Pearl Education

Pearl History
Pearl Types
Selecting Quality Pearls
Choosing A Necklace
Caring For Your Pearls

Pearl History

A natural pearl created by a sudden, such as a parasite or sand that accidentally lodges itself in an oyster’s soft inner body where it cannot be expelled. Then the oyster’s body takes defensive action to ease this irritant,. The oyster begins to secrete a smooth, hard crystalline substance (it calls “nacre”)around the irritant in order to protect itself. The oyster will continue to secrete nacre around the irritant as long as it remains within its body, layer upon layer, time to time, the irritant will be completely encased by the nacre-a silky crystalline coatings. Eventually, the lovely and lustrous gem called a pearl is created.

Nowadays, pearls are cultivated by inset a tiny foreign substance into the oyster. The oyster begins to secrete a smooth, hard crystalline substance around the foreign substance in order to protect itself. After a long time, numerous layers of nacre material created a beautiful pearl.

In ancient times, people believed that pearls were moonbeams, which fell into the ocean and were swallowed by oysters. To the ancient people, pearls were a symbol of the moon and had magical powers, which bring prosperity and long life.

Pearls are strongly associated with love. People believe pearls are linked to Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love, and to Venus, the Roman goddess of love. That is why brides wear pearl in the wedding, and pearls are great gift for Valentine’s Day and bridal attendants.

The largest known pearl is a freshwater pearl, it called the Hope Pearl, because it was owned by Henry Hope, and he also owned the famous Hope diamond. This is a river pearl and weighs 3 ounces. It is 4.5 inches in diameter at its widest part and 3.75 inches in diameter at its narrowest. It is a huge pearl, with a white color at its narrow end and becomes a greenish bronze color at its wider end.

Women love pearls, they wear pearls for every occasions. Follows are famous women who have worn pearls:

Cleopatra
The most powerful woman in history, reported dissolved a single pearl in a glass of wine and drank it, to show Mark Antony that she could consume the wealth of an entire nation in just one meal.

Jakie Kennedy
The former first lady in USA, she’s truly a fashion trend setter of the 1960’s. A number of her pictures which taken by many photographs are shown with her wearing pearls.

Hillary Clinton
Also the former first lady in USA, wears different kinds of pearl necklaces and earrings in official occasions.

Barbara Walters
A television super star, always wears a pair of Mabe pearl earrings in her television interview shows.

Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. She always wears a multicolor south sea pearl necklace.

Other women who are remembered wearing pearls are Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth.

Pearl Types

Akoya Pearl
Akoya are the first round pearls to be successfully cultured. In the early 1900s, the Japanese first developed the cultivation of saltwater pearls( in Japanese, Akoya means salt water). They are produced in Akoya Oyster(also called Pinctada Fucata Oyster). They are mainly grown in ocean salt waters of Japan and China.

Akoya pearls are considered valuable because their production rate is fairly low in comparison with the bounty of the freshwater pearl harvest. Only one nucleus can be inserted into an Akoya oyster, and the successful production rate is only 20%. Among all the produced Akoya pearls, only 5-10% of them are high quality pearls.

Overtone colors of Akoya pearls include white, cream, rose, silver, and green. Akoya pearl sizes range from less than 5mm to 9mm. Larger Akoya pearl sizes are possible, but less frequent.


Freshwater Pearl
Freshwater Pearls are cultivated in artificial water pools and usually originate in Asian countries such as China. Freshwater pearls are typically cheaper because freshwater mussels are larger and can produce up to 20 pearls at a time, in the opposite, Akoya oysters are smaller and can only produce one pearl at a time.


South Sea Pearl
The largest and rarest cultured pearls in the world are South Sea pearls. As the oyster that produces South Sea pearls is much larger than oysters that produce Akoya pearls and Freshwater pearls, the pearl produced is of a larger size, too. Their sizes ranges from 10mm to 15mm , sometimes up to 20mm too. Due to their unparalleled quality, South Sea pearls have been termed “noble pearls” and called “the queen of all cultured pearls.

South Sea Pearl have different color, the white color south sea pearl are from Australia, Australian pearls are known for their rich satin luster and creamy white colors which derive from the tropical waters of the South Sea.

The golden color south sea pearls are from Indonesia or the Philippines. The black color south sea pearls (usually called as Tahitian pearl) are from French Polynesian Tahitian pearls, which are also known as black pearls. Pearls from Tahiti offer the widest variety of colors ranging from basic green or gray pearls, to exotic peacock, lime, blue, copper, bronze, or even purple overtones.


Biwa Pearl
Biwa peals are cultivated in Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. Due to pollution, production has come to a standstill. Fortunately, Chinese pearl farm cultivated different
shapes of Biwa pearls, they are high quality and have different body color and overtones.


Mabe Pearl
Mabe pearls are grown in Japan, China and the United States. They are hemispherical cultured pearls grown against the shell of an oyster rather than within the oyster’s body. They generally are used in earrings, pendant or rings which conceal their flat backs.

Selecting Quality Pearls

1.When purchasing pearls, the first thing to look for is to make sure that they are real. You can test pearls by rubbing two of them together. If there is friction, they are real. This is the calcium in the the pearl. If the two pearls just slip off each other when rubbed together, they are not real.

2.Luster is the second consideration. Luster is the reflection of light from the pearl. To determine luster quality look into the pearl. You want to be able to see a reflection of your image in the pearl. The sharper the image the better the luster.

3.The third thing to consider is the surface. A pearl with fewer blemishes retains a higher quality.

4.The last thing to consider is size. The bigger the pearl the more expensive it will be.

Choosing A Necklace

Choosing the right length is an important part of your purchase. The specific length should be tailored to the wearer by taking into account her height and general dress size. The lengths named below are traditional and shown based on an average sized wearer at 5'6" and approximately 135 lbs. Here are some ideas of what might be the right length for her.

Choker – 14-16 inches. A simple pearl choker can go with virtually any outfit from casual to fancy evening wear. The necklace lies in the hollow of her neck. Most younger women prefer this shorter length and it is very appropriate for her first necklace.

Princess - 18 inches. This necklace is halfway between a choker and matinee length. The princess length necklace is best suited for crew and high necklines. It also complements low plunging necklines.

Matinee - 20 to 24 inches. This should fall to the top of the cleavage. This is a great length for a high collar such as a turtle neck. The matinee necklace is the right choice for casual or business dressing. Our suggestion: When buying for an older woman, a longer length helps to draw the attention away from the neck and to the pearls.

Opera - 28 to 36 inches. An opera length necklace should reach to the bottom of the breastbone. Opera necklace is the queen of all the lengths. When worn as a single strand, it is refined and perfect for high or crew necklines. When doubled upon itself, it serves as a versatile two strand choker.

Rope- 36 inches or longer. Ropes always come with multiple clasps so that the necklace can be shortened or worn as a bracelet. This is a very unique and versatile way to enjoy your pearls.

Caring For Your Pearls

To protect the surface of your pearls, put them on after your beauty routine (avoid contact with hairspray and perfume.)

To avoid scratching, store separately in a soft cloth.

To maintain luster, occasionally wipe with a soft, damp cloth.

To keep them from drying out, wear them often.( pearls love them oils from your skin.)