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Pearl, Symbol of Power and Perfection …
Natural pearls are miraculous creations of nature. Despite all the myths surrounding this beautiful and respected gem, a natural pearl is formed through the intrusion of an irritant or as a result of damage by the outside influences. Even though pearl jewelry is today worn almost exclusively by women, its association with femininity wasn't always so. In antiquity, pearls were considered the ultimate status symbol and reserved exclusively for the ruling elites, men and women alike.
Kings and queens wore strings of pearls as a mark of their wealth and power, sumptuously decorating their crowns and robes with them while ordinary people desired them as symbols of these things. Christianity gave the pearl a new dimension. Its serene beauty lent itself perfectly to the symbolism of the Christian ideals of the kingdom of heaven. This was likely influenced by the gem’s pure and light color just as today we continue to associate white with innocence, purity and marriage. Many European and Asian brides to this day choose to wear a pearl necklace on their special day.
Times have nevertheless changed, and the advances in pearl cultivation and growing and harvesting technology, allowed for these precious gems to become affordable and accessible to everyone. Still, they make tasteful gifts, and are often passed down as treasured heirlooms for generations.
Stuff Of Legends …
Myths and superstitious beliefs surrounded pearls from the very beginning of man’s fascination with them. In Western culture pearls were connected to the birth of Venus. She was the goddess of love who, born from the sea foam of which pearls were to form, seemed to reinforce the popular perception that it’s a feminine jewel. Their shape was also responsible for another watery association. According to some legends, white pearls were the tears shed by the gods. Other legends claimed they were the tears of Eve, which fell when she was banished from Eden. Pearls, in fact, are mentioned by all of the world’s major religions. Each time they embody ideals of purity, perfection, femininity and good fortune. In ancient India the pearl was believed to have been born of the Earth’s waters and heaven’s powers and considered to be the daughter of the Moon. The Chinese loved pearls too, believing that they bring prosperity and luck. This was often depicted in Chinese artworks, which showed dragons holding golden pearls in their mouths or claws.
Trading History …
The search for the perfect pearl, whether natural or farmed, has gone on for centuries. Natural pearls were fished in the Arabian Gulf along the coast of Qatar and Bahrain for over 2000 years, until around the mid 20thcentury. The trade from this region was far reaching due to the fact that they were objects of desire among the ruling elite of Europe, India and China. Upon discovering available Arabian goods Indian merchants traveling along the silk route brought them to the commercial hub of the ancient city of Basra, from where natural pearls were bought and spread around the entire world.
The situation changed dramatically in the early 1900’s when the Japanese had discovered a way to make artificial and flawless pearls. The stock market crash of the 1920’s further diminished the demand. These caused the slow disintegration of the pearl industry in the Arabian Peninsula with many local Emiratis shifting their interest to the oil sector.
Pearl Quality …
Today, natural pearls count among the rarest of gems. Their supply is almost entirely depleted, and only a few are found infrequently in the seas off Bahrain and Australia. Auctions also reflect this scarcity, with antique pearl necklaces and earrings selling for record-breaking prices.
Whether natural of cultured, the quality of a pearl is determined by several criteria including its size, shape, color and luster. But perhaps the most important factor is the thickness or the quality of the nacre. Nacre is the layered substance that a pearl is essentially made of, and it determines not only the pearl's luster but also how long it will last. It should therefore not be too thin or damaged as it will greatly affect the gem’s durability.
▪️ The size of round and near-round pearls is expressed in terms of their diameter measured in millimeters. Other shapes are measured according to their length/depth and diameter/width.
▪️ The three main categories of shape are spherical, symmetrical, and asymmetrical (semi-baroque and baroque). Pearls come in seven basic shapes: round, near-round, button, drop, oval, semi-baroque, and baroque. Traditionally, pearls were celebrated for their uniformity in size and color but in the recent times there has been a rising demand for more unique and avant-garde shapes.
▪️ There are three components of color: bodycolor (dominant, overall color of the pearl), overtone (one or more translucent colors that lie over the bodycolor), and orient (iridescent rainbow colors that shimmer on or just below a pearl’s surface). Note: not all pearls will exhibit all three characteristics.
▪️ Luster is the intensity of light reflected from a pearl’s surface which give a natural or cultured pearl its unique beauty. Pearls with excellent luster have sharp bright reflections on the surface. Different pearl varieties have different standards for luster. The GIA Luster Scale ranges from Excellent to Poor.
If you own a beloved piece of pearl jewelry, a Pearl Classification and/or Identification Report issued by GIA would allow you to better understand the quality of the gems used. Such report confirms that the pearl(s) is/are natural or cultured, not a simulant or imitation, and describes any detectable treatments. It also provides the weight, size, shape, and color, as well as mollusk species that produced it (when possible), and the environment it formed in (freshwater or saltwater) including a photograph for identification purposes.
How To Look After Your Pearl Jewelry …
Pearls are timeless jewels. Their highly valued luster and beauty continue to fascinate us. To find matching size, color and luster in order to create a stunning piece of jewelry is an extensive and costly process. It can take years, with availability decreasing and rarity increasing. Therefore, it is essential to learn how to properly take care of them.
First, we must remember that a pearl is an organic object. It is much softer than a mineral such as diamond or a sapphire, ranking only 2.5 on Mohs scale. This means that its surface is very easy to scratch. This is the reason why pearls are most often used in a necklace or earrings, to be worn on part of the body where they will be least exposed to damage.
They also draw moisture from the air so you should wear your pearls often to keep them “hydrated.” Having said that, they should be the last thing you put on and first thing you take off because they are very sensitive to perfume, lotions and sweat. Exercising and bathing with them on is therefore a very bad idea and can irreversibly damage the delicate nacre. When taken off they should be rubbed gently with a soft cloth and the silk thread examined for signs of fraying.
Depending on the intensity of wear, pearls should be re-stranded anywhere between one to five years. To take layers of heavy buildup off and restore its original shine. It is always a good idea to bring your pearl jewelry to a specialist for re-polish. Finally, it’s not an exaggeration that well taken care of pearls should last thousands of years.
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If you are interested in a piece of pearl jewelry, please contact us at [email protected] and one of our knowledgeable gem & jewelry specialists will be happy to guide you further.
