More readily available and affordable now than in the past, pearls still hold a special place in the hearts of many and their beauty is undeniable.
Freshwater and Saltwater Pearls
Natural and Cultured Pearls
Baroque Pearls
Baroque comes from the Portuguese barroco, meaning misshapen pearl. So a baroque pearl is simply a pearl that has no regular shape.
Nacre (NAY-ker)
Cyst Pearls and Blister Pearls
Non Nacreous Pearls
The calcite version doesn’t have the same light bending properties so it lacks the iridescence of the aragonite. It is dense, like thick porcelain.
The best of these pearls have a shimmering effect known as flame structure.
Conch (konk) pearls are produce by a large marine snail, the queen conch. The pearls are usually ovoid and small, ranging from white to a vibrant pink colour.
Some of the hardest pearls to find come from the marine baler snail, known as Melo Melo. The pearls from this mollusc are round, smooth and can be quite large.
Nacreous Pearls
Akoya
Akoya pearls have been grown off the coast of Japan for almost a century. That classic strand of white round pearls that everyone knows and loves? Those are probably akoya pearls.
Tahitian
South Sea
Freshwater
Pearl Grading
Imitation Pearls
One way to tell if your pearls are real or fake is to rub them across your teeth. Fake pearls will glide across, while real pearls feel gritty.