Worn often and properly cared for, pearls can look as good in 50 years as they did the day they left the store. Pearls are not the most durable of gems. Most everyday items at home and in the office are tougher than pearls, so careless contact can cause damage them over time.
Pearls contain organic substance, which can dry out and decay, which is why pearls have their certain life span, after which pearls start to grow dim, exfoliate and are finally destructed. This means special attention is required to ensure pearls will stay beautiful and last for hundreds of years.
While pearls may appear hard and shiny, the surface of a pearl is actually quite porous, and will absorb the natural oils from your body. If pearls are not worn every four months or so, they can dry out and become dull and yellowed.
Treat pearls like fine silk. Wearing pearls in daily sunlight exposures are generally safe. Constant exposure to very bright lights over a long periods of time, be it direct sunlight or intense halogen lights, can fade natural as well as treated colors. After wearing, clean your pearls.
The process of producing a pearl can range from 6 months to several years. Even before this, it takes about 3 years for the mollusk to reach a mature age in order to produce a pearl. A mollusk is only able to begin the pearl making process naturally or with the help of humans when it reaches this mature age.
Gold Pearls
One of the largest and rarest pearls found around the world is Gold in color. They are Golden South Sea pearls, cultured in the Philippine Islands. Golden South Sea pearls have only been available to pearl lovers since the late 1970s, and are known as the “Rolls Royce” of cultured pearls.
Today, natural pearls are extremely rare. Only 1 in about 10,000 wild oysters will yield a pearl and of those, only a small percentage achieve the size, shape and colour desirable to the jewellery industry.
Wetting pearls is never a good idea, as it begins to destroy the jewel. Pearl necklaces are damaged when they get wet, because the water damages both the thread and the pearl . When wet, the thread that holds the beads together begins to stretch and lengthen, so it quickly loses the desired shape.
A natural pearl may show growth lines where concentric layers of nacre have been added. Cultured pearls on the other hand will appear to have a perfectly rounded nucleus that's surrounded by a halo of conchiolin and finally a thin outer layer.
It's often assumed that because something's old it must be valuable. That's rarely true and certainly not for pearls. Advances in technology and culturing techniques mean you can buy a much better set of pearls for far less money than in grandma's time.
As mentioned, pearls are ranked 2.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale which means that a pearl is considered a soft gem and can easily be scratched. But with adequate care, pearl jewelry can last for a lifetime and be passed down through generations. The good news is that special care is not hard to do.
Is it OK to wear pearls everyday? Absolutely. Pearl jewelry should be worn and enjoyed frequently, so avoid leaving your pearls in a security box for long periods of time. But as many jewelry, pearls are beautiful, but they are delicate and should be worn with care.
Astrology says that the people whose zodiac signs lords are Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Rahu should never wear pearls. Pearls harm the natives of these zodiac signs. This means that people of Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Capricorn and Aquarius ascendant should not wear pearls.
How Much Are Real Pearls Worth? A traditional strand of white pearls can range from $100 (Freshwater pearl necklace) to $10,000 (Akoya pearl necklace). A strand of large, flawless South Sea pearls could even be valued as high as $100,000+ .
Cosmetics, sun block, perfume and hairspray all contain chemicals that can dramatically dull the luster of a pearl. The natural acids contained in body oils and perspiration can also damage pearls in the same way.
What are real pearls? A real pearl is produced by pearl-bearing oysters either in fresh or salt water. Depending on whether human assistance is involved or not, this organic gem can either be cultured or natural. It's worth noting that almost all pearls on the market today are cultured.
Natural pearls grow in the wild without human intervention. They are very rare, and most natural pearls in the market today are antique. Cultured pearls are grown in pearl farms, and are the direct result of human intervention.
Cultured pearls can benefit from a very light coating of baby oil to promote their shine and luster. Just add a small drop onto a cloth and apply gently. Otherwise, treat them exactly as you would natural pearls. Your pearl jewelry needs looking after, and yet doing so is easy.
After wearing pearls, wipe them with a soft cloth to remove any traces of cosmetic products or body sweat. To shine pearls, you can put a few drops of olive oil, coconut oil or monoi oil on the pearls, and then wipe them with a soft cloth to remove the excess oil. Pearls should be stored separately from other jewelry.
Leaving pearl jewelry in a security box for long periods may cause pearls to dehydrate, so enjoy them frequently. There is a saying that “pearls want to be worn,” and it is true. In the case of pearl rings, please be aware that these are only to be worn for dress and are not intended for everyday wear.
The Kimberley Region
The remote Kimberley coastline in the North-West of Australia is the perfect location for growing South Sea Pearls. The area is home to huge tidal variations of up to 12 metres (the second largest tides in the world).
Some pearls form naturally, but others, known as cultured pearls, are created by inserting a special irritant inside the shell. Some oysters are grown specifically for producing pearls, which can be removed without killing the oyster, and new irritants inserted to grow more.
Not all oysters make pearls
Pearls come from pearl oysters which are known as Pinctada. These are found deep in the ocean and not near the surface like the more common oysters that are used in most restaurants. So sadly there's very little chance of you finding a pearl in with your lunch!