How pearls are formed in the sink: the secrets of nature

Pearls are the only gems that are not mined from the bowels of the earth. If until today you thought that round pearl beads are “distant relatives” of diamonds and diamonds, then it's time to find out the truth. They have nothing in common either in composition or in the way of education.

What is a pearl?

Pearls are a unique creation of nature, or rather mollusks that live in shells. Allocating a special substance, they create pearls inside their shelter, which are then mined by divers.

But far from every shell you can find pearls. The fact is that this stone is formed when foreign particles fall into it: grains of sand, small mollusks, even air bubbles. All this can damage the oyster’s tender body. Therefore, nature rewarded the inhabitants of the shells with a unique ability to create a protective shell - pearls around foreign bodies.

Layer by layer, the released liquid covers the particles that have fallen, smoothing their sharp corners and roughness so that they cannot damage the mollusk. The larger the pearl, the longer it "ripens" inside. The substance that forms it is called mother of pearl, which means “mother of pearls”. It is 86 percent calcium carbonate (aragonite), 12 percent protein (conhiolin), and 2 percent water.

How does a pearl appear

Pearl formation begins with the appearance of the first layer of aragonite around a foreign particle. Then hundreds more layers grow on it. Proteins gradually fill the hollow space between the crystals of calcium carbonate, making the shell very strong. The top layer consists only of aragonite, which gives the pearl a pearly sheen.

Pearls can form in both sea and river shells. And it will differ significantly in composition and appearance. If large pearls and no more than one in the shell are formed in the depths of the sea, then in river ponds, they are smaller and grow several in a single place.

These differences dictate the difference in price. Sea pearls are less commonly used to create jewelry and much more valued. Also today we have learned to create artificial pearls and grow it in greenhouse conditions.

What affects the appearance of pearls

The size, color, and shape of pearls are influenced by many factors. As mentioned above, smaller stones are formed in small rivers and other small reservoirs, and large at the bottom of the seas. If the pearl grows on the body of the mollusk without touching the walls, then its shape will be as close to the ball as possible. Also, the formation may appear on the shell itself, then the pearl will look like a growth.

The smallest pearls reach a diameter of 0.2-0.25 cm, large ones are those that exceed 0.7-0.8 cm. Pearls are found 1 cm wide. And the largest find is stored in the Museum of London, it weighs as much as 85 grams. and has a girth of 4.5 cm.

In jewelry stores there are pearls of a wide variety of colors: white, pink, black, blue, red, burgundy, silver or golden. The most expensive is the blue pearl, it is mined in the Indonesian depths. Dark is found in the Caribbean, pink in India and Japan, in Australia it will be white, and in Panama it will be golden.

Wild pearls

Only a small part of the pearl market is a natural product. It is not easily obtained, and fishing harms the ecology of the sea and river depths. But nevertheless, treasure connoisseurs cannot be lured to the side, albeit skillfully, but still grown in artificial conditions, pearls.

To find a standing specimen, you have to open many sinks and only in one out of ten you find an even stone of a suitable size, which can be used in jewelry production.

But many lovers of original jewelry consciously choose irregular shaped pearls. Its variety is very amazing. It can be not only oval, but also the most bizarre shapes. At the same time, the pearlescent shine on the bends plays amazing tints. Rarely, but still you can find pearls of a drop-shaped, oblong, flat and completely irregular shape. It looks very unusual stone, which seems to be surrounded by rings.

Irregular natural pearls come in several varieties:

• Caches. It has the shape of a petal.
• Biwa. Looks like a mother of pearl wand.
• Baroque pearls. It is rather not a variety, but a general definition for bizarre pearls.

Matte pearls look original, a similar anomaly is formed in the absence of pearlescent particles. These instances are fabulous amounts, but no person on Earth will definitely have such decoration.

Pearls that could be tamed

The desire of fashionistas to wear jewelry with pearls prompted jewelers to artificially grow the gem. For these purposes, foreign particles, most often polished pieces of the same pearls, are planted in the sinks and put into a pond with ideal incubation conditions.

Pearl cultivation began several centuries ago in China. Until now, this country is considered the market leader along with Japan. Over this long period, entrepreneurs have learned to breed a large number of different varieties of this stone.

What varieties of cultured pearls exist:

1. Akoya. This type of pearl is grown by oysters of the same name. Akoya is a marine pearl and is cultivated in Japan and China. Today it is the most popular variety, which is an example of a classic shape and color. Its dimensions do not exceed 0.7-0.8 cm and it has an amazing refraction of light, which creates a feeling of glow from the inside.
2. Golden pearls. It is grown in the seas of Australia, Indonesia, in the Philippines and Myanmar. It differs significantly from oriental pearls: its diameter reaches 1 cm and has a dense top layer of nacre, which makes the gloss muffled.
3. Black Pearl. The center of commerce for this species is Tahiti, but there are factories in many places. Black pearls are considered royal, they come in different sizes (from 0.8 to 1.8 cm) and cost more than others. The color scheme is striking in variety: from silver to black, with tints of blue, purple or green.
4. White pearls. It is grown in sea-silver oysters on the shores of Australia, Indonesia and the Philippine Islands. Such pearls in diameter can reach 2 cm. Oysters of this species are very capricious and it is quite difficult to tame them, so this pearl is exclusive, despite the fact that it is cultivated.

Of course, we have listed not all varieties of this gem, but the most basic ones. Now you have an idea not only of how pearls are grown, but also of what types it happens.

Artificial pearls

Today, the jewelry market offers products for every taste and color, so the appearance of artificially created stones does not surprise anyone. A variety of technologies allows us to produce products of the highest quality.

Popular varieties of faux pearls:

1. Majorca. The base is made of glass or plastic and coated with artificial nacre. Thanks to a unique surface treatment method, pearls become incredibly similar to cultured ones.
2. Taraka Unlike the previous method, the base of this pearl is made of real mother of pearl, which is removed from the inner shells.Top stone is treated with polyamide and varnish, which includes mica, plastic, titanium oxide and lead carbonate. This gives the pearl extra shine and protection.
3. French pearls. This technology was one of the very first and has survived to our times. A glass ball is filled with wax from the inside and a product resembling a pearl is obtained.
4. Venetian pearls. The manufacturing principle is similar to the previous one, with the only difference being that pearl dust is added to the glass from which the sphere is blown.

Modern technologies make it possible to make artificial pearls in a short time, which gives it an advantage over natural pearls, which are grown on average for about 7 years.

How to choose and store pearl jewelry

Having become acquainted with the varieties of real and artificial pearls, the question arises, how not to get confused in such a variety and buy high-quality goods. Jewelers' advice will help you in this difficult choice.

What are the criteria for choosing pearls:

• color - indicates geographical origin;
• shine - the brighter it is, the more mother of pearl;
• form - its choice depends on your personal preferences, but it is considered perfectly round classical;
• smoothness - the less roughness, the more valuable the stone;
• size - the larger the more expensive.

If you have already purchased a product with pearls, it will be useful to find out how to store it correctly, because natural stone consists of organic compounds and many factors affect it.

Storage Rules:

• Avoid contact with water, chemicals and acids;
• clean with a soft, dry cloth;
• protect the surface of pearls from cosmetics, as they include fats and acids that corrode nacre;
• store the product in a box or box wrapped in cloth.

With poor care, pearls can last only 50 years, and with good care all 500.

Whatever product you choose - with artificial or natural stone, such beauty will delight you for a long time. Pearls are a graceful and unusual stone that is not like other precious minerals. He gives the owner a royal and sophisticated look and makes her feminine and attractive. Having decided to opt for pearls, you will not lose with the purchase.

Video: cultivating artificial pearls