Pearl Formation
Pearls are considered as organic gems, as they are created by living creatures. It is characterized as a hard object that is produced inside the soft tissue of a mollusk shell. It is composed of calcium carbonate in very tiny crystalline form which is called nacre. This material is deposited in concentric layers, and has the same material as the shell of the mollusk.
Pearls
The natural process starts when a mollusk encounters an irritating tiny object trapped within its folds. Then it will start coating the object with nacre to produce pearl. Ideally, a pearl should be round and smooth, but there are also irregularly shaped ones, which are called "baroque pearls".
Pearl Distinction
Do you know how to distinguish a freshwater from a saltwater pearl? They may look somewhat similar, but they come from separate sources. Saltwater pearls are formed inside pearl oysters, which lives in tropical oceans. These are called Akoya, Tahitian, or South Sea pearls. On the other hand, freshwater pearls are formed inside mussels living in rivers, lakes or ponds.
Jewelers can tell if the pearl is natural or cultivated by running an x-ray in the gem lab. If the pearl reveals a nucleus in the x-ray, it is a natural saltwater pearl. If there is no nucleus present, but instead there are irregular and dark inner spots that indicate a descriptive cavity, then the pearl is cultured in freshwater. Natural pearls are ordinarily sold using carat weight, while cultured pearls are sold in millimeters depending on their size.
Pearl Value
The value of the pearl depends upon its luster, size, color, lack of flaw and good symmetry. Among these, luster is the most leading one. Luster depends upon the refraction and reflection of light from its translucent layers. This can be unique in each pearl where the more layers of the iridescent nacre there are, the finer the luster.
Definitely, the bigger the pearl the more expensive it is. Also, if the shape is perfectly round, it is very rare and valued. In terms of color, the black pearl is more expensive than their white counterpart.
Pearl Care
Pearls are made into necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pendants and even rings. It is a gemstone that is truly beautiful and splendid. If you bought some freshwater cultured pearls lately, it is leading to know how you should clean and care for it. These are some tips for you to follow:
- Put your pearls on after applying your make-up, perfume and lotion.
- Wipe it with a soft cloth (lint-free) as you take them off. This cloth may be dry or damp. If damp, the pearls should be air dried before storing it.
- If it gets dirty, clean your pearls with mild soap and water. Never clean it with solutions that consist of harsh ingredients.
- Do not use grinder cleaners or rough cloth. Both can wear away the nacre coating fast.
- Do not store pearls beside other jewelries, as they can be scratched easily. Keep it in a extra corner of your jewelry box or place them in a soft tiny bag individually.
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