Pearls are one of the oldest gemstones known to man, with a history dating back more than 4,000 years. They are beautiful gems of nature, formed in the shells of certain mollusks, mainly oysters and mussels. These beautiful gemstones have been cherished and revered for centuries due to their rarity, beauty and symbolic meaning.
How do pearls grow?
How does the gift of the sea actually come about? The oyster creates a pearl when an external element enters, such as sand, a piece of shell or an animal. To protect itself, the oyster produces small layers of calcium carbonate (mother of pearl), which ultimately form the pearl. These layers of mother of pearl catch the light, which gives the pearl its unique shine. Nature determines the shape and color. The rounder the pearl is, the higher its value will be.
Greatest Pearl
The largest pearl in the world measures 30 x 60 cm, weighs 34 kg and is worth approximately 88 million euros. It was found in 2006 by a fisherman in the Philippines.
Freshwater and Saltwater pearls
Pearls are formed in mussels, which produce freshwater pearls, and in oysters, which produce saltwater pearls. The formation of pearls in nature is an extremely rare event, making them extremely valuable. Natural pearls have been around for thousands of years.
There are different types of oysters and mussels and each produces a different type of pearl with its own characteristics depending on those of the mollusk. For example, the larger molluscs produce larger pearls and oysters with blue shells produce blue pearls.
Pearl fact
Although "wild" pearls still exist,
Most pearls, approximately 98%, are cultured nowadays.
Growing pearls
Saltwater pearls have been cultivated for about 100 years. Freshwater pearls have been cultivated for about 50 years. Although it takes years for a pearl to mature, this cultivation technique has made pearls more affordable. One of the advantages of freshwater pearls is their price. Each freshwater mussel can grow up to 40 pearls at a time. In contrast, one can rarely extract more than two pearls from saltwater oysters.
Do pearls grow in every oyster?
No, certainly not, of the approximately 50,000 species of shellfish in the world, only 4 are used for pearl farming.
The symbolic meaning of Pearls
The Pearl brings tranquility, peace and enlightenment. The purifying effect not only affects the body but also the mind and soul. It encourages qualities such as honesty, integrity, understanding, insight, wisdom and acceptance.
Birthstone
The Pearl is the birthstone of the month of June. Tip:🎁