A diver glides through the water. He cuts an oyster off the base of a rock cropping. On the surface, he opens the shell and inside is a beautiful oyster. Although a great vision, this is not how most pearls come to be.
Pearls are an elegant jewelry, which is somewhat strange considering how they are made. They are the result, essentially, of a reaction to an infection. Foreign material enters an oyster and it surrounds that material in a ball of nacre to protect itself.
The outer layer of a pearl is the nacre. It is also known as calcium carbonate. The first layers on the foreign matter are soft, but they harden over time. Getting this process to start can be difficult, so cultivators take matters into their own hands.
A farmed pearl is known as a cultured pearl. No, it is not a snob or any such thing. Instead, it is a pearl that was created by shooting microscopic foreign materials into mollusks and oysters, which are then given optimal growing environments.
The phrase cultured pearl refers to a pearl that is farmed. It is not an entirely accurate terminology, however. Why? Well, there are really four different types of cultured pearls.
One would not think 13 millimeters could ever be called huge, but it can when it comes to South Sea cultured pearls. This is their average size, the biggest of the cultured pearls. They are known for their near perfect round shapes.
Tahitian cultured pearls run a close second when it comes to size. They tend to be in the 10 to 12 millimeter range. They tend to be dark green in color with a high luster. They are fairly rare. This makes their price the highest on average among the cultured pearls.
Looking for classic white pearls? Akoya cultured pearls are your best bet. They have a beautiful luster and a fair price. Cultivated in Japanese and Chinese rivers and lakes, these are very popular pearls.
If the name is bland, you know the product is as well. This is the case with freshwater cultured pearls. They are average pretty much through and through. There big advantage is they tend to be affordable.
So, what pearl should you go with? Well, it is largely a matter of taste. Usually, one wants to look for the largest pearl with the best luster. I prefer Akoya pearls myself.
Pearls are an elegant jewelry, which is somewhat strange considering how they are made. They are the result, essentially, of a reaction to an infection. Foreign material enters an oyster and it surrounds that material in a ball of nacre to protect itself.
The outer layer of a pearl is the nacre. It is also known as calcium carbonate. The first layers on the foreign matter are soft, but they harden over time. Getting this process to start can be difficult, so cultivators take matters into their own hands.
A farmed pearl is known as a cultured pearl. No, it is not a snob or any such thing. Instead, it is a pearl that was created by shooting microscopic foreign materials into mollusks and oysters, which are then given optimal growing environments.
The phrase cultured pearl refers to a pearl that is farmed. It is not an entirely accurate terminology, however. Why? Well, there are really four different types of cultured pearls.
One would not think 13 millimeters could ever be called huge, but it can when it comes to South Sea cultured pearls. This is their average size, the biggest of the cultured pearls. They are known for their near perfect round shapes.
Tahitian cultured pearls run a close second when it comes to size. They tend to be in the 10 to 12 millimeter range. They tend to be dark green in color with a high luster. They are fairly rare. This makes their price the highest on average among the cultured pearls.
Looking for classic white pearls? Akoya cultured pearls are your best bet. They have a beautiful luster and a fair price. Cultivated in Japanese and Chinese rivers and lakes, these are very popular pearls.
If the name is bland, you know the product is as well. This is the case with freshwater cultured pearls. They are average pretty much through and through. There big advantage is they tend to be affordable.
So, what pearl should you go with? Well, it is largely a matter of taste. Usually, one wants to look for the largest pearl with the best luster. I prefer Akoya pearls myself.
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