Irina's Blog
15 Fascinating facts about pearls
June 23, 2012
Pearl is a June birthstone so now is a perfect time to delve into all the fascinating facts about pearls. I've done some research and came up with so many interesting discoveries about pearls that I had to share at least 15 of them with you here.
1. The only gem created by a living creature
Pearls are the only gems made by living creatures. Pearls are formed when a bit of sands, tiny stones or other irritants get inside the shell of mollusk, nacre (a lustrous substance) is secreted around the objects in order to protect the mollusk's internal surface. A pearl is formed when this irritant is covered by layers of nacre. The process of building a solid pearl can take up to about 7 to 8 years.
2. Fascinating history
Pearls have an amazing history as they have been worn for thousands of years. A fragment of the oldest known pearl jewelry, found in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess who died in 520 BC, is displayed in the Louvre in Paris. To the ancients, pearls were a symbol of the moon and had magical powers. They also found favour with Julius Caesar, and it is said Cleopatra dissolved a pearl in wine and drank it to prove her love to Marc Antony.
The Roman general Vitellius is said to have financed an entire military campaign by selling just one of his mother’s pearl earrings. Margherita of Savoy, Queen of Italy was called the "Queen of Pearls" as she owned one of the largest collection of pearls. In 1916, Jacques Cartier bought his 5th Avenue store by trading two pearl necklaces for the land.
3. La Peregrina - the most famous pearl in the world.
La Peregrina is regarded as one of the most famous pearls in the world. It's a pear-shaped pearl of the size of a pigeon's egg. Famous owners of this pearl include Philip II of Spain, Napoleon III, Mary Tudor and Elizabeth Taylor.
4. Black Pearls - rarest gems on Earth.
Black pearls are considered to be one of the rarest gems on Earth. The darker the color of the pearl, the more expensive it is.
5. Natural, cultured or imitation pearls - how to tell the difference
Pearls can be natural, cultured or imitation but how do you tell the difference? While there is a range of tests requiring varying levels of technique and, in some cases, sophisticated equipment, the easiest test that anyone can do is called the ‘tooth test’. Rub the pearls lightly along the biting edge of your upper front teeth. If they feel gritty or sandy, it’s likely they are cultured or natural pearls. If they feel smooth, they are probably imitation. It is important to rub it lightly as imitation pearls can be scratched.
6. Pearl Etymology
The English word pearl comes from the French perle, originally from the Latin perna meaning "leg", after the ham- or mutton leg-shaped bivalve (mollusk). The Latin word for pearl literally means “unique”, as no two pearls are exactly the same. In the romance languages (Spanish, French, Italian), margarita means pearl.
7. Pearl as the symbol of purity and innocence
Pearls have been considered ideal wedding gifts because they symbolize purity and innocence. In the Hindu religion, the presentation of an undrilled pearl and its piercing has formed part of the marriage ceremony.
8. Mikimoto pearls
Kokichi Mikimoto, the Japanese entrepreneur who created the first cultured pearl, believed that pearls had special health benefits and healing powers. He ate two small Akoya pearls every morning and lived to be 94. He also ate 5-8 bowls of rice daily. Mikimoto pearls is one of the best-known cultured pearl brands.
9. Pearls used in medicine
Pearls have been used for their medicinal value, since their earliest discovery by man. Interestingly enough, the modern pharmaceutical industry continues to use pearls in medicine. In particular, pearls that are of inferior quality and cannot be used in jewelry are ground into a fine powder and used to prepare high-quality pharmaceutical calcium.
10. Pearl's value
The most important factors taken into consideration when valuing cultured pearls are lustre, colour, shape, surface and size. Cultured pearls are sold by their size in millimeters while natural pearls are sold by carat weight. hile
11. Caring for pearls
Your pearls will stay cleaner if you put them on after you've applied your makeup and perfume. Be sure to take off your pearl rings before you apply hand and body creams. Wipe your pearls with a soft, lint-free cloth as soon as you take them off. The cloth can be dampened with water or it can be dry. If damp, allow the pearls to air dry before putting them away.
Dirty pearls can be cleaned with a mild soap and water solution (try Ivory flakes). Never clean your pearls with solutions that contain ammonia or harsh detergents. Don't put pearl jewelry in an ultrasonic cleaner. Don't use abrasive cleaners or rub pearls with abrasive cloth. Both can wear away the nacre coating, leaving you with a plain looking bead.
12. Storing pearls
Don't store your pearls with other jewelry, because they can be scratched easily when metal or gemstones rub against them. Find a special slot in your jewelry box for the pearls, or keep them in a soft bag made from chamois or another non-abrasive material. Your fine pearl necklaces should be restrung periodically so that you're sure the silk or nylon cord holding them is in good shape.
13. Freshwater, Akoya pearls, Black Tahitian and South Sea pearls
Pearls can be freshwater or saltwater pearls. Saltwater cultured pearls come in a wide variety of kinds and come from different parts of the world. The most well-known pearls are Freshwater pearls, Akoya pearls, Black Tahitian and South Sea pearls. A well-known brand of freshwater cultured pearls is called Honora pearls and is cultivated in China.
14. Imitation Pearls - Mallorca and Swarovski
Mallorca Pearls (or Majorica Pearls) are imitation pearls. They are glass pearl beads. Their surfaces have a coating of fish scales or mother of pearl to simulate real nacre. The surface is smooth and very durable due to rigorous manufacturing processes. Crystal Pearl Swarovski are also simulated pearls. These pearls have a crystal core with a "pearlescent coating".
15. Pearl shapes
Pearls come in a variety of shapes and each pearl shape has it unique name. Baroque Pearls - refers to the "free form" shape created by the oyster. Biwa Pearls - are freshwater pearls from Lake Biwa in Japan. Once, all freshwater pearls were known as Biwa Pearls. Pearls are no longer farmed. China now produces most of the freshwater pearls found today. Button Pearls - round on one side and flat on the other. Coin Pearls - have a nucleus that is a flat disk shape made from a freshwater mollusk.
Coin pearls also have other flattened shapes such a square, flower, star, crosses or hearts. The list goes on as new shapes are always being created. Keshi or Keishi- They are formed at the same time when a nucleus for a cultured pearl is implanted into the oyster. The Keishi pearl does not have a nucleus, they are 100% nacre. Potato Pearls- are rounder than the oval shaped rice pearl, and are drilled from the short side. Rice Pearls - also called oval pearls because of their elongated shape.
I hope you've enjoyed reading these 15 facts about pearls and found them interesting and helpful.
Until next time,
Irina K.
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