Difference Between Natural, Cultured, Freshwater and Shell pearls

Pearls are semi-precious stones which are found in sea waters and is organic in nature. They are quite fragile and measures only 3.5 on the Moh’s hardness scale. Pearls are formed naturally when an irritant enters and gets lodged in an oyster’s soft inner body by accident. This causes a discharge of a crystalline substance which helps to form layers around the irritant until a pearl is formed.

Pearl gemstones are usually found in colors such as gray, white, black, purple and red. They are associated with the moon and signify peace, harmony, insight, spirituality and happiness. Pearl gemstones are beautiful in appearance and used in nuptial as well as engagement jewelries. Pearl gemstone is also helpful to those individuals who suffer from depression and mental issues.

No one knows when the pearl was first discovered. They are the world’s earliest gems and was thought to be revealed by chance when people had gone looking for food along the shores of the sea. For centuries, pearls have been a symbol of purity because of its white color. In the ancient Roman history, around the 1st century B.C., King Julius Ceaser declared that Pearls belonged to the ruling royal classes only and to be considered as a status symbol.

In ancient times, the Knights would wear pearls to the battleground because they believed it would shield them. Owing to the great demand of pearls jewelry as they were adorned by the royal ladies, pearl trade escalated and flourished.

The earlier pearl stones were found in the Persian Gulf, which was considered rich in oyster beds. However, today natural pearls are very rare and scarce as due to high pollution and global warming. This resulted in polluted sea waters which hampered the growth of oyster pearls. 

Pearl stones are of following types:

Natural Pearl stones:

As the name suggests, they are pearls made naturally from the oysters in the sea beds and hence very rare. It also takes a long time in the creation of a natural pearls which is the reason for its high demand and price.

Cultured Pearl stones:

They are produced artificially to meet the high mandate of pearl gemstone in absence of rare natural pearls. Here pearl beads are manually entrenched inside the mollusk and likely situations have been shaped so that pearl gemstone can grow inside the mollusk. This enables the discharge of a crystalline substance which helps to form layers around the irritant until a pearl is formed.

A Japanese by the name of Kokichi Mikimoto created the first cultured pearls in 1893 through the artificial process. The cultured pearl industry    grew   many folds since then and made up for the lack of natural pearl supply. Cultured Pearl stone can be further classified into Freshwater pearl gemstone and Saltwater Pearl Gemstone.

Fresh Water Pearl Gemstone:

These pearls are grown inside fresh water sources found mainly in lakes, rivers and ponds of china. They are also known as Akoya pearl stone and have brilliant luster, are typically white and perfectly round. They are a favorite among brides and jeweler & fashion designers.

Saltwater Pearl Gemstone:

They are grown in the sea or lakes of Japan and China. The most popular color of saltwater pearl is white, cream and gray. South Sea pearls which is a type of saltwater pearl stone They are the largest and rarest pearls and therefore expensive They are known for their luster and rich color. They come in glossy white, silky silver, champagne, creamy pink colors. They are also produced in Australia, Indonesia and are green, pink, black and purple in color.

Shell Pearls:

The inner lining of oyster shells is grounded into a fine powder. Then it is shaped, dyed and coated with natural pearl nacre and a protective coating is given to it. This coating also provides luster and shine. Since they are made artificially, quality varies. However, it is beautiful and much less expensive than saltwater pearls. Also, they are more durable than cultured and freshwater pearls.

The History Of Pearls

About Pearls: 

The best-loved gems of all time, pearls are the natural and cultured gemstones occur in a wide variety of colors. The most familiar white and cream, but the palette of colors extends to every hue.  Pearl stone is the birthstone for June. 

Pearls are organic gemstones that are formed by shelled molluscs; mainly bivalves oysters and mussels.

The Beginning History Of Pearls:

The pearl gemstone has long been treasured and highly valued in many cultures throughout history. In India ancient Hindu texts repeatedly refer to pearls, staying in one place that the god Krishna discovered the first pearl. In ancient Egypt, mother of pearl was used for decorative purposes.

Pearls In Roman History:

In ancient Rome, pearls were a highly  prized accessory, and worn as a symbol of wealth and prestige. They were such a status symbol, that an effort was actually made to prohibit the wearing pearl gemstone by those not deserving of them.

Pearls in Greek history:

The ancient Greeks also highly valued pearls, using them, especially at weddings, where they were said to bring love. With many natural oyster beds lying along the Persian gulf, the Arab culture also placed a high value on pearls, which are described in the Koran as one of the greatest treasures provided in paradise.

Pearls In Modern History:

In the  western Hemisphere,Native Americans  also valued the fresh water they had discovered and harvested from lakes and rivers. The story is  told of a native American princess, who presented herbnado  de  Soto with gifts of animal , skin , cloth, copper and freshwater pearls

History Of Pearls In North America:

In addition to the pearls themselves, American mother of pearl has also become a major export, both from the north American colonies and later from the united states. A primary use of mother-of-pearl was to make shiny, indecent clothing buttons, of which billions were exported all over the world (mainly from lova)

The Effect Of Pearl culturing On Modern Pearls:

The effect on the pearl industry of the discovery of pearl culturing, combined with Mikimotos marketing enthusiasm, cannot be understood. During a span of less than 50 years at the beginning  of the 20 century, thousands of years of world histore ere rewritten.

The oldest reference to pearls (freshwater pearls) comes from ancient China 2,350 B.C:

The most ancient reference to pearls comes from ancient China. In one of the oldest of books published in China, known as Sho King (Chuang Tzu) dating from 2,350 B.C. (4,350 B.P.) mention is made of a pearl from the River Huai, the natural boundary between north China and south China, being given as a tribute to Emperor Yu in 2206 B.C. (4,206 B.P.), and a string of near-spherical pearls from the province of King Kau also given as tribute.