends.

Caring for Your Pearls

• Pearls strands should be worn around your neck at least twice a month. The contact with your skin keeps the pearls moisturized and wearing them allows them to fall naturally and gracefully.
• Pearls should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off. Hair spray, colognes, and makeup will damage the pearl’s organic nacre and will eventually ruin them.
• Do not swim while wearing your pearls. Chlorine and saltwater will damage the pearls themselves and water will also saturate and fray the bead cord on which they are strung.
• Wipe your pearls with a soft cloth after each wearing.
• Pearls should sit snugly up against each other with a small knot between each pearl. With regular wear, knotted strands will loosen and you will begin to notice a space between the pearls and the knots. This is your cue to have them restrung. Depending on wear, a complete restringing every two to three years is wise. (Some experts recommend annual restringing, although this does seem a bit excessive.)
• Pearl stud earrings can be washed gently with mild soap and water. Be sure to dry them thoroughly with a soft cloth.
• Do not let your pearl jewelry rub up against your other jewelry.
• Never place pearls in an ultrasonic cleaner and never have them steam-cleaned.

Ransack the ocean for orient pearl.

Christopher Marlowe
Doctor Faustus