Pearls are truly facinating gems !
It used to be that only the most privileged in society were afforded the opportunity to enjoy these exquisite, natural pieces of art. However, today, thanks to the great developments that have taken place in the cultivation of pearls, a multitude of these gems are now available at affordable prices.
Today pearls can help make everyday a special occasion. Wear them often and enjoy their magic.
Below are a few facts about pearls. If you have any specific questions we will be happy to answer them for you.
Pearls can be classified as either NATURAL or CULTURED pearls.
NATURAL pearls are formed around an irritant, such as a grain of sand, that has found its way into an oyster or mussel without any assistance from a human being. When you come across these mollusks in the "wild" you will only very, very rarely find a pearl of commercial value inside their shells.
Down through history the rarity of these finds has of course been a major reason for the great value of pearls.
Today, most truly natural pearls you will come across are already part of antique jewelry. By far the great majority of all the pearls sold are cultured pearls.
CULTURED pearls grow and form just like natural pearls. The only difference being that the irritant is introduced by man and the mollusks are raised in a controlled environment, on oyster or mussel farms.
Although the Chinese grew pearls in the shape of Buddha as far back as the 13th century, the commercial cultivation of pearls has only taken place within the last hundred years. The natural pearls are still very expensive, but the competition from cultured pearls has helped bring the price down and make pearls available to a much larger market.
Another distinction, is between SALTWATER and FRESHWATER pearls.
SALTWATER pearls are usually larger and are found in oysters in parts of the oceans and other bodies of saltwater around the World. Some of the better known places are the Phillipines, Indonesia, Thailand and Burma in South East Asia. Australia and Tahiti in the South Pacific where some of the largest pearls are grown and where you will also find the beautiful black pearls. Other well known areas are near the Arabian Sea in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and near Sri Lanka. Finally there are the smaller Akoya pearls which traditionally have been associated with Japan but which can be found many other places in Asia.
FRESHWATER pearls are found growing in mussels living in lakes and streams all over the world including USA and Europe. These pearls tend to be smaller and come in a much larger varity of shapes and colors.They also tend to be less expensive than salt water pearls even in the same size and color.
Some of the best known freshwater pearls are the Biwa pearls cultivated in Lake Biwa in Japan. Due to pollution the production of authentic Biwa pearls has dropped sharply and many of the so called Biwa pearls you see actually come from many other places.
The largest producer of freshwater pearls today is China, and the improvement in quality over the last twenty years combined with the low cost of labor make these pearls a true bargain.
