The Pearl

BY DOUG MITCHELL

Pearls have been adored by people of countless cultures for centuries. They’ve been a timeless symbol for class, chastity, and purity. While the most familiar pearls come in cream and white, pearls can be found in a variety of colors and types.

HISTORY

Pearls were first mentioned in ancient texts around 2200 BC by a Chinese historian. From those ancient times until the discovery of the New World in 1492, some of the outstanding sources of natural pearls were the Persian Gulf, the waters of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Chinese rivers and lakes, and the rivers of Europe.

During Christopher Columbus’s 1498 and 1502 voyages to the New World, he repeatedly encountered native people adorned with natural pearls. However, within a hundred years, these natural pearl sources had declined due to overfishing, pearl culturing, plastic buttons, and oil drilling.

LORE

Pearls are treasures from the Earth’s ponds, lakes, seas, and oceans, and they’ve always embodied the mystery, power, and life-sustaining nature of water.

The spherical shape of some pearls led many cultures to associate this gem with the moon. In ancient China, pearls were believed to guarantee protection from fire and fire-breathing dragons. In Europe, they symbolized modesty, chastity, and purity.

CULTURED VS NATURAL PEARLS

There are two primary types of authentic pearls in the world, often compared to one another: cultured pearls and natural pearls. Fact is, both types are real gemstones, but it’s the way they are formed that makes them different.

Cultured Pearls

Pearl cultivation involves the process of pearl farmers physically inserting an irritant, such as a shell bead nucleus, inside the soft tissue of the mollusk. From there, the layers of nacre are formed naturally, just like with natural pearls. Most pearls available on the market today are cultured. Natural pearls are much rarer and, therefore, much more valuable.

Natural Pearls

A natural pearl is formed organically when an irritant accidentally finds itself inside the oyster’s soft tissue muscle. This irritant, such as seawater sand or dust, activates the oyster’s defense mechanism, causing it to produce layers of secretions. The secretion (also called nacre) slowly develops into a natural pearl. It takes the right mollusk, the right irritant, and the right timing for all of this to happen - making natural pearls so incredible. Due to the high demand for these gorgeous gems, mankind came up with a way to successfully create real pearls - with some intervention.

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FORMATION, COLOR & TYPES OF PEARLS

Pearls can be formed in any mollusk. The natural color of a pearl depends on the type of mollusk in which it is created. For example, Akoya pearls form in saltwater mollusks and come in white, cream, or light grey. Below are some examples of different types of pearls.

AKOYA

Formed in saltwater Pinctada fucata mollusks. These pearls primarily come in cream, white, light grey. Sometimes these pearls can have overtones of pink or green.

TAHITIAN

Formed in saltwater Pinctada margaritifera mollusks. These pearls are famous for their darker hues in eggplant purple, peacock green, and various tones of grey.

SOUTH SEA

Formed in saltwater Pinctada maxima mollusks. These pearls are primarily found in silver, white, and golden colors.

FRESHWATER

Formed in freshwater Hyriopsis cumingii (hybrid) mollusks. These pearls are usually found in lakes and ponds and come in a wide range of colors.

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