pearls

Pearls come in all shapes Round pearls are perfectly symmetrical, semi round is slightly off round, egg shape the pearl is oval, button is a cushion flat shape, Baroque is an irregular shape and Mabe is half the sphere of a round pearl with one surface flat.

Pearls come in many types Akoya one of the most familiar type of cultured pearl. Mabe is a large hemispherical cultured pearl grown against the inside of an oyster shell. Fresh water pearls are cultivated in molluscs, not oysters and are found in fresh water lakes and rivers. Keshi are seedless pearls that naturally form in many-cultured pearl oysters.

Pearls are cultured by an oyster composed of concentric layers of a crystallized substance called nacre. Pearls can be valuable depending on the lustre, size, surface texture, colour and shape . The size can vary between a pinhead to the size of a pigeon’s egg. The largest natural pearl ever found weighs 450cts.

Pearls have colour and the natural lustre varies from silver, cream white, golden, green, blue & black. Pearls can be dyed in many other colours by using special solutions.

Pearls are delicate and require care. They may need a professional re-stringing every couple of years. Pearls are organic and are very sensitive to acids, perspiration, cosmetics, hair spray and perfumes. Pearls should be treated as precious delicate gems.