Types Of Pearls - 5 Silky Pearls To Include In Your Jewelry
No individuals don't know about the pearl, since it is often seen in a piece of jewelry.
Pearls are a type of gemstone but they are very unique because they are the only gem material that is made and found inside a living creature.
Unlike diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and other gems, pearls don't need to be cut or polished before they can be used.
They are beautiful just the way they are.
But did you know that there are other types of pearls?
COPYRIGHT_BER: Published on https://www.bernardine.com/types-of-pearl/ by Barbara Mitchell on 2022-08-24T08:30:48.228Z
Yes, there are other pearls that exist and you should know them as well.
How Many Types Of Pearl Are There?
Types of pearls
The first big difference is between a "natural" pearl and a "cultured" pearl.
A natural pearl forms by chance, without any help from people.
Natural pearls are hard to find and expensive because of this.
A cultured pearl is made when an irritant is put in by a person.
Even though they are made in a lab, cultured pearls are still one-of-a-kind because the pearl farmer can't control what each oyster or mussel will make (only 5% of a harvest will be the best quality).
From the outside, a natural pearl and a cultured pearl look the same.
The second most important difference is between a "freshwater" pearl and a "saltwater" pearl.
Mussels that live in slow-moving rivers and lakes make freshwater pearls.
Saltwater pearls are made by oysters that live in safe inlets in the ocean.
5 Different Types Of Pearls
Akoya Pearls
The majority of people in the United States and other western markets are most familiar with the type of saltwater cultured pearl known as the Akoya cultured pearl.
Most Akoya Pearls are between 3 and 9 mm in size but sometimes you can find ones that are 10 or 10.5 mm.
The Akoya pearl is famous for its brilliant shine and round shape.
Akoyas are also very consistent in color, which is why many women choose them for their first strand of pearls.
Many customers have the weird idea that the traditional pearl for jewelry, specifically single-strand necklaces, is an Akoya pearl of a white or cream color.
Pearls known as Akoya are grown in culture in both Japan and China.
Akoya's Hardness: 2.5 to 4.5 (Mohs scale)
Tahitian Pearls
Mostly grown on farms spread across the islands that make up French Polynesia (the most familiar of these is Tahiti).
The size of a Tahitian pearl can range from about 8 mm to 18 mm in diameter, making it one of the largest pearls found anywhere in the world.
These cultured pearls grown in saltwater can come in a huge range of colors and are sometimes referred to as black pearls.
They can be a dark gray, black, or brown color, and their skin tones can be blue, green, purple, or even pink.
Tahiti is the main place where atolls that make Tahitian pearls trade goods.
Black-lip pearls are grown in French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, the Micronesian Islands, and even to some extent in Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines, but only those grown in French Polynesia can be called Tahitian pearls.
Tahitian's Hardness: 2.5 to 4 (Mohs scale)
Fresh Water Pearl
Pearls that have been cultured in freshwater are the most common type to be produced, and they are also one of the most popular types of pearls with consumers and jewelry designers.
The average size of a Freshwater pearl is between 2.0 mm and 12.0 mm but some are even bigger.
This is due to the extraordinary range of sizes, shapes, and colors that they come in, in addition to the fact that they are commercially available at more affordable price points.
Pearls are typically cultured in freshwater lakes and ponds, and it is common for a single oyster to produce multiple pearls during the process.
The most important country for the production of freshwater cultured pearls is China.
This pearl can also be found in lakes, riverbeds, and creek bottoms in Japan.
Fresh Water Pearl's Hardness: 2.5 (Mohs scale)
Baroque Pearls
Even though traditional pearls are typically more valuable, there are those who favor baroque pearls due to the distinctive shapes they possess.
Customers are willing to pay any price in order to gain the darker baroque pearls because the white and pink kinds are so much more common.
The average size of a Baroque pearl is 0.4mm hole.
Baroque pearls can take on virtually any shape, in contrast to the round shape of traditional pearls.
The majority of South Sea baroque pearls are produced in Australia, while the majority of black baroque pearls are cultured in Tahiti.
Baroque Pearl's Hardness: 2.0 (Mohs scale)
South Sea Pearl
Depending on the kind of oyster they come from, South Sea cultured pearls can range in color from white to silver or even golden.
There are a number of factors that contribute to their value, including their large size and thick seashell, both of which are the result of a prolonged growth period, as well as their limited availability in critical growing conditions.
South Sea pearls range in size from 8 mm to 20 mm, with 12 mm being the average.
South Sea White cultured pearls come from Australia and are known for their large size and silky shine.
South Sea Pearl's Hardness: 4.0 (Mohs scale)
Most Expensive Type Of Pearl
The most valuable pearls are those that come from the South Sea.
Additionally, they are the largest pearl variety available in the market.
The price of a strand of South Sea pearls can range anywhere from $1,000 to over $100,000.
People Also Ask
What Is The Rarest Pearl Color?
Rarest of all pearl colors in the world are those that have a found naturally blue color (with one or two exceptions, which we will get to below).
Although naturally colored blue pearls have been around for decades, it is only relatively recently that they have increased in popularity in the modern pearl jewelry markets.
Pearls have always had this color.
Why Are Some Pearls So Cheap?
How are cheap Pearls different from the Expensive ones?
Natural pearls are extremely rare, which contributes to the high cost of purchasing one.
There are very few, if any at all, that can still be harvested from the oceans.
Therefore, purchasing natural pearls requires locating an antique pearl or piece of pearl jewelry that is decades old.
These items typically come with exorbitant price tags.
How Can You Tell If A Pearl Is A Good Quality?
Luster is the quality of a natural or cultured pearl that determines how beautiful it is.
- Excellent – Reflections appear bright and sharp.
- Very Good – Reflections appear bright and near sharp.
- Good – Reflections are bright but not sharp, and slightly hazy around the edges.
- Fair – Reflections are weak and blurred.
Conclusion
Pearls can be used in anything; however, when it comes to a piece of jewelry, they are excellent choices because of their advanced appearance.
The five different types of pearls will help you achieve a look that is beyond anything you could have dreamed of.
Therefore, you should make a decision right now about the kind that you should buy.
About The Authors
Barbara Mitchell - Barbara is recognized by the industry leaders for her passion and objective to make beautiful jewellery accessible, affordable and forever wearable. She designs custom made jewelery made of gold and diamonds for more than 20 years. Her website, bernardine.com has been mentioned in many books such as "The 12 Gemstones of Revelation", "Teens Have Style!", "10-Minute Crystal Healing" and websites such as wikipedia.org, etsy.com, buzzfeed.com, yahoo.net.
