With the tremendous variety of pearls on the market today, pearls are considered the least understood of all gemstones. Please take the ...
With the
tremendous variety of pearls on the market today, pearls are considered the
least understood of all gemstones. Please take the time to familiarize yourself
with the different type of pearls, pearl jewellery.
In our previous post
we have discussed about cultured pearls, now we are going to see the types of
Cultured Pearls
One of the most
important considerations in selecting a piece of pearl jewelry is determining
the type of pearl that is best suited to your budget and preference. There are
two basic varieties of cultured pearls: freshwater and saltwater.
Freshwater
pearls are grown primarily in man-made lakes and reservoirs in China. Saltwater
pearls, which include akoya, Tahitian and South Sea, are grown in bays, inlets
and atolls in many places around the world.
Saltwater pearls
are considered more valuable than freshwater pearls, although rare and very
high-quality freshwater pearls can be exceedingly valuable.
Freshwater
Pearls
Freshwater
pearls come from freshwater mussels and are primarily produced by China. It
come in various pastel shades of white, black, pink, peach, lavender, plum,
purple, and tangerine, depending on the type of mussel. The typical size of
freshwater pearls is 2mm - 16mm with 7mm - 8mm being the most common.
Tahitian Pearls
Tahitian Pearls
come from the warm waters of the South Seas and are grown in a Black-Lipped
oyster. Tahitian pearls, although mostly dark, can come in a wide range of
hues, including black, gray, silver, green, blue and purple. They are the only
pearl to achieve a black body color naturally and are typically very large (9mm
- 16mm).
South Sea Pearls
South Sea pearls
are saltwater pearls cultivated from the oyster, found in the South Seas
centering on Northern Australia and South-East Asia, including Myanmar and
Indonesia. They produce 10-20 mm pearls of silver or gold color, the largest of
any cultured pearl. South Sea pearls are also the most expensive pearl on the
market due to their rarity and thick nacre.
Akoya Pearls
Akoya pearls are
the classic white pearls and typically have the highest luster and greatest
shine of all cultured pearls. Typical Akoya pearls range from 5 mm to 11 mm,
with the 10 and 11 mm sizes rare finds. The most common size and the best value
is between 7.0mm - 7.5mm with a sharp jump at anything 8.0mm and above. The
Akoya pearl is either white or cream in body color and typically has a rose,
cream or Ivory overtone; Akoya pearls may also be treated to achieve a black
body color.
Pearls are the
world’s only organic gemstone, and therefore, tend to be quite delicate. Proper
care of your pearl jewelry is essential to ensure your investment will last a
lifetime. Personal care products, such as perfume or hairspray, can severely
damage the luster and beauty of a pearl.
