How to choose your pearls? - Explore worldwide collection of Pearls

How to choose your pearls? - Explore worldwide collection of Pearls at Sound of Pearls London

Pearls, which are natural or cultured, come in many shapes and sizes.

Different pearls have different uses, and there are some that are more valuable than others.

There are two main types of pearls, natural and cultured pearls. Natural pearls are produced when a mollusk's flesh gets irritated by a grain of sand or a parasite. The oyster covers the irritation with layers and layers of nacre, eventually producing a pearl. Cultured pearls are created when an irritant is inserted into the oyster's flesh to create layers of nacre around it that eventually create a pearl.

Natural pearls have their own beauty but they tend to have imperfections and flaws in them because they're made from living things so it's hard to control the size and coloration since each one grows differently. They also come in shapes that won't fit with every piece for jewelry making. Cultured pearls offer more uniformity than natural ones with more affordable price.

The most expensive type of cultured pearl is the Akoya. The Akoya pearl is usually cultivated in a saltwater mussel or oyster on the Pacific coast of South-East Asia. Akoya pearls are usually round or semi-round and can be white to cream in color, with a luster that ranges from high to low.

Other types of cultured pearls include Tahitian black pearls, South Sea Pearls and saltwater Black Sea pearls.

 

There are also freshwater pearls which come from oysters that mature in non-saline water (from lakes or ponds). Freshwater pearl mussel is capable of producing numerous gems at once, creating versatile, affordable and stunning pearls to wear. China has long history of producing high quality freshwater pearls, Japan and Korea also produce freshwater pearls. Freshwater could have different shapes such as round and irregular shapes. Those with irregular are called Baroque pearls; Actually 90% of freshwater pearls are baroque pearls.

Baroque pearls are liked by jewellery designers and could be made into different styles to meet personal needs.