Wearer The first
consideration should be the person wearing the pearl jewelry. What is her age?
Is she formal or casual? Avant garde or classic? Will a man be wearing the
jewelry? Pearl jewelry suits all personalities. The most popular pearl jewels
for women are pearl earrings, necklaces, rings, brooches and bracelets. Men
prefer cuff links, studs, and lapel pins. People with warm coloring usually
prefer pearls with a cream color while people with cool coloring prefer
white-based pearls. Fancy colored pearls are flattering to
everyone.
Luster Luster is the most important factor in choosing
pearls. The inner glow of the pearl combined with the surface brilliance defines
luster. The higher the luster, the thicker the nacre or secretion from the
oyster and the stronger the glow. You should be able to see your reflections
clearly on the surface of a pearl. Lower quality cultured pearls appear too
white, dull or chalky.
Surface The smoothness of the pearl's surface, from
clean to heavily blemished, is the next consideration. Cracks or breaks in the
nacre are considered damage and can contribute to the deterioration of the
pearl. Because pearls are grown in an oyster and are organic gems they are
almost never flawless. The gem-quality pearl may have minute blemishes when
examined very closely, but they are not noticeable at arm's
length.
Shape Similarly, it is very rare to find a perfectly round pearl. The
rounder the pearl, however, the more valuable it is. Slightly off-round, semi-
baroque and baroque pearls that are not as perfectly round can be lustrous and
appealing and often cost less than rounder cultured pearls.
Color Cultured pearls range in color from white to black with various
multi-colored overtones. The color of the pearl is really the wearer's
preference. White pearls with rose overtones or silver-white pearls look better
on women with cool coloring while cream and golden pearls are flattering on
those with warm complexions. More unusual colors such as blue-grays, strong
golden yellows, and pinkish-silvers are sought by pearl lovers who own strands
in several colors.
Size Cultured pearls are measured in millimeters. Pearls
range in size from smaller than one millimeter,called seed pearls, to larger
than 20 millimeters for large cultured South Sea pearls. All other factors being
equal, the larger the pearl the rarer and more valuable it is. The average size
pearl sold today is 7 to 7.5 millimeters.
Matching When two or more pearls are used for earrings,
rings or a necklace the quality of the matching adds to the value of the
jewelry. Obviously, it is desirable for the pearls to appear as identical as
possible. Matching includes the luster, size, shape, base color, overtones, and
surface.
COMPOSITION OF A PEARL
Pearls are
concentric rings of mostly calcium carbonate, produced by the secretions of
oysters reacting to and encompassing an intruding foreign body. Thousands of
layers of nacre, a crystalline aragonite substance resulting from the
secretions, form the pearl and create the beautiful
luster.
A cultured pearl is a pearl formed by an oyster, composed of concentric
layers of a crystalline substance called nacre deposited around an irritant
placed in the oyster's body by man. Natural pearls are formed by deposits of
nacre around an irritant which accidentally lodges within the body of an oyster.
Anything else which resembles a pearl but has a surface created by a
manufacturing process is an imitation or simulated pearl - and must be labeled
as such!
The value of a pearl comes from the unique ability of the
crystalline nacre to absorb, refract and reflect light, imparting a distinctive
quality, termed orient, to natural and cultured pearls. Orient is the deep
inner glow and shimmering iridescent characteristic of sea-grown pearls. The
deeper the luster and iridescence, the more precious the pearl.
Size
contributes to the price of a pearl. As it is more difficult for oysters to grow
large pearls, they are scarcer. But two pearls of different sizes may be valued
the same if the smaller pearl is superior in orient to the larger.
Shape
determines value, too. The more symmetrical the shape, the more valuable.
Examples of symmetrical pearls are: round, pear shape, tear shape, oval. Pearls
of irregular and asymmetrical shape are termed baroque. Oysters grow pearls in
many different shapes, from perfect spheres to long flat angel wing pearls.
Surface perfection contributes to value. The surface of a perfect pearl
appears satiny smooth. But when viewed closely, natural or cultured pearls may
appear to have irregular surfaces which do not detract from value, as do
disfiguring blemishes. You need no magnifier to detect blemishes; when
present, they are readily apparent to the naked eye. Rarity increases the value
of any jewel. Cultured pearls themselves are relatively rare, as they can only
be grown in limited areas of the world's oceans and take years to grow. A
perfect pair of pearls are very rare, because nature makes few pearls exactly
alike in orient, size, shape and color.
TYPES OF PEARLS
Akoya - The most familiar type of cultured pearl,
grown in true pearl oysters off the coasts of Japan. Akoya pearls are known for
their lovely orient and warm color. They rarely grow more than 9 mm in size.
South Sea - Large cultured pearls (10 mm and larger) grown in large oysters off
the coasts of Australia. Usually silvery in appearance, and sometimes not as
lustrous as fine Akoya pearls, South Sea pearls are rare and costly. Burmese -
Large cultured pearls (10 mm and larger) grown in large oysters off the coasts
of Burma. Warmer in color tonethan South Sea cultured pearls, rare and costly.
Mabe - Large
hemispherical cultured pearls grown against the inside shells of oysters instead
of within the body. Less expensive than regular round cultured pearls and,
because of their hemispherical shape, used mounted in such jewelry as earrings,
rings and brooches.
Biwa
- A fresh water pearl cultivated in a mollusk only in Japan's Lake Biwa.
Smoother and more lustrous than fresh waterpearls from China.
Fresh Water - Pearls cultivated in
mollusks, not oysters, found in fresh water lakes and rivers. Fresh water pearls
generally are elongated in shape and have a milky translucent appearance. Their
wide range of interesting shapes and colors make up in fashion appeal for their
relatively low value.
South
Sea - Large cultured pearls (10 mm and larger) grown in large
oysters off the coasts of Australia. Usually silvery in appearance, and
sometimes not as lustrous as fine Akoya pearls, South Sea pearls are rare and
costly.
Burmese - Large
cultured pearls (10 mm and larger) grown in large oysters off the coasts of
Burma. Warmer in color tone than South Sea cultured pearls, rare and
costly.
Keshi - Tiny
pearls, some a little bigger than a grain of sand, which form naturally in many
cultured pearl oysters.
When choosing cultured pearls, look for luster
and orient in the shadow area of the pearl, not in the area upon which the light
is shining. Clear color tones, not dull or muddy, nor with cracks, chips or
disfiguring blemishes.
In addition, all pearls in a strand should blend
well together, particularly in regard to luster, orient and color. Roll a strand
of pearls along a flat surface to determine if all pearls are strung through
their exact centers. All pearls should roll evenly, without an eccentric wobble.
Buy the best pearls you can afford, then choose the clasp. A decorative
jeweled clasp can always be purchased later.
SELECTING YOUR NECKLACE Choose a cultured pearl
necklace, too, for its effect on your appearance and personality. Long
necklaces are slinky and sexy. Short necklaces can be demure or
sophisticated. Dog collars enhance a long neck. Longer strands
slenderize and appear to elongate the neck. For fair skinned women, roseate
hued pearls are most flattering. Cream and gold color pearls set off darker
skin tones best.
NECKLACE LENGTHS AND TERMINOLOGY
Choker - 14"
to 15" in length. Should nestle around the base of the neck. Princess
- 18" in length. Halfway between choker and matinee length. Matinee -
22" to 23" in length. Should fall to the top of the cleavage. Opera -
30" to 36" in length. Should fall to the breastbone. Sautoir or Rope
- Any pearl necklace longer than opera length Dog Collar - Multiple
strands of pearls fitting closely around the neck. Bib - Multiple
strands of pearls, each shorter than the one below, nested together in one
necklace. Graduated - A necklace composed of pearls which taper
downward in size from large pearls in the center. Uniform - A
necklace which appears to be composed entirely of pearls of the same size,
though there generally is a slight difference in size between the center and the
end pearls for a more proportionate look.
Your cultured pearl wardrobe
should consist of matching pearl necklace, earrings and bracelet. Add to it with
a ring, a variety of clasps, brooches and a tiara or hairpiece. A long
strand of cultured pearls, with invisible clasps at several points along its
length, is very versatile. It can be shaped into many different styles, such as
a dog collar, a choker, or a bib.
CULTURED PEARL CARE
Remember: Cultured Pearls are precious jewels and should be
treated as such.
Don't toss them carelessly
into a purse or jewel box where they can become scratched by hard metal edges or
harder stones.
Don't expose them to acid-based hair sprays,
cosmetics, or perfumes.
Don't clean them with chemicals or
abrasives.
Do treat pearls gently. Place them in a chamois
bag or wrap them in tissue when putting them away.
Do put on
pearls after applying cosmetics, hair sprays and perfume.
Do wash
your pearls with mild soap and water after taking them off. This will remove
all traces of perfume, cosmetics or hair spray from the pearls.
Do bring your pearls back to your jeweler for restringing once a
year. Cosmetics and ordinary wear weaken and stretch the threads on which
the pearls are strung. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Do
have pearls strung with a knot between each pearl. This will prevent loss of
pearls if the string should break.
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