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Pearls...

A pearl is a hard, rounded object produced by certain animals, primarily mollusks such as pearl oysters. Pearls can be used in jewelry and also crushed in cosmetics or paint formulations. Pearl is valued as a gemstone and is cultivated or harvested for jewelry.

Physical Information

Pearls used in the making of better jewelry are either natural or cultured, and are available in different sizes, shapes and colors. There are also faux (French for “imitation”) pearls available in a wide range of materials, the most popular being Majorcan pearls which are glass beads with numerous coatings of fish scales. James Avery Craftsman never uses imitations. We have certain criteria and standards for the pearls we buy. We hope this information will explain more about your new purchase of pearl jewelry from James Avery Craftsman.

Pearls are probably the oldest gem known to man. It is believed that pearls were sought after and worn as long as 5,000 years ago. Natural pearls are formed when an irritant, like a sand particle or parasite, accidentally enters an oyster (saltwater) or a mussel (freshwater). In a defense response, the mollusk begins secreting nacre (pronounced nay-ker, a word for the thin layers of a shiny, smooth substance made of calcium carbonate) in an attempt to cover the offending object. Due to the odd shape of the irritant entering the mollusk, the pearl that is created by this continual layering of nacre will almost always be misshapen, or baroque. Only in very rare cases will a natural pearl occur in a round shape, making naturally formed pearls very expensive. Therefore, almost all of the pearls used in better jewelry today are cultured pearls. We only use cultured pearls in our jewelry designs.

Cultured Pearls

There are two types of cultured pearls: saltwater cultured and freshwater cultured.

Round Saltwater Cultured Pearls. A cultured pearl is formed in much the same way as a natural pearl; however, man supplies the initial irritant to get the process started instead of nature. Pearl farmers use a round mother of pearl shell which they insert into the soft tissue of the oyster in an attempt to create a spherical pearl which will possess gem qualities. This implantation operation takes place a few years after the birth of an oyster, when they have grown to a maturity that will be able to accept an intrusion of this size. Not all of the implanting operations will be successful, and some oysters will produce pearls too inferior for jewelry use. Approximately 10% or less of the original crop will be of gem quality.

Saltwater cultured pearls are grown over a period of one to two years in saltwater lakes under the constant care of the farmers. The overall quality of the harvest is dependent on a wide variety of factors, including water temperature, water quality and the local food supply for the oysters.

Mabe Saltwater Cultured Pearls

A mabe pearl (pronounced mah-bay) appears as half of a pearl and forms like a blister on the oyster’s shell rather than in its soft tissue. A dome shape mold made of plastic or other material is inserted between the oyster’s shell and body. Since it is an irritant, the oyster produces layers of nacre over the mold. To be harvested,back to top it is cut from the shell.

Freshwater Cultured Pearls

Freshwater cultured pearls are produced under controlled conditions in freshwater lakes. The shape of these pearls varies and can include: oval, drop, button, circle (ringed), baroque (irregular) and round. Unlike the saltwater cultured pearl, a piece of mantle tissue from the mussel is used as an irritant to start the process of secreting the nacre. When the mantle tissue decomposes, all that is left at the heart of the pearl is a small cavity. The growth process takes up to 3 years. This procedure is less expensive than producing a saltwater cultured pearl.

6 Characteristics of Pearls

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) bases the value and beauty of pearls on their rating of six characteristics: luster (the deep-seated glow that seems to emanate from within the pearl and that results from the thickness of the nacre), nacre thickness, color, surface perfection, shape, and harmony (the overall appearance of pearls as they appear on a strand or a piece of multi-pearl jewelry). We feel that the pearls in our jewelry should all have similar grades of color, luster, nacre thickness, shape and surface perfection.

Pearls are measured in millimeters. When Japanese cultured pearls first hit the market in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, they were very small in size, usually 3 to 4mm. Today, standard-sized pearls range from 5 to 7mm in diameter, which is approximately 1/4 of an inch. Pearls larger than 7mm are exponentially expensive. They are the birthstone for the month of June.

Care & Cleaning

Pearls need special care. To ensure a long life, keep them away from cosmetics, hairspray and household chemicals. Use these products first, and then put on your pearls. When you take them off, wipe the pearls with a soft cloth. Store them separately from other jewelry to avoid scratches. Also, avoid strong blows or knocks. Have your pearl necklaces checked yearly for worn or broken strands or clasps. Ultrasonic cleaners or chemical dips can damage your pearls; we do not recommend back that you use them.