PRETTY PEARLS

Pretty Pearls

Sri Lanka: The wonder of Asia. historically known as “Ceylon”, is called the pearl of the Indian Ocean. Because thousands of years ago, ancient kings used separate teams to dive into the seabed to discover the value and rarity of pearls. These pearls are found in  the Mannar coast Indian Ocean, and are considered to be the most beautiful and expensive pearls in the world. Ninety percent of Sri Lanka's pearls were taken abroad. These pearls are sold aroind in tens of millions of rupees in each country. Unfortunately, almost all the pearl shells that used to produce pearls in Sri Lankan waters today have become extinct.

Every woman should have pearl jewelry among her jewelry collection. Pearl quality is dependent on its source, how it was formed and other quality factors. When shopping for pearl jewelry, your search should lead you to a professional jeweler near you.

Natural Pearls

Natural pearls, those that form organically in nature, are extremely rare -- very few are on the market today. 

Cultured Pearls

Cultured pearls make up the majority of pearls on the market today. The “culturing” process dates back to the late 19th century, cultured pearls are formed in the same way as natural pearls, and are considered real pearls. In cultured pearls, an irritant is surgically placed into the mollusk and protected in "pearl farms" while the pearl develops. 

Pearl Quality Factors

Pearls are classified by origin, then graded by size, shape, nacre thickness, color, luster, surface clarity and how they match. Here’s a quick summary of pearl quality factors to get started:

Lustre

The combination of surface brilliance and a deep-seated glow, the luster of a good-quality cultured pearl should be bright, not dull. Your reflection should be seen clearly on the surface of a cultured pearl. Any pearl that looks too chalky or dull indicates low quality.

Shape

Since cultured pearls are grown by oysters and subject to the whims of Mother Nature, it is very rare to find a perfectly round cultured pearl – and these are considered most valuable. While many people prefer the perfect spheres of classic pearl jewelry, baroque pearls -- those that have an irregular shape -- are now commonly seen in fine jewelry. Freshwater pearls, from freshwater sources like lakes and rivers, are most often baroque.

Size

Measured by their diameter in millimeters, the average cultured pearls sold today are between 7 and 7 1/2 millimeters. Generally, the larger the pearl, the more valuable it will be.

Surface

Cleanliness of the cultured pearl surface refers to the absence of disfiguring spots, bumps or cracks. A cultured pearl with a clean surface will have a higher value than a spotted, bumpy or cracked one

Color

Rose Silver/White Cream Gold Blue/Gray cultured pearls occur in colors from rosé to black. While color is a matter of preference, rosé or silver/white pearls tend to look best on fair skin tones, while cream and gold-tone cultured pearls are flattering to darker complexions.

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