Pearls are every girl’s dream jewellery, because they’re simple, elegant and classic. And so we put together amazing facts about pe...
Pearls are every
girl’s dream jewellery, because they’re simple, elegant and classic. And so we
put together amazing facts about pearls that will blow your mind. Obviously,
you got to know your pearls better!
- Pearls are the only gemstones in the world to have been
extracted from living animals. While some oysters die after pearl
extraction, there are mussels which remain alive even after the removal of
pearls. And the collection of pearls has been around for over 4000 years.
- There are three major types of saltwater cultured
pearls: Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea. These pearls account for
approximately 5% of the total weight of global pearl production. Although
they share many of the same characteristics, they can look vastly
different as each pearl is sourced from a different species of oyster.
These oceanic oysters typically grow only one pearl at a time.
- Freshwater pearls account for approximately 95% of
total global pearl production but are much less valuable than saltwater
pearls. China produces the overwhelming majority of freshwater pearls in
pearl farms that may range from a farmer's fishpond to massive lakes
filled with over a million mussels. A single freshwater mussel will
typically produce between 30 and 50 pearls at a time.
- Pearls decide their colour from the shell they are born
in – that means the colour of the pearl is dependent on it’s shell – so
choose from white to gold, and from pink to black.
- Pearls that aren’t high grade are known to be crushed
and made into a translucent powder and they are widely used in make-up.
Ooh, jewellery for your face too.
- Every pearl is unique, just like a snowflake. And all
of them have certain imperfection, from big to minute to make them unique.
- The oldest pearl jewellery ever discovered was found in
the sarcophagus of a Persian Princess who died in 520 BC.
- Periculture is the term usually referred for cultured
pearl farming.
- Pearls come in eight shapes: round, semi-round, button,
drop, pear, oval, baroque and circled.
- In 1916, Jacques Cartier, one of the world’s renowned
jewelers was able to purchase his 5th Avenue store by trading only two
pearl necklaces in exchange for that plot.
- Pearls are the official gemstone for those who born in
June and they are known to symbolise fertility and loyalty.
