Pearls: what is this stone and where is mined, properties and types

What woman did not try on a pearl necklace or earrings at least once? The brilliance of this stone fascinates, its radiance makes the eyes of the one that wears it shine. But what is the attraction of pearls and why is it so interesting? Let's try to understand.

A pearl is a gemstone of animal origin. He is so alone in the world. Its formation is not in the depths of the earth, such as rubies or sapphires, and in shells of bivalve mollusks.

The ancient Greeks claimed that the mermaids' tears turn into hardened pearls, and in the medieval people they believed that the angels hid in the shells the tears of those who were offended without guilt, and then they become pearls.

Of course, the explanation of the origin of pearls is much more prosaic - so the clam, whose house is a shell, protects itself. A pearl begins to form when a foreign body is inside the shell, which begins to irritate the tender flesh of the mollusk. He is not able to throw him "overboard", so he starts enveloping nacre, covering it in layers, just as he would form his own shell.

In another organic pearl is called wild. It consists of an embryo - it can be a grain of sand, the smallest insect or air bubble, a drop of water, and numerous nacreous layers. As soon as the carbonate ball is formed, the friction force decreases.

The form that a pearl acquires during growth is associated with the location of its embryo. Ideally round pearls are formed in the mantle of the mollusk. And if the embryo is not far from the surface of the shell, such a pearl will grow together with a layer of nacre of the shell and will acquire an irregular shape. Such pearls are called blisters. If the embryo got into the muscle of the mollusk or the area next to it, the shape of the pearl can be very peculiar.

Shellfish, united by groups, with the ability to form pearls, are called pearl mussels. They are divided into sea and river (freshwater) species.

Freshwater pearls are more common and cheaper than the sea. It is easier to get it, because in freshwater pearl oysters, up to 20 pearls can grow at the same time. However, it should be noted that River pearls are smaller, less shiny and not as perfectly round as sea ones. But then they are much more durable and less prone to abrasion. In the world, mostly pearls are mined.

Initially, pearls were mined with the help of divers. This is an ancient and extremely dangerous profession, it is more than 4 thousand years old. The diver plunged into the water for about 20 meters, having only a knife with him, and had to be there for a minute or one and a half, collect as many shells as he could. And the most important thing - He had to make at least 30 such dives a day! Let's not forget about the sharks that trap in the sea desperate pearl hunters.

The famous pearl pearls, which have been mined in the Persian Gulf since ancient times. It was worn by nobles, including Russian.He was considered expensive and very high quality.

Having learned how a pearl is formed in nature, a person learned to grow it artificially. The first such attempts belong to the XIII century. In China, they began to try to grow pearls in oysters, opening them with bamboo sticks, placing copper, lead or wood particles in the sink. Then the oyster was closed and again returned to the depths of the sea. Ready pearls were collected after 3-4 years.

At the beginning of the 20th century, this method was patented by the Japanese, in particular, Kokichi Mikimoto. They are now leading in the world cultivation of cultured pearls. And this is despite the consequences of a catastrophic tsunami in 2011, as a result of which the vast majority of pearl farms were destroyed. For a short time, global leadership in this industry seized China, but the Japanese industry quickly recovered.

How does this happen? They take an oyster, gently open its sash, place it in the “foundling”, it can be a tiny glass ball or beads. After that, the shell is placed in a pond in which optimal conditions are created for the life of the mollusk. For the cultivation of one good sea pearls need about 3 years, river - 2 years.

These pearls are called cultivated. 90% of the pearls from which the jewelry is made are cultured. Its properties are exactly the same as those of the wild, but the cost is much lower. However, you should know that cultured pearls contain a large number of defective specimens. The main suppliers of this type of pearls are Japan and China. Australian and Polynesian cultured pearls are also highly rated.

Types of pearls are much more than just river and sea. Let's stop on the most popular.

Tahiti pearls are formed by big black-lipped oysters Pinctada margaritifera. This species is the only natural one in the world, the rest are colored. Tahitian pearls grow more quickly than others, but perfectly round pearls produce very few mollusks. Each of the black Tahitian pearls has a unique shape, so making jewelry from them is not easy.

In order to "fit" one to another, you have to sort through a huge number of pearls. In addition to differences in shape, they are differently colored - they have blue reflux, eggplant, olive, blue and even dark red, wine. The most expensive colors are cobalt and blue-green “peacock” - peacock. It takes years to assemble a necklace made from pearls of Tahiti, because you need to choose the shape and color of the pearls perfectly. Accordingly, the price of such a decoration is astronomical.

The name "Tahiti" does not mean that only there it is mined. Just there it is not mined, Tahiti is only a trading center for this type of industry. A scatter of pearl farms - throughout the territory of Polynesia: the Gambier Islands, in Micronesia.

Pearls "Baroque" is different - and wild origin, and cultured. The difference in appearance is in the quaintness of the forms taken by pearls. As for the color range, the "baroque" come in a variety of colors, in addition, have different ebb. Although the pearls of perfectly round shape are considered the most valuable, the price for “baroque” is high.

Pearls of the South Seas - the type of cultured pearls, considered the most noble and beautiful. It is produced by very large marine molluscs Pinctada maxima, the shell weight of which can reach 5 kg. The ideal round shape of pearls is very rare.Now all pearls grown with Pinctada maxima are referred to as “Pearls of the South Seas”, mainly Australian, Indonesian and Philippine waters. In diameter, pearls reach 10-20 mm, being the most expensive of the cultured ones.

The color range ranges from white to gold and orange, as well as blue and black shades. Dark pearls shine more intensely than light ones. Golden - the most spectacular and expensive. Pearls of the South Seas are covered with a very thick pearlescent layer - about 6 mm.

Let us dwell on freshwater pearls. Its average size is 4-6 mm, rarely more than 9-10 mm.These are usually cultivated specimens, which are very expensive. For the cultivation of river pearls a very small core is used, therefore its nacre layer on it is much thicker, and the luster, respectively, is stronger.

The cultivation of freshwater pearls in the waters of China is most developed. Two types of mollusks are used for this: Hyriopsis cumingii - the “producer” of pearls of various shades, and Cristaria plicata - are responsible for creating white, cream and pink specimens. The form they have the most different - from the oval to the drop.

Pearl Akoya produced by oysters with the appropriate name. Pearls are most often spherical in shape and of various shades: white, cream, pink, silver, pale yellow and greenish black. The diameter range is 5-9 mm, larger stones are rare and very expensive. This type of pearl is made in Japan on the islands of Honshu and Kyushu.

Pearl "Caches" formed when marine or freshwater mollusks reject the implanted implant. There is no nucleus in such a pearl, however, mother-of-pearl is growing on very small particles in the shell, as well as in all other cases, in layers. These specimens are also considered natural. Keshi is more common in the wild, and not in the cultured. The form of caches resembles flower petals, it is used to create jewelry.

Hemispherical pearls are grown in China, Japan and America. The shape of the hemisphere is achieved due to the fact that the pearl is grown on the shell. Hemispherical pearls are very much in demand in the jewelry industry, it is used to design rings, earrings, pendants and bracelets, where it is fixed with the flat side inwards. This is an inexpensive type of pearl, but there are also expensive specimens of marine origin. This species is called Mabe (Mabe), the so-called "half-pearl".

After the dome-shaped “half-pearl” grows on the inner surface of the shell, it is cut off with great care, and epoxy resin is poured into the cut cavity. Mabe is not as durable as a regular pearl. As a rule, mabe have a regular geometric shape, large size, and still unusual and very rich color gamut of delicate shades. The spectrum ranges from pale pink to bluish with a metallic sheen, silvery-white and dark pearls also occur.

Imitation pearls are a mineral synthesized without the participation of the mollusk's shell, but solely due to man. Pearl for pearls is extracted directly from the shell. Plastic or glass is used for the core. There are many technologies for the production of synthetic pearls.

Mineralogy defines pearls as:

• pearlescent;
• white, pink, yellow, black;
• amorphous syngony;
• Mohs scale determines the hardness of 4 points;
• density - 2.6-2.8 g / cm3;
• having a silky break.

The pearl structure is as layered as nacre. Because he is the mother of pearl, but not on a flat, but on a spherical surface.Due to the fact that the proteinaceous tissue of mother-of-pearl slowly evaporates moisture, the pearl dries out over time, loses its luster, splits, turns yellow, and eventually disintegrates.

The magical properties of pearls lies in the fact that it brings financial well-being and a happy life. In some cultures, the fragility of this stone, on the contrary, is a symbol of tears and vain hopes. Also, pearls are a talisman against spoilage, evil eye, theft and deceitful people. They balance the flow of life, relate it to the cycle of the moon. There is a belief that this gem attracts good luck to strong-willed and spiritually rich people.

The composition of this stone includes organic calcium in large quantities, and it is from him that the healing properties of pearls depend. It was used in different ways, but one way or another, the substances that it consists of should be ingested. For example, in Chinese medicine, rubbing pearls into powder and rubbing it into the skin is suggested.

Also common is the method of drinking acidified water, in which pearls have been kept for some time before. In dry wine, pearls dissolve completely after a certain period, and then the wine is saturated with all the trace elements that are beneficial to humans.

Pearls and turquoise are two stones that “signal” about health problems. Turquoise begins to darken, and the pearl dims and then becomes dull in appearance, and this means that it’s time for the owner to visit a doctor. This is true only for those jewelry that a person wears constantly, as they are in contact with his body.

Tibetan pearl water - a drink that fights inflammation, bacteria, stops bleeding. For its preparation, you just need to take a few pearls and put them in clear water, putting in a cool place and closing the container. After 3-4 hours the water is ready. She can treat gum disease, gallstones, and normalize the menstrual cycle.

There is no woman who would not go with pearl jewelry, but whether it suits her is a question. This is a stone of great strength, but also of high sensitivity. To self-satisfied, pompous people, it does not suit, as well as those whose sensitivity and without a pearl is high. Actors, athletes, travelers do not need to wear items with pearls - there is a high probability of “unbalancing” physical forces with mental ones.

And ladies engaged in business, or representatives of such professions as a judge, lawyer, prosecutor, tax inspector, it is highly recommended to wear pearl jewelry more often. Business women will be able to enter into extremely successful transactions for themselves, and the “siloviki” will be able to make the right decisions, guided by both the “body” and the “spirit”.

As for the color type, type of appearance, age and style - Pearl products are so diverse that every woman will be able to choose the right one for herself, and it does not matter how old she is or what style she prefers.

Of the 12 signs of the zodiac, astrologers recommend wearing pearls to Cancers and Pisces. For a strong manifestation of the properties of the stone, it must be worn in several strands - both on beads and on bracelets.

The quality of fake pearls is often very high and the fake stones look like real ones. However, in most cases, it is quite possible to distinguish a fake from natural pearls, even in appearance - brilliance, smoothness, the presence of external defects will all speak for themselves.

It is very easy to find out if real pearls are in front of you. You need to throw the pearls on a flat surface - a tabletop, for example.Natural stones will push off the surface and jump, and artificial stones will roll.

Also, experts try products "to the tooth." As a rule, fake jewelery has perfect smoothness, whereas real mother-of-pearl is rough because it is untreated. Pearls do not need polishing, or in any other processing.

In order not to fall for scammers, buy products from pearls where the probability of acquiring a fake is zero. For example, bring Vietnamese pearls from a trip to Vietnam, and Japanese cotton from Japan.

In everyday life, pearls should be worn very carefully, so as not to add age to oneself, since this stone is very “age”. If you don’t wear an evening dress “on the floor” and you don’t go to a social reception, then you don’t need a pearl set of earrings, necklace and bracelet.

On weekdays, it is best to wear a few long pearl threads with a tweed jacket in the style of "Chanel", a white shirt or blouse and jeans. If you are not afraid to attract attention, choose a bracelet or beads from very large pearls in several strands. The rings of unusual design with large pearls look great.

The nature of pearls is organic, so it tends to break down faster than other precious stones. In a humid environment, it swells, and when the air is too dry, it crumbles and disintegrates. Pearls do not possess hardness, while they are durable. They tend to react to acid, makeup and cosmetics, hair spray, perfume.

You should avoid getting all of the above on the stone, otherwise it will start to lose luster. To keep the pearls from growing old rinsed in water with dissolved sea salt. This should be done every six months.

Interesting facts about pearls, see the following video.