Learn About Pearls

Women in the southern states do love their pearls. Many young girls receive their first string of pearls from their mother. Mommy called her aside and gave them to her as a gift for her birthday or other special occasion. Pearls are a valuable gemstone and there are various kinds available for you to enjoy, each offering its own unique variety of beauty.

Akoya Pearls
Freshwater Pearls
South Sea Pearls
Tahitian Pearls

Japanese cultured pearls are called Akoya pearls. They are known for their larger, rounder size and are typically white, cream or a pinkish rose color. These are some of the finest in pearls. Because of this, it is Akoya pearls that are typically chosen to be on earring studs and strung for necklaces. These Japanese saltwater pearls tend to have a more lustrous finish to them, making them more valuable than the freshwater varieties of cultured pearls.

For a high luster and an affordable price, freshwater pearls are a great choice for jewelry. Freshwater pearls are cultured in the United States, China and Japan. The thing that makes these pearls so popular is that they are available in a great variety of colors. There are many shades that occur naturally besides white, but they are also frequently dyed with a variety of pastel colors.

When caring for your freshwater pearls, be sure to remove them before working with chemicals or make-up that might stain them. Pearls are very porous and can easily soak up lipstick, perfume or beauty products.

South Sea pearls are available in both natural and cultured varieties. They are both saltwater pearls made by pinctada maxima oysters found in the South Sea, but the cultured pearls are far more affordable. South Sea pearls are known for their shades of gold, silver or white colors.

Aside from the beauty of the color of these unique pearls, they are sought after because of their size. The South Sea pearls made by this oyster are very large, far larger than freshwater pearls. A South Sea pearl can be 20mm, with most averaging about 13mm. So, if you’re looking for a uniquely beautiful and large cultured pearl, the South Sea pearls are a gorgeous choice.

The mysterious and exotic black pearls are Tahitian pearls. They can range in unusual darker colors like grey, peacock blues, greens and chocolate browns. These South Sea saltwater creations are gems produced by the pinctada margaritfera black-lipped oyster. The pearls they produce are so valuable that it is not likely they would ever be dyed. Their beautiful colors are usually a natural color, even though they are cultured pearls.

Tahitian cultured pearls are from the blue lagoons in the islands of French Polynesia. These gems are French Polynesia’s largest export. Everyone looks for a pure black Tahitian pearl, but most that are labeled black are in a range of grey colors. Even though they aren’t pure black, they are still highly prized for their beauty. No matter what the shade of color of this pearl, they are some of the most beautiful on earth.