Classic. Iridescent. Inherently lovely without further embellishment. It has been said that nothing can be added to fine pearls to make them more beautiful except a lovely woman. The pearl was one of the first gems known to man - and its desirability and value remain strong to the present day. They endure as popular adornment; their elegance is timeless; their lustrous warmth attracts attention to any wearer.

A rich history
In ancient times these "gems of the sea" adorned royalty, aristocrats and the very wealthy. In early Asian societies, pearls were viewed as physical symbols of purity, chastity and feminine charms. As early as 2500 BC, there was a substantial pearl trade in China. Later the jewels found their way to India, Egypt, Persia and Rome. The lure of pearls brought Spanish adventurers to America, who heard reports of the vast pearl treasures held by Indians. In fact, Native American burial mounds in the Ohio River Valley were found to contain huge quantities of freshwater pearls dating back to as early as 200 BC.

According to historians, in the Roman period pearls were prized by both men and women. The gems were considered so valuable in some cultures that their ownership was restricted by law. American Indians used freshwater pearls to create jewelry, headdresses, figurines and other treasured objects.

It is said that Cleopatra - to win a bet with Mark Antony - removed a magnificent South Sea pearl earring from her ear, crushed it in a glass of vinegar, and drank it. She then offered the other pearl to Antony. Declining to destroy it, he conceded that the Queen of the Nile had indeed served him the most expensive feast of all time. (The earring pair would be worth $1 million in today's market!)

In 1917, when the famed European jeweler Cartier expanded to its current New York City location, pearls made the move possible: Cartier traded an Oriental pearl necklace for a neo-Renaissance mansion at 653 Fifth Avenue.

The most famous pearls in the world are the largest, rarest and most beautiful. The Hope Pearl weighs 4.50 carats and is two inches long. It is on display at the South Kensington Geological Museum in London. La Pellegrina, which is displayed in the Museum of Zazima in Moscow, weighs in at 27.9 carats. The Miracle of the Sea is the largest pearl in existence, weighing a whopping 297.8 carats!

How pearls are formed
Pearls are produced by mollusks - the common name for a phyllum of soft-bodied animals that usually have a hard shell. Specifically, pearls are created by the class of mollusks known as bivalves, which include clams, oysters, mussels and scallops. In saltwater, pearls are formed by oysters, while in freshwater lakes and rivers, they are produced by mussels. Natural saltwater (also called Oriental) pearls are formed when sand or shell particles are caught in an oyster's "beard" as it moves along the sea floor. The irritant settles in the soft body of the mollusk between the shell and the mantle. The oyster (not the edible variety) secretes fluid to protect its body from the irritation. This secretion, called nacre (pronounced nay-ker), gives pearls their iridescent color. Nacre surrounds the particle (known as the "nucleus") in concentric layers, which build up to create a richer and deeper luster.

Over the centuries, traditional harvesting techniques proved very time-consuming and produced few jewelry-quality pearls. Divers descended to the ocean floor armed only with a knife and a basket. The diver cut each oyster loose from the plants surrounding it and placed it in the basket. After 3-5 minutes of harvesting, the diver returned to the surface and emptied the basket of oysters. The few gem-quality pearls recovered varied in size, shape, color and quality, making it nearly impossible to find similar or matching pearls for a necklace or earrings.

Where pearls are found
Before oil became the preferred commodity, the Persian Gulf supplied most of the world's saltwater pearls. Today, saltwater pearls are found along the coasts of Africa, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Japan and the South Seas. Native Americans of the Atlantic coastal areas and the Mississippi River basin were the first to collect and use freshwater mussel pearls in America. Today, freshwater pearls are cultivated in 31 United States.

Cultured pearls
Cultured pearls are defined as pearls created by oysters through the inducement of man. They have become highly desired because of their uniformity in size and shape. They are genuine pearls - cultivated with a little help.

Many attempts were made over the years to entice oysters to produce a greater number of high quality pearls. But success didn't come until the 20th century. In the early 1900s, three Japanese men working independently discovered a method of inducing pearl growth that gave rise to the modern cultured pearl industry.

Creating and harvesting cultured pearls
Most of the world's cultured pearls are produced in Japan, Australia and the South Seas. A skilled technician opens the live oyster, makes a small incision in the mantle (tissue) and inserts a nucleus. The nucleus usually consists of crushed bits of oyster shell. More than one nucleus is inserted into each mollusk during this procedure, thereby increasing the chance of creating a viable pearl.

Following the insertion, the oyster is placed in a tray of water to rest. The live oysters are then transferred to a cage and lowered into the sea to live while the nacre builds the pearl.

When this method was first developed, pearls were allowed to incubate for three years. Today, most pearls are harvested after six to eight months, which affects the size and shape. Higher quality pearls still take between one and three years to form.

Oysters of Choice
The three main oysters used in pearl production are:

Akoya Oyster (Pinctada Martensii)	This is the most commonly used oyster, producing more export-quality pearls than any other species.
Black-Lipped Oyster (Pinctada Margaritifera)	This is the source of exquisite Tahitian pearls in such beautiful colors as grey, black, blue and green.
Silver-Winged Oyster (Pinctada Maxima)	Predominantly found in Australia, this specimen produces brilliant white pearls that require little or no bleaching.

Special types of pearls

South Sea and Black Pearls	South Sea pearls are both very rare and valuable. They are quite large, ranging from 10 to 20 millimeters in diameter, compared with a typical cultured pearl of 2-10 millimeters. The term black pearl is used to describe any pearl dark in color - grey, silver or black. Most are cultured in the South Pacific, primarily Tahiti.
Seed or Blister Pearls	Created by farm-raised oysters when sand enters the shell during feeding and is surrounded by nacre. These small pearls are used to complement larger pearls or other gems used in jewelry settings.
Mother of Pearl	A secretion from the oyster that is thinner than nacre and protects the mollusk from its own shell. Its iridescent layers are used in decorative applications.
Mabe Pearls	Assembled from cultured half-pearls and mother of pearl, mabe pearls are popular in high-fashion jewelry. A blister is produced by placing a half bead of plastic, glass or other substance flat side against the shell of the oyster. The oyster then covers it with a solution that is partly nacre and partly mother of pearl. Mabes are created in round, oval and pear shapes.
Freshwater Pearls	These are cultivated in lakes and rivers primarily in Japan and China, as well as in the U.S. There are three primary types of freshwater pearls: Rice Pearls - Produced in China, these naturally occurring pearls have a long, irregular, dented shape resembling Rice Krispies. Biwa Pearls - Originating in Japan's Lake Biwa, these naturally occurring pearls are larger and flatter than the Chinese pearls, with a fine color and luster. Cultured Freshwater Pearls - These freshwater pearls are cultivated to produce a smooth, more uniform pearl. They are grown in mussels without using a hard nucleus. Instead, they are cultivated by inserting into the mussel a small piece of mantle tissue from another species. Furthermore, as many as 30 to 40 pieces of tissue can be inserted in freshwater mussels, creating a much higher yield than is possible using their saltwater counterparts. To create larger pearls, the pearl is allowed to build up more nacre over many years - typically six to eight years for the largest 11-12mm size pearls.

Pearl sorting and grading
Pearls are measured in millimeters across the diameter of the pearl. Most pearls sold in the U.S. are between 5mm and 7mm in diameter.

Once removed from the oyster, pearls are first sorted by size and then by color and shape. Because they are created by nature, pearls will have their own birthmarks - blemishes or irregular surfaces. Pearls with only a single blemish will be used for earrings, cuff links and tie tacks. If a pearl has blemishes on opposing sides, a hole will be drilled through the middle so the pearl can be strung for use in necklaces.

Pearls of similar size, shape and color are strung together with silk thread. The thread is knotted at the drilling point to prevent the pearls from rubbing against each other and destroying the natural luster. This practice also gives the necklace more flexibility and prevents the loss of more than one pearl should the string break.


Characterizing pearl quality
Seven key factors define the quality of a pearl. Here's how each one affects the value and beauty of pearl jewelry.

Luster	South Sea pearls are both very rare and valuable. They are quite large, ranging from 10 to 20 millimeters in diameter, compared with a typical cultured pearl of 2-10 millimeters. The term black pearl is used to describe any pearl dark in color - grey, silver or black. Most are cultured in the South Pacific, primarily Tahiti.
Size (diameter)	Created by farm-raised oysters when sand enters the shell during feeding and is surrounded by nacre. These small pearls are used to complement larger pearls or other gems used in jewelry settings.
Color	A secretion from the oyster that is thinner than nacre and protects the mollusk from its own shell. Its iridescent layers are used in decorative applications.
Nacre Thickness	Assembled from cultured half-pearls and mother of pearl, mabe pearls are popular in high-fashion jewelry. A blister is produced by placing a half bead of plastic, glass or other substance flat side against the shell of the oyster. The oyster then covers it with a solution that is partly nacre and partly mother of pearl. Mabes are created in round, oval and pear shapes.
Blemishes/ Spotting	These are cultivated in lakes and rivers primarily in Japan and China, as well as in the U.S. There are three primary types of freshwater pearls:
Shape	The most desirable pearls are perfectly round or spherical in shape. Other shapes - off-round, egg-shaped, or baroque (irregularly shaped) - are less valuable to pearl buyers. The shape of a pearl is determined by a combination of factors including the shape of the nucleus, water current, water temperature and the location of the implant.
Consistency	Consistency in size, color, shape, blemishes and transparency help define the value of a pearl strand. The more consistent the pearls, the higher the price. If smaller pearls are included in a strand, they are usually found near the clasp in the back. The quality of the drilling in the strand is also important. Pearls that are drilled off-center will hang out of line with the rest of the strand, thereby decreasing beauty and value.

What to look for when buying pearls

Minimal skin blemishes	The fewer blisters, pimples or spots, the more attractive.
Roundness	The more perfectly round the better.
Luster	The higher the luster the better.
Tint	Rose-tinted pearls are considered the most valuable, although there are also white and cream colored pearls that are highly desirable.
Size	Oriental pearls (natural) are sold by weight. Pearls are weighed as "grains," with four grains equal to one carat. Cultured pearls are measured in millimeters. The larger the pearl, the greater the cost. For example, the price jumps dramatically between 7 1/2 mm and 8mm, which is considered large - or between 9 and 10mm, which is very large in size and very high in price. In fact, once you pass 8mm, the price escalates rapidly with each millimeter increase.
Matching	Pearls must carefully match in size, shape, luster, tint and skin texture in any strung pearl necklace or bracelet. Graduated pearls (larger in the center and progressively smaller toward the clasp) need to be carefully sized as well.

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