Posts Tagged ‘ saltwater pearls ’

South Sea pearls are a great addition to anyone’s collection. Their warm colors, large size, and thick nacre make them both unique and durable. If you want a gold pearl, South Sea is the way to go! Here’s a little more information about these spectacular pearls.

South Sea pearls are harvested from the pinctada maxima oyster, found throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and are known for their warm overtones and colors that rarely occur in other pearl types. These pearls are mainly produced in Australia, the Phillippines, Indonesia, and Myanmar.

These pearls are among the largest cultured pearls in the world, for reasons that I’ll explain in a minute. You may recall that an average pearl is about 7-8mm with some types, such as Akoya, running a little smaller. South Sea pearls, on the other hand, are somewhere between 9mm-20mm! The smallest South Sea pearl is larger than the average Akoya and the average (at 13mm) is nearly twice as large.

One reason for their incredible size is the size of the oyster itself. Pinctada maxima oysters can grow up to 12 inches in diameter so they can handle a larger nucleus. These pearls are also left to grow for a relatively long time – a minimum of 2 years before being harvested. Finally, the warm and clean waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans are conducive to quick nacre growth so they are able to grow larger, more quickly. This is also a reason for their unusually average nacre thickness of 2-6mm. (For reference, the nacre in Akoyas is usually .35-.7mm thick.)

There are two varieties of the pinctada maxima, gold-lipped and silver-lipped. As the names imply, each type tends to produce either gold or white pearls. As I mentioned earlier, the colors that occur naturally in South Sea pearls tend to be very rare or impossible in other pearl types. These colors include gold, champagne (pale gold), blue with silver overtones, pink, or even pale green, and of course white. South Sea pearls are also known for their soft, satiny luster. The most valuable and sought after color is a deep, warm, gold.

As a consumer, there are several things you should watch out for when you buy these pearls. First of all, many retailers use terminology that is misleading or inaccurate. For example, “Baby South Sea” pearls are not South Sea. They are often freshwaters. Nor are “Tahitian South Sea” pearls South Sea. They are two completely different types of pearls from two different types of oysters! The same goes for “Black South Sea” pearls – those are Taitians because they come from the pinctada margaritifera, or black-lipped, oyster. Please avoid any retailer, on- or offline, that uses those terms. Most likely they either don’t know what they are talking about or are trying to mislead their customers.

South Sea pearls on the whole are the most expensive because they are so large, have so much nacre, and are relatively rare. Their warm and unusual colors and satiny luster make them standout choices for anyone’s pearl necklace.

When it comes to saltwater pearls, Akoya embodies the traditional pearl necklace better than any other. These pearls are some of the most highly regarded in the world and with reason. However, there are some things you should know before you buy.

Akoya pearls are known for their high luster and their consistently round shape. In fact, they are the epitome of the classic pearl. They are usually white or cream with rose, silver, or ivory overtones – perfect for necklaces, which is they have been so popular. This type of pearls is usually on the smaller side of the spectrum with an average size of 2-11mm.

Akoya pearls were first cultivated by Kokichi Mikimoto in the 1920s and for many many years they were a purely Japanese product.  These days, things are changing and Akoya pearls are now being farmed in other countries such as South Korea, Vietnam, Australia and China. In fact, China is now Japan’s main competitor and the quality of their pearls is getting better all the time.

As a consumer it’s great to have options, but this has caused a lot of problems for struggling Japanese pearl farms. Their solution has been to import pearls from China and string them together with Japanese pearls so that they can be labeled a Japanese product. Though each hank of pearls is inspected to maintain high quality standards, the truth is that many Akoya pearl necklaces contain a mix of pearls from various countries.

This practice has made the term ‘Japanese Akoya pearls’ obsolete and in fact it is no longer allowed as an industry standard term. Retailers don’t have control over what they get either – most are honest and will tell you the origin if you ask but some will guarantee 100% Japanese Akoya pearls and this is false. Japanese pearl farms sell only to factories, not to retailers, so there is no real way to know.

Regardless of origin, Akoya pearls are highly regarded. The competition in the industry, while leading to some ‘interesting’ practices really means that in terms of quality the consumer wins. One clue to look for – Japanese farms focus on the larger end of the size scale while Chinese generally produce smaller pearls so that’s one way to differentiate between the two.

Though every Akoya is beautiful, there is one more level of quality within Akoya, called Hanadama. Hanadama pearls are the absolute cream of the crop and must undergo certification by the Pearl Science Laboratory of Japan before they can be designated as Hanadama. The qualifications are as follows:

• The nacre depth must be greater than .40 mm on any tested pearl – pearls within a strand are tested at random.
• The luster analysis (what is called the teri-value) analysis must be very strong.
• Analysis should slow only very slight imperfections.

There are no pearls with a perfect surface and the Pearl Science Laboratory never gives out a zero imperfection grade. This is because each pearl is unique and as an organic gem are guaranteed to be imperfect. However imperfections in Hanadama will be very hard to spot and they may even seem absolutely perfect without rigorous testing.

One very important thing to keep in mind when buying Hanadama is that the certificate must accompany the strand for it to be genuine. Also, these pearls are the best of the best out of each Akoya harvest so if someone claims to sell pearls that are “better than Hanadama” don’t fall for it! It’s just not possible. If they really were better they would have made the grade!

If you don’t know where to start when you’re looking for a pearl necklace, Akoyas are a very good choice because they are considered the classic pearl. However, you do need to keep in mind that there will most likely be a mix of Chinese and Japanese pearls on any given strand so don’t be fooled. Also keep in mind what to look for if you want Hanadama pearls. I hope this helps and good luck!

Pearl origins

A pearl is one of the only gems to come from a living organism, making them very valuable. There’s a reason the phrase “like pearls before swine” exists – pearls were at one time so incredibly rare that only the nobility or the extremely wealthy could afford to have them. Pearls are most often made by mollusks such as oysters but they may also be found in snails, conchs and other organisms. The process is generally the same – however, some organisms produce pearls that aren’t made of nacre. (I’ll explain nacre in a minute)

Basically, a small irritant gets into the mollusk’s mantle. It could be as small or smaller than a single grain of sand, but the mollusk will attempt to “quarantine” the irritant by covering it with nacre. Nacre, also called mother of pearl, is the substance that lines the inside of its shell. Over time, layers upon layers of nacre form around the foreign object, forming a pearl. This doesn’t happen very often – in fact, only one in ten thousand oysters ever produces a pearl naturally – and marketable pearls (round, with good luster and surface quality) are even more rare and valuable. You may be wondering why, if that is the case, are there so many pearls on the market? The reason all comes down to cultivation methods that make mass production possible. Most of the pearls you will find these days are cultured and without that process your pearl necklace would most likely not exist.

Cultured pearls and cultivation methods

Freshwater and saltwater pearls have different methods but they both result in a process that artificially stimulates the same process that would occur naturally. This means that they are all natural pearls(versus fake, faux, simulated, etc.) but they are less valuable because there are so many on the market.  Let’s take a quick look at the different methods for each.

Saltwater pearls use what is called ‘bead nucleation.’ A bead, piece of shell, or other small round object is inserted into the oyster’s mantle. The oyster then, as in nature, forms layers of nacre around the nucleated object. Because round beads are often used, saltwater pearls are more likely to be spherical than freshwater. However, each oyster only produces one pearl and depending on the species, survival rates can be low.

Freshwater pearls, on the other hand, use a small piece of mantle tissue to begin pearl formation process. As above, the mantle is inserted in the oyster, then harvested at a later date. Freshwater oysters tend to produce as many as twenty pearls from one oyster! Furthermore, the water can be irradiated to change the color very easily. Their quality is more or less equivalent to saltwater with a slight tendency to irregularity in shape.

Types of Pearls

There are a few main types of pearls on the market. These are mostly named according to region, though in general you may see references to freshwater or saltwater, which I have covered above.

Akoya: These are high quality Japanese (or Chinese) saltwater pearls. They tend to be smaller than some of the other varieties but make up for it with their extremely high quality. Colors tend to be white with rose, ivory, cream, or silver overtones, making them one of the best choices for a classic pearl necklace.

Tahitian:  The name is misleading as there are no pearl farms actually located in Tahiti. Instead pearls are harvested from all over French Polynesia. These are known for their intense, dark, often metallic colors. The black-lipped oyster which produces these pearls is the only one in the world to produce a true black. Other colors include peacock, pistachio, blue, brown, grey, and aubergine.

South Sea: South Sea Pearls are produced in the area between Australia and China. Known for their rich, warm, colors (most often gold), South Sea pearls are also among the largest on the market. Their average size is 13mm though they may also produce pearls as large as 20mm. (For reference, the average pearl size in a necklace is 7-8mm.) These pearls also have a very thick nacre, making them extremely beautiful as well as very durable.

Cortez: In the 1500s, the Gulf of California was known as the sea of pearls, and the pearls harvested from the region were in high demand. However, due to over-fishing the Panama black-lipped and rainbow-lipped oysters were hunted nearly to extinction. Nowadays the only marine cultured pearl farm is located there. They are known for their intense colors and are the only pearls qualified for the “Fair Trade Gems” protocols.

Conch Pearls: These pearls are not actually made of nacre, but are highly valued. They are produced by the Queen Conch mollusk which lives in the Caribbean. Since they cannot be cultured (yet) conch pearls are found very rarely. They are known for their pink colors and unique “flame” pattern.

Melo Melo Pearls: Like the conch above, these are also non-nacreous. They come from a marine snail called the melo melo, which lives in the South China Sea. Again, these are very rare because there is no known cultivation method. Melo melo pearls are best known for their size (very large) and shape (very round). The most valuable color is orange.

Abalone Pearls: These natural pearls are found in the Hailiotis abalone (also called the paua by New Zealanders.) Though they can be cultured, it is a very difficult process – abalone are hemophiliacs! One single nick while nucleating could kill them. For that reason, only mabe pearls can be produced successfully. A beautiful iridescent blue is the most common color and they are popular in New Zealand and Australia, though not yet in the Western Hemisphere.

Scallop Pearls: Like the conch and melo melo, these are not made of nacre but are produced by a similar process. They are found in the “Pacific Lion’s Paw” mollusk which lives in the waters around North and Central America. Scallop pearls are often maroon, plum, orange, and pink, and are very rare.

Though I have listed many different types, the most common are freshwater (usually from China), Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea.

Tahitian pearls have recently grown in popularity, and for good reason. Their lovely array of intense, dark colors (from black, peacock, pistachio, to even blue!) is unusual and stands out when compared to the classic white of Akoya pearls. In fact, the range of colors is so large that these pearls are fairly rare – especially black! Have I managed to pique your interest yet? Well, read on and you’ll be truly hooked!

One of the intriguing things about Tahitian pearls is that they aren’t actually produced in Tahiti, but rather on/around islands throughout French Polynesia. They all come from the same type of oyster, though. The black-lipped oyster (pinctada margaritifera) is the only one in the world to produce the intense colors that Tahitian pearls are known for. Though they are farmed in a wide range of areas, only the ones in the area around French Polynesia can be called Tahitian! Before the advent of modern culturing techniques, these oysters were farmed nearly to extinction, and the pearl industry didn’t gain momentum there until the 1960′s.

As I mentioned earlier, these pearls are known for their wide variety of colors. Perhaps they are most well known for producing the only true black (any other pearl has to be dyed to achieve that color) but their lovely orient means that endless color variations are possible. Even black often has gray or green overtones! In general, the body colors are mostly black, gray, green, brown, or blue. The overtones may be gold, blue, silver, eggplant, pink, or peacock green. Black pearls with peacock overtones are the most valuable; however, there has recently been a surge in demand for pearls with lighter colors such as pistachio. Because of the huge amount of possible body color/overtone combinations, it is hard to find a perfectly matched pearl necklace. Nevertheless, even necklaces made of many colors are strikingly beautiful.

Tahitian pearls are generally on the large side – from 8mm to 14mm – and are required to have .8mm of nacre. Anything less is not released for sale. This guarantees pearls that are lustrous and more resistant to chipping. They also may come in the same variety of shapes as any other type of pearl with the addition of a “circled” or “ringed” shape. Ringed pearls have tiny grooves covering more than a third of the pearl’s surface, giving them a unique shape.

One thing to keep in mind when buying Tahitian pearls is that the grading system is different from that used to grade Akoya. The Tahitian system uses grades A through D, with A being the highest. Grade “A”  pearls have high luster and little to no visible surface flaws over 90% of the pearl’s surface. “B” is medium-high luster with some visible flaws confined to less than one third of the surface. A medium luster pearl with flaws that cover more than a third is rated “C”. Finally, a pearl receiving a “D” grade will have flaws covering at least two-thirds of the surface. Luster is not considered.

The vibrant, almost metallic colors that are found in Tahitian pearls make them a great choice for anyone wanting to stand out in a crowd. These pearls can’t help but draw the eye. From intense blues, greens and blacks, to lighter, pastel shades, there is something for everyone. Their unique ringed pearls are also a great option! Just be aware that you’ll have to navigate a different grading system when you buy.

Freshwater pearls are typically considered to be inferior to saltwater pearls. This isn’t necessarily true – their quality is rising as cultivation methods have improved. They do differ from saltwater pearls in some ways and you may prefer one or the other. In this post, I’ll explain those differences and why you shouldn’t necessarily rule out freshwater pearls when buying your pearl necklace.

Freshwater pearls are either found or cultivated in freshwater mollusks. They are often irregular in shape but may also be round. They come in many different colors. Saltwater pearls, on the other hand, are found or cultivated in saltwater oysters. Saltwater cultured pearls are always round but natural pearls may also be irregularly shaped. You won’t see natural saltwater pearls very often though! As you may have noticed, either freshwater or saltwater pearls may be natural or cultured. They aren’t limited to oysters either – they can also be found in conches and I’ve read that pearls can, on rare occasions, be found in snails too.

Some of the differences between the two are due to the cultivation methods used. Cultured saltwater pearls are more expensive because they only produce one pearl per oyster, while freshwater oysters may produce multiple pearls – as many as 20 – from one oyster. Furthermore, many saltwater oysters don’t survive the cultivation process so it is more difficult to mass produce them. Something else to consider is that because saltwater pearls are seeded with a shell nucleus, the nacre is thinner than that of a freshwater pearl.  Freshwater pearls are cultivated by embedding a piece of mantle in the oyster so they are almost all nacre.

Freshwater pearls have a wide range of colors available. This is because it is easier to add metals to the water in order to affect the outcome. This is nearly impossible to do with pearls harvested from the ocean. The pearls may also be dyed or irradiated – if you get a freshwater black pearl necklace it will always be dyed, since black pearls are only found in black lip oysters. You will also be able to choose nearly any shape you like as a freshwater pearl.

Compared to the past, the sizes of freshwater and saltwater pearls are comparable and they are of more or less equivalent quality. Saltwater pearls are considered to have more luster, and Akoya pearls are some of the best in quality. However, there are also very strict controls imposed on saltwater pearls so many of the lower quality pearls are weeded out. Freshwater pearls do not have as many restrictions.

In summary, freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls are nearly equivalent in quality, have comparable sizes, are durable (due to the thickness of the nacre) and are available in a wide range of colors. Freshwater pearls do suffer when compared to Akoya pearls but they are less expensive as well. If you aren’t sure which to buy, keep an open mind when you pick out your pearl necklace!

Update: I found another Honora video that highlights some of the main points I’ve been talking about here. If you’re interested, take a look:
Why Freshwater?

When you hear people talk about natural pearls or cultured pearls it can be a little confusing at first. The important thing to remember is that the process by which the pearl is created is the main difference. They are both natural pearls (as opposed to fake pearls) and generally have the same qualities. However, should you get your hands on a natural pearl make sure to have it examined by a gemologist – they are extremely rare!

The rarity of natural pearls is due to their formative process. Basically, if an irritant such as a little bit of sand should come between the mantle and the shell of a mollusk, then it is sealed off and coated with many layers of nacre. It’s an oyster or other mollusk’s defense mechanism to protect itself! This doesn’t occur very often in the wild and even when it does it is very unlikely to form a perfectly round pearl. Apparently only one in 10,000 oysters ever produces a pearl like this so they are incredibly expensive.

Any time you buy a pearl necklace you are much more likely to be getting one made of cultured pearls. The cultivation process involves inserting some form of nucleus to stimulate the production of nacre. Saltwater pearls use a bead or shell nucleus, making them perfectly round but with a thinner layer of nacre. Freshwater oysters are nucleated with a small piece of mantle so they have thicker nacre but the shape is more likely to irregular. Basically culturing just means control over the whole process and has allowed for the mass production of pearls.

So are there any differences? The answer is no, not really! Both natural and cultured pearls have all the same qualities but you will rarely see natural pearls on the market. There’s no reason to be worried about the quality or authenticity of your cultured pearls. Enjoy them for their beauty and if you do happen to obtain a natural pearl, treasure it for its rarity.