Everything about pearls

Natural pearls are so rare that today most of them are “grown”. In order to artificially grow pearls, a small foreign body is deposited in the shell, which will then molluscs cover with minerals and proteins over the time. These layers are called “mother-of-pearl”. From this originates also the beautiful glow and colour of the pearls.

Quality

Although there are no standard valuations for pearls, we affirm that each pearl bought from us meets our high quality requirements. From us you can always get information about the different types of pearls and their quality.

Color

The general colour of a pearl is also named overtone. Typical colours of the pearls are white, cream, yellow, rose, silver or black. They may also have a secondary or undertone. This can be seen when the light is reflecting back from the pearl. For example, pearls may look white, but at a closer look the rose undertone also appears.

Luster

Pearls have an extraordinary deep and intense luster. This effect occurs when the light is reflecting back on many layers of mother-of-pearl. Note that the larger the pearl, the more layers it forms and the more intense it shines. Compare the 5mm freshwater pearl with 10mm South Sea pearl – the shine differences and abundance of pearl-like layers are obvious.

Shape

The rarest are considered completely round pearls. Pearls whose shape is not round or symmetrical are considered to be of lower quality. The jewellery with Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea pearls are the most perfect. However, freshwater pearls have slight anomalies and are more oval or drop shape.

Pearl surface

When the pearl develops in the shell the layers of mother-of-pearl may not always attach evenly. Sometimes there are visible small dots or bubbles. The pearls with the most smooth surface are considered to be the most high quality and most wanted. We can offer you pearls with very different surface quality.

Size

The size of the pearl is highly dependent on its type. Freshwater pearl sizes generally range from 3.0 to 8.5 mm. The sizes of the South Sea and Tahitian pearls can reach 13 mm.

If the pearls are properly cared, they remain eternal. The best way would be to wear pearls as often as possible, as the body keeps them bright with its natural oily matters. However, it is important to keep them away from the household chemicals, perfumes, makeup and hair spray. Chemical compounds in the latter can diminish the glow of pearls. It is recommended that when you make yourself ready, the pearls are the last you put on and coming back the first ones that you remove. Before putting them back to the box, wipe them gently with a soft cloth and place them apart from other jewellery to prevent surface damage. To clean the jewellery, we recommend the TownTalk ehete poleerimislappi.