Pearls are renowned
since ancient times as a valuable gemstone. It is one of the rare items used in
jewelry that is derived from living organisms. Produced by shelled mollusks,
they are synonymous with anything that is rare and valuable. Thanks to their
sophisticated beauty and timeless elegance, they are valued in jewelry the
world over. The two major types are saltwater pearls and freshwater pearls, the
names being self-explanatory.
The process of making
natural freshwater pearls and natural seawater pearls is exactly the same. A foreign
body somehow gets inside the mussel or oyster. This intruder can be anything
from a tiny parasite to a bit of sand. The oyster tries to oust this unwelcome
guest, but if isn't able to do so, it reduces its irritation by coating the
intruder with nacre. Nacre, also known as mother of pearl, is a
secretion of mussels that is strong, resilient and iridescent. It is the stuff
that makes your pearl necklaces luminous and long
lasting.
Earlier there used to
be a good supply of natural pearls, but with the passage of time, finding the
pearl-producing oysters has become a more and more difficult task. But the
demand for pearls has never dwindled. Hence cultured pearls came into
being with cultured freshwater
pearls
being
priced above natural pearls due to the amount of human intervention involved in
the production. The process of farming pearls has been perfected over time in
various parts of the world with Japan making its mark on the cultured pearl
market first. Now, however, China is the leading exporter of cultured pearls.
The process itself,
in a nutshell, starts with trained divers prying open oyster shells and inserting
mantle tissue from a donor oyster. This causes the oyster to start producing
nacre. By controlling factors like water temperature, the oyster's health, and
so forth, pearl farmers can predict the quality of the pearls they produce.
Thus, freshwater pearl
necklaces
can be found to have more uniform pearls than those made using natural pearls.
Freshwater pearls, whether
they're natural or cultured, have a soft surface which can easily be scratched
or damaged. Hence it is best to keep them separately in soft pouches than with
other jewelry. Also make sure to wipe them clean after every use to keep them
safe from the acidity of your sweat and perfumes and moisture from the
atmosphere.
Pearls are amazing
not only because of their natural beauty but also because of the amount of hard
work that both humans and nature put into their creation.
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