About Pearls

Nacre v faker
Seawater v freshwater - Mussels v Oysters
Natural colour v dyed
Good v bad pearls
Caring for your pearls

When describing pearls there is often some confusion over the terms real, natural and cultured. 
Natural pearls are created by the mollusc alone, with no intervention from man – they are extremely rare and very expensive.
Nowadays the vast majority of the world’s pearls are cultured – where something has been implanted into the mollusc stimulating it to produce nacre – and thus, a pearl.
Whether seawater or freshwater, cultured pearls are the pearls most readily available today.
Natural and Cultured pearls are both real in the sense that they grow inside a mollusc – imitation pearls do not.

All the pearls used in my jewellery are real cultured pearls, mostly freshwater. They are available in an infinite variety of colours, both dyed and natural, and many fascinating and inspiring shapes and sizes.

Large baroque freshwater pearl bracelet

Nacre v faker
A real pearl is made up of Calcium Carbonate (91.5%), water, and organic substances. More specifically there is Conchiolin - a protein, Calcite crystals and Aragonite platelets, and traces of minerals - eg strontium, magnesium, barium, copper, zinc, manganese, etc. These trace elements are an indication of the water where the pearl was grown.

The substance found on the shell that we call 'Mother of Pearl' is called Nacre when it is on the pearl itself.
There are thousands of layers of 'nacre' within a pearl and it is this build up of layers that give the pearl a good lustre - its unique and characteristic deep glow.

A fake, or simulated, or beware of 'semi-cultured' pearl could be made of anything and has never seen the inside of a mollusc. Fakes have been around since Roman times, and have been made of shells, teeth, fish eyes, spar, alabaster, glass.
'Pearlessence' - crushed fish scales mixed with a kind of glue is often used to coat glass beads.
 

Seawater v freshwater - Mussels v Oysters
  
In seawater, oysters are used for growing pearls.
The ubiquitous Akoya pearl - round and white, is grown in the oyster Pinctada Martensii.
 

The very large South Sea pearl is grown in the largest of all oysters Pinctada Maxima, (silver-lipped) which can grow to 12" across. The pearl shown is 20mm by 12mm.
The Black Tahitian is grown in Pintada Margaritifera, an oyster with a black lip, allowing it to produce dark nacre.
There is also the Golden Philippine pearl which is grown in Pinctada Maxima, (gold-lipped).

The range of colours available in seawater pearls has always been less interesting to the designer than the wonderful colours available in freshwater pearls, with the exception, of course of the naturally dark, Black Tahitian pearls.

Freshwater pearls in natural colours

Freshwater, or Mussel pearls (a different species from the ones that you eat), were originally grown in Cristaria Plicata, which produced the wrinkly rice pearls popular in the 70s. Nowadays, they are grown mostly in two different mussels, Hyriopsis Schlegelii, and Hyriopsis Cumingii.

Hyriopsis Cumingii - Mussel shell with Blister pearls

Natural colour v dyed
The word natural has two different meanings in the pearl world.
There are natural pearls as already described, and there are natural colour pearls,  which are pearls that have not been dyed.
In real cultured freshwater pearls natural colours vary from white, through cream, gold, pink, apricot, lavender and a deep purple.
There are no natural colour black pearls in freshwater pearls - these have always been dyed.
In seawater pearls there are natural black pearls - called Black Tahitian pearls.
These vary in colour from silvery grey, through blue, green, aubergine and a deep black.
 

Black Tahitian pearl with Pinctada Margaritifera (black-lipped oyster)	Black Tahitian pearls
Dyed black freshwater pearls, sterling silver, and Chrysoprase

Good v bad pearls
 

LUSTRE - This means the 'deep glow' that comes from the centre of a pearl. Compare the 'shine' on a gold bead to the depth of the glow in a pearl. A good lustre implies many layers of nacre, and therefore a pearl that will last a long time. A chalky area on a pearl implies that there is very thin nacre.	Ring. Sterling silver and white pearl
ORIENT - This means the play of colours and light across the surface of the pearl. A pearl can be described as 'white/rose'. This means that the base colour is white, but the play of colour across the surface is pink.	Large white 'coin' pearl showing a pink orient.
SURFACE - A pearl may have flaws and still be very beautiful, or the flaws may ruin the look. The longer a pearl remains in the mollusc, the more likely it is that it will develop flaws.	Black Tahitian ‘Keshi’ pearl showing flaws
COLOUR - This is really a matter of choice, but be careful when you are offered black pearls. And DON'T buy pearls on the beach… unless they don't cost much.
SHAPE - Pearls come in all shapes and sizes, and this is also a matter of preference.       Baroque, or misshapen pearls, can be very interesting, and often produce very special pieces of jewellery.	Very unusual baroque freshwater pearl ‘Nesting bird’ An unusual baroque freshwater pearl, with sterling silver and 9ct gold
SIZE - In the pearl world, size does matter. The larger the pearl, the more expensive it is likely to be. BUT a small, very lustrous, natural pearl, would always cost more than a very large, indifferent cultured pearl.

Caring for your pearls

1. Keep your pearls in a soft pouch on their own, not with other jewellery, as they can easily be scratched by gemstones.

2. Put your make-up, hairspray and perfume on first, and put your pearls on just before you go out. Do not spray perfume onto your pearls. Beware of vinegar in salad dressings. Beware of chlorine in swimming-pools.

3. Do not keep pearls in a hot, dry place. Remember where they come from.

4. It is a good idea to wipe your pearls with a soft, damp cloth before putting them away, to remove the sweat and dirt that will accumulate over time.

5. Have your pearls re-strung once a year.

6. Pearls like to be worn.