The world is your oyster
The pearl is a fascinating gemstone. It has been prized for its luster and beauty for thousands of years. Pearl is the birthstone for June, but is worn and loved by many because they are classic, elegant, timeless, and iconic. They can represent purity, harmony, humility, and perseverance.
Most of the world's pearls are farmed off the coasts of China, Japan, Indonesia, Australia and Tahiti. Different species of oysters produce different size and color pearls. The gold lipped oyster in the Philippines makes pearls with a golden or champagne color. The black lipped oyster of French Polynesia makes black pearls which can range from deep blue to purple, to green and dark grey. These variations in color are determined by where pearl is made in the oyster. It is ironic that something so beautiful could be created by such an unassuming creature.
Most gemstones are cut and polished before being used in jewelry, but pearls are naturally lustrous and rarely treated or modified after harvest. A pearl is created when an irritant, usually a mother of pearl bead, is implanted into an oyster. Over time, the oyster makes a coating around the bead, called nacre, to alleviate the discomfort. These thin layers of smooth coating are what give the pearl its shine. The longer a pearl is in an oyster, the larger it will become.
There is so much more that could be said about pearls, how they are harvested, methods of stringing and mounting, the differences in shapes and quality. Mrs. Ketterman has taken an entire GIA course exclusively on pearls. They truly are an amazing creation. Next time you see a pearl, consider the time it took to form inside the oyster, the care taken in harvesting, the uniqueness of the individual pearl and the meticulous process taken to match it to others like itself. Each pearl is an exceptionally precious gem with the potential to be prized by its owner for many years to come.
