Pearl Care and Facts

Pearl Facts
Pearls are precious gems that come in various sizes, colors and shapes. Until the 20th century, only the rich and privileged could afford these exquisite and natural pieces of art. By introducing pearl cultivation, Mikimoto paved the way for large-scale production of cultured pearls thereby making these precious gems more affordable. However, increased water pollution and other environmental stress has threatened both natural and cultivated mollusks.

China has become the largest producer of freshwater cultured pearls, although they are produced in many other places. The quality of the cultured pearls produced in China has improved considerably such that they now rival the finest ocean pearls from Japan. At this writing, freshwater pearls are about a tenth the price of their saltwater counterparts, partially because an ocean mollusk can only make one pearl, whereas a freshwater mollusk can produce as many as ten. Techniques for producing freshwater pearls have improved so that it is impossible to differentiate between some fresh and salt pearls by naked eye or even x-ray. Complex tests on the chemical composition of the nacre based on mollusk species may be required.

Pearl Types and Terms
Natural Pearls - Formed when an irritant (generally a parasite, but sometimes a physical irritant like a sand grain) enters into an mollusk (oyster or mussel).

Cultured Pearls - Formed when the irritant is introduced artificially by man into the mollusks in a controlled environment. In the case of freshwater cultured pearls, this is generally a piece of shell from a Tennessee mollusk.

Akoya - The most familiar type of cultured pearl, grown in pearl oysters off the coasts of Japan. Akoya pearls are known for their lovely orient and warm color. They rarely exceed 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 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.

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 freshwater pearl cultivated in a mollusk only in Japan's Lake Biwa. Generally smooth and lustrous.

Freshwater - Any pearls cultivated in mollusks or mussels, not oysters, found in freshwater ponds, lakes, and rivers. They are available in wide range of interesting shapes and colors, both natural and cultivated.

Keshi - Tiny pearls, some little bigger than a grain of sand, which form naturally in many cultured pearl oysters.

Faux Pearls - Not really pearls at all, but glass, urea, resin, plastic, etc. with a nacreous coating. Faux pearls vary widely in quality.

Baroque Pearls - Any pearl without perfect symmetry.

Lustre - or Luster, depending on your origins, is a term which describes the beauty of light being reflected from the surface of the pearl and simultaneously refracted from inside the pearl nacre.

Pearl Care
Pearls will last a lifetime and beyond if they are cared for properly. Exposure to heat, sunlight, and chemicals (such as those in hair spray, cosmetics, and perfume) can damage the nacre of pearls. To minimize exposure to chemicals, your pearls should be the last item you put on and the first accessory you take off. Do not shower or swim with your pearls. Body fluids (e.g., sweat and natural skin oils) may also damage the luster over a long period of time. Therefore, wipe your pearls with a soft chamois or cloth, which can be dry or damp, after you have worn them. This will prevent dirt from accumulating and keep perspiration, which is slightly acidic, from eating away at the pearl nacre. A drop or two of olive oil may be placed on the cloth to help the pearls maintain their luster. Pearls should be stored in a cloth pouch or wrapped in a piece of cloth to avoid possible scratches to the surface. Heat and dry air can crack or discolor pearls (the air in many safe deposit boxes and security vaults is very dry). Never toss them into a purse or onto a dresser where they can become scratched. Pearls can be cleaned (if necessary) by washing in water with a mild soap and dried with a soft cloth. Never use detergent (such as Dawn), baking soda, powdered cleansers, bleaching agents, or ammonia-based cleaners (such as Windex) to clean pearls. Pay attention to the areas around the drill holes where dirt may tend to collect. After washing your pearls, lay them flat (do not hang them) in a moist kitchen towel to dry. When the towel is dry, the pearls should be dry. Again, a bit of olive oil may be rubbed into your pearls to enhance shine. Every six months or so, have a jeweler verify that the pearls are securely mounted or that the string is still good. Many jewelers will do this free of charge.

Pearl Value
Pearl value 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 deep inner glow and shimmering iridescence, sometimes termed 'pearlescence'. The deeper the lustre and iridescence, the more precious the pearl.

Size contributes to the price of a pearl. As it is more difficult and time-consuming for mollusks to grow large pearls, they are more rare than smaller pearls. 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. Greater symmetry yields greater value. 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 natural shapes, from perfect spheres to long flat angel wing pearls.

Complexion or surface perfection contributes to value. The surface of a perfect pearl appears satiny smooth. When viewed closely, natural and cultured pearls (as opposed to faux) may appear to have irregular surfaces. As with emeralds, such irregularities do not detract from value, as do disfiguring blemishes and inclusions. 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 is very rare, because nature makes few pearls exactly alike in orient, size, shape and color.

Pearl History
Since ancient times, the pearl has been a symbol of unblemished perfection. Since ancient time, it has been the symbol of the moon and magical power. It is the oldest known gem, and for centuries it was considered the most valuable. The oldest known pearl jewelry, is a fragment of pearl jewelry found in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess who died in 520 BC. In classical Rome, only persons of high rank were allowed to wear pearl jewelry.

Pearls are ideal wedding gifts because they symbolize purity and innocence. In the Rigveda, an ancient Hindu book dating back to 1000 B.C., Krishna brought forth pearls from the depths of the sea to give to his daughter on her wedding day, thus starting the tradition of giving pearls to the bride. The ancient Greeks also considered pearls to be the 'wedding gem' because they believed that pearls would help ensure marital bliss. Knights returning from the Crusades would bestow pearls to their ladies for their wedding days. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, pearls were at the height of wedding fashion with royal weddings in the French House of Burgundy taking place in a 'sea of pearls' where everyone from the bride to her male guests was adorned in pearls. As recently as the early 20th century, pearls were the nuptial equivalent of diamonds today.

Pearls are the modern and Ayurvedic birthstone of June (October in France), mystical birthstone of November, and the zodiacal stone of Monday and the sign of Cancer. Today the father of the bride or the groom traditionally gives the gift of pearls to a bride. Brides often give pearl necklaces, bracelets, or earrings to their bridesmaids.

Pearl Knotting & Silk & Clasps
Silk - has been the traditional material for stringing and knotting pearls, but it is not suitable for all pearls and purposes. The main advantage of silk is that it allows for exquisite drape of the pearls. In my opinion, silk is incomparable for knotting pearls 6-mm and smaller. On the other hand, silk is susceptible to natural stretching (from the weight of the pearls - a good tug may break a strand) and to degradation from humidity and chemicals. If the drill hole of the pearl is sharp or there is a demarcation from nucleus-to-nacre the pearl can slowly saw away at the silk. For all these reasons, pearls strung on silk need to be restrung every year or two. Silk color, ply, and thickness are available in a wide range of options.

Nylon - especially when it has been heat-treated, can be an excellent stringing and knotting material. As with silk, there are many colors and thicknesses available. Nylon (the type we use is called 'silkon') knots well and resists stretching and degradation. It is less-easily cut by sharp edges and can withstand weight and pulling better than silk. On the other hand, the drape of nylon is not as fluid as silk. For large pearls or long strands, nylon is a preferred material, because the weight of the pearls allows for good drape and protects the pearls. Pearls strung on nylon still need to be restrung when the strand shows indications of wear, but it may be several years before this is required.

Other Materials - are appropriate for other purposes. Wire, in various guises, is often seen with pearls. When you select pearls take the opportunity to find out what materials are used, as this will affect care and value of your jewelry.

Knotting - protects pearls from rubbing against each other, offsets each pearl slightly to show it to best advantage, and prevents pearls from being lost should a strand break. Good pearls should be protected by good knotting! Obviously, some small pearls or those of certain shape may be on unknotted strands. Here is something important - all knots are not the same! First, be aware that drill holes of pearls are often very small as compared to holes of other 'beads' of the same size and weight, so the thread or cord must be of fine diameter (e.g., weak!) to fit through the pearl hole. This is because pearls are often sold by weight...so a bigger hole equals less money. Without waxing overly-rhapsodic on the joys of stringing White Lotus pearls (which have large holes), it is important to describe how the small holes relate to knotting. One way of knotting pearls (used by Fu T'sang Treasures) involves stringing the largest diameter thread possible through the hole and then knotting this single (multi-ply) thread between each pearl. Another method involves running two thinner threads through the hole and then tying them together between each pearl. The first method requires a bit of skill and finesse, but results in a very secure strand such that if the strand breaks you need to cut the knots to get the pearls apart. The other method may or may not result in reliable knots - often the pearls are easy to remove should the strand break. You just don't know! One last note...knots should be tight when you first get a strand. As you probably figured out from my discourse on silk and nylon, the strand will naturally stretch over time.