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Details of Our Pearls and Pearls Generally

Pearls are created by molluscs (oysters, mussels etc.). Naturally occurring pearls are rare, found in perhaps one of every 10,000 animals. The cultured pearl industry, which has flourished since the early 20th century, has developed techniques to greatly improve these odds.

Pearl mussels live in lakes, rivers and streams. These freshwater molluscs produce pearls that can rival those of marine molluscs in lustre and diverse colour. The local freshwater pearls of Europe, Asia and North America have been prized for thousands of years. In the early 1900s, the many species of North American pearl mussels supplied the thick mother-of-pearl needed for the button industry then booming in the Midwest. Today, freshwater mussel shells provide material for bead nuclei, which pearl farmers around the world implant in marine pearl oysters to create cultured pearls.

When a small foreign object gets introduced into the body of an oyster, the organism produces a soft coating of "nacre" around it, creating a pearl. It can take between 2 and 7 years to produce a pearl.

Popular Myth

Many people believe that pearls are created by oysters ingesting grains of sand which then forms the pearl. This is a myth, oysters are constantly ingesting and then expelling grains of sand in order to feed. Most pearls created by wild oysters are formed around the dead body of a parasitic worm.

There are 4 popular types of cultured pearls.

• Freshwater cultured pearls: affordable freshwater cultured pearls originate in the freshwater lakes and rivers of China. They often have an asymmetrical shape, medium to high lustre and measure between 3.5mm and 7.0mm. Freshwater cultured pearls are mostly white, but can have a pink or rose tint.
• Tahitian cultured pearls: Tahitian cultured pearls have a unique black to grey-green colour. The pearls are farmed on the volcanic atolls and reefs of Tahiti. They are mostly round in shape and have a rich, high lustre. Tahitian cultured pearls tend to cost more than other types of pearls based on their scarcity and unique look.
• Akoya cultured pearls: Akoya cultured pearls are a type of saltwater pearl from China and Japan. They have a round, symmetrical shape with few blemishes and measure between 6mm and 8.5mm. Akoya cultured pearls have a higher lustre than freshwater pearls and a light colour that ranges from cream to white/pink.
• South Sea cultured pearls: large South Sea cultured pearls (up to 13mm), farmed in Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines, range in colour from white to black. They can have a perfectly round to slightly asymmetrical shape and medium to high lustre. Price varies depending on lustre.

Factors that determine the value of pearls:

1. Pearl lustre: Lustre describes a pearl's shine. The higher the lustre, the greater the pearl's value.
2. Pearl nacre thickness: The depth of the nacre (a pearl's external layer) is a measure of pearl quality. Generally, bigger pearls have thicker nacre layers and greater lustre. Thin nacre can be prone to chipping and peeling.
3. Pearl surface texture: Natural pearls can have a wide variety of abrasions. Minimal flaws do not severely detract from a pearl's value. More obvious surface imperfections however, will reduce a pearl's value. Drilling holes and stringing pearls on a necklace or mounting pearls can help de-emphasise such imperfections.
4. Pearl colour: The colour of pearls is called "body colour". Colour is not a significant factor in determining a pearl's value as pearls can be found in grey, blue, gold, pink, white, black and all shades of cream. Pearls can also be dyed, though reputable sellers should alert buyers of any such treatments. Some pearls have a secondary colour or overtone. For instance, a white pearl may have a blue or pink tint upon closer inspection.
5. Pearl shape: Pearl shape can vary widely. Perfectly round pearls tend to command the greatest prices. Drop pearls and pear-shaped pearls can be particularly suited for earrings. Many jewellers use irregular baroque pearls as accents in jewellery.
6. Pearl size: In a similar way to diamonds, larger pearls are more expensive. Round pearls are measured according to their diameter in millimetres, baroque pearls by length and width.

Please note that, because of the irregularity of pearls, it is extremely difficult to give a precise measurement. Necklace lengths therefore, are to the nearest 2 or 3 millimetres.