THE 10 MOST FREQUENT QUESTIONS ABOUT PEARLS

Throughout history, pearls have been one of the most used and classic stones in the jewelry sector and one of the most requested jewels by women worldwide, given their beauty and sophistication. Among the different types, there are natural pearls (very scarce nowadays), those cultured by human hands, saltwater or freshwater pearls, Australian, Japanese, and imitation pearls, and, on the other hand, there are various shapes, such as mabe, baroque, or quite, among others.

Although we have previously dedicated other articles to talking about how to care for pearls, for this post we wanted to compile a list of what, in our opinion, are the most frequently asked questions by customers about pearl jewelry.

1. What are cultured pearls?

Cultured pearls are formed by the oyster with the help of humans. Pearl cultivators in Japan graft a small shell nucleus into the fleshy interior of the pearl oyster. The oyster does the rest, coating the nucleus with a nacre material that hardens and forms the pearl.

2. What other types of pearls are there?

Natural, cultured, and artificial pearls. The first are created by the oyster as an act of self-defense against an intruder that has entered it completely accidentally. Both natural and cultured pearls have a nucleus covered with the same pearly substance called nacre. Cultured pearls, as explained in the previous question, are formed inside the oyster through the grafting of a nucleus by human hands. Finally, artificial pearls are materials that imitate pearls and, therefore, are not natural.

3. How can the difference between a natural and a cultured pearl be found?

Normally, it is almost impossible to detect the difference with the naked eye. To be sure in such a difficult assessment, the use of modern devices is necessary. The two most suitable due to the precision of the results obtained from them are the following:

• The endoscope: used for drilled pearls.
• X-ray diffraction: used for partially drilled or undrilled pearls.

4. How can the difference between a natural or cultured pearl and an imitation one be detected?

It's easy. Placing them side by side, one of the most noticeable differences is the depth of the shine of the natural or cultured pearl. Another method is to gently rub them against the teeth: if it feels smooth, it is an imitation pearl, and if, on the contrary, a rough or sandy texture is felt, it is a cultured or natural pearl.

5. Are cultured pearls found in different shapes?

Yes, there are a variety of shapes: baroque, pear, barrel, mabe (half sphere), as well as round. Since the cultured pearl is formed by a natural process, the shapes cannot be determined.

6. What are the different styles of cultured pearl necklaces?

The two basic types of necklaces are graduated and uniform:

• The classic graduated necklace of matched cultured pearls with shapes ranging from small (at the ends) to larger (in the center), are made in one, two, three, or five strands.
• The uniform necklace composed of pearls of the same size is worn as a choker of one, two, or three strands. The uniform style is also known as the matiné longer or “opera” (75 cm length).

7. What are the value elements to look for?

Luster or shine, color, size, and shape. A cultured pearl necklace requires all these qualities. The color will be chosen based on what best suits the person.

8. Can cultured pearls be obtained in various colors?

Yes. They appear in all pastel tones of the spectrum.

9. How are cultured pearls measured?

In millimeters. A 2 mm cultured pearl is considered very small, while those over 9 mm are considered large. The large ones are usually the most expensive, but other value points, such as luster, shape, and color, will be taken into account when making a purchase.

10. When to give pearls?

Throughout history, pearls have been the gift of love. When you give a pearl, you are giving something unique and unrepeatable. Pearls are perfect to give on unique occasions such as anniversaries, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Christmas, weddings, and birthdays.

We hope you found this post useful. If you want to know more about pearls, we encourage you to leave your question in the comments. We will be happy to answer you!

Also, in our online jewelry store we have a selection of earrings, chokers, pendants, bracelets, and super modern minimalist design pearl rings.

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