Cultured Pearls
Cultured Pearls
Cultured Pearls Or Natural Pearls - What's the Difference?
The difference is in the initial way the gem is provoked. Natural pearls have formed by accident, without humans being involved in the process. Cultured pearls have grown in an oyster or mussel after humans have inserted a tiny irritant to provoke the development of the pearl.
How Natural Pearls Form
The irritant that initiated the formation of a natural pearl may have been a parasite that penetrated the shell of the mollusc, disturbing the layer of mantle cells that produce the shiny interior of the shell. These dislodged mantle cells then multiply until they meet each other, forming a small pearl sac. Inside this sac the mantle cells secrete the nacre that would normally have formed into mother-of-pearl on the inside of the shell. But within the little sac that has formed, layer upon layer of nacre builds up and grows into a natural pearl.
How Cultured Pearls Form
Humans deliberately insert a tiny piece of mantle tissue into a mollusc to provoke the growth of a pearl sac, where a pearl will form. Freshwater pearls are formed this way. The rest of the process proceeds the same way that a natural pearl would form. Saltwater varieties of cultured pearls have a tiny bead made from the shell of another mollusc surgically inserted along with the mantle tissue to ensure the roundness of the pearl. The oyster will then proceed to coat the bead with layer upon layer of nacre until a pearl is built up over time.
Distinguishing Between Natural and Cultured Pearls
As both types of pearls are produced by the same animals with the same nacre, they can be hard to distinguish with the naked eye. Before the advent of tissue nucleation, the presence of a bead nucleus was the determining factor in distinguishing between the two. In a process similar to the old custom of candling eggs, pearls can be held over the beam of a flashlight to try to determine if they contain a round nucleus.
Alternatively, the pearls can be analyzed under ultraviolet light that will show natural ones in varying intensities of yellowish or tan color as opposed to the blueish white color displayed by cultured ones. When purchasing what you believe to be a natural pearl, it's always advisable to ask the seller to provide certification of its being natural from a reliable gemology laboratory. There trained specialists use x-ray equipment to determine the type of pearl it is. Natural ones on average tend to be smaller in size than cultured ones. Necklaces are seldom of completely uniform color and perfectly matched shapes. But because of their rarity, newly found natural pearls are usually much more expensive than cultured ones.
About the Author
The Michele Bachmann Reader
In today's Sunday Times (£), there is a profile of the Minnesota congresswoman and wannabe Republican presidential candiate, Michele Bachman, who is fast emerging as one of the rising stars of the GOP.
Cultured Pearls
Japanese Akoya Cultured Pearls 1
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Cultured pearls dangle earrings, 'Swirling Love' $24.95 From Withaya Cheunjit, the sterling silver earrings swirl with dynamic elegance. The earrings are crafted by hand featuring pearls dyed iridescent gray. It is said that cultured pearls symbolize love. .925 Sterling silver |
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Cultured pearls dangle earrings Swirling Love $24.95 From Withaya Cheunjit, the sterling silver earrings swirl with dynamic elegance. The earrings are crafted by hand featuring pearls dyed iridescent gray. It is said that cultured pearls symbolize love. .925 Sterling silver |
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Cultured pearls dangle earrings, 'Dragon Love' $29.95 Ancient Asian myths told of pearls falling from the sky when dragons fought. Today, cultured pearls are believed to symbolize love. In these sterling silver earrings from Withaya Cheunjit, white pearls captivate with timeless elegance. .925 Sterling silver |
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Cultured pearls dangle earrings Dragon Love $29.95 Ancient Asian myths told of pearls falling from the sky when dragons fought. Today, cultured pearls are believed to symbolize love. In these sterling silver earrings from Withaya Cheunjit, white pearls captivate with timeless elegance. .925 Sterling silver |
Cultured pearls and Natural Pearls
In 1910 a process was patented in Japan to create pearls with the help of the human hand. Kokichi Mikimoto led the Japanese cultured pearl growers in the development of this industry. Nowadays, practically all pearls are manufactured and cultured.
The way to properly manufacture a pearl requires one to inject a nucleus - a grain of sand – into an oyster. The oyster is then placed in water (saltwater or freshwater,) and is left there for any number of years. During this time, the rough, coarse surface of the nucleus causes much irritation to the interior of the oyster.
As a type of a defense mechanism, the oyster produces a substance which smothers the nucleus, forming a smooth round surface which enwraps this grain of sand. The oyster continues to do so as long the nucleus causes irritation. Years later, when the oyster is taken out of the water and pried open, a beautiful pearl is found.
This process is repeated in Australia, Tahiti, the Philippines, Japan, and China. The fact that these pearls are manufactured as opposed to naturally grown decreases their value, but it also enables many more people to enjoy their beauty and to have this magnificent luxury. Keishi pearls are accidents of the pearl's culturing process. They form from oyster mantle that is attached to the mother-of-pearl bead that is inserted into the oyster. Keishi, always irregular in shape, occur in Japanese and South Seas culturing processes. Usually they are silvery, white or black in color; occasionally a fancy colored one is born.
Natural pearls, on the other hand, are pearls that follow the same process above, but with one difference. Natural pearls are created by a nucleus making its OWN way into the oyster. The nucleus is not injected; it naturally enters the oyster and causes the same irritation as it would were it injected. Natural pearls are exceptionally rare and valuable. Today natural pearl supplies have virtually ceased due to a lack of divers, oyster shortages and pollution. Occasionally new pearls are found but no steady supply exists. Natural pearls can be found in antique jewelry and sometimes are available at auctions.
Being very rare, there are not many examples of natural pearl jewelry left in the world. However, some natural pearl beds are being harvested in the Persian Gulf area, as well as some freshwater sites in the United States. In the end, though, the increasingly popular cultured pearl will be the main source of pearl jewelry around the world due to its lower cost and abundance.
About the Author
The Pearl Source was officially established in 1991 in the Jewelry District of Los Angeles as one of the first direct importers and wholesalers of loose pearls in the United States. Today, The Pearl Source is a supplier of Tahitian, South Sea, Freshwater and Akoya pearls and also specializes in creating exquisite pearl necklaces and pearl earrings
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Pearl Bailey Entertains / Cultured Pearl / I'm With You $6.99 ... |
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Space age honeymoon $12.98 ... |
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Liquified Days $15.39 ... |
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Pearls: The Documentary $39.99 From the back of the case: This DVD takes the viewer on an inside trip to the Akoya pearling farms of South China. Witness never before seen footage of actual oyster nucleation and harvest. Learn where cultured pearls come from and how they are created.... |
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Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Decals - Tahitian Black Pearls in Oyster Shell - Removable Graphic WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won't damage your paint or l... |
Cultured Pearls