Choosing and Taking Care of a Cultured Pearl Necklace
Choosing and Taking Care of a Cultured Pearl Necklace
A Brief History of Natural and Cultured Pearls
The history of the pearl is long and goes back more than two thousand years. Before 1910, pearls used in ornaments were natural pearls, but since then, a new kind of pearl, the cultured pearl, has come to be used in jewelry. Pearls are normally formed from the reaction to an irritant (usually a grain of sand) deep within the shell of an oyster, and once it is deep enough, a coating called nacre begins to form to naturally create a pearl. However, natural pearls are rare as only one pearl may be found in a million shellfish. So the idea of forming pearls through scientific means was born, and pearls formed in this way are known as cultured pearls.
From 1910, bigger and greater quantities of cultured pearls began to be produced, and natural pearls became a rarity among pearl owners. It was a person named Kokichi Mikimoto who first gave to the world cultured pearls and from that time to the present, almost 95% of all pearls are cultured.
A cultured pearl necklace is the perfect choice for those who want to own a necklace that has good nacre, plenty of luster, and clarity. A cultured pearl necklace made by Kokichi Mikimoto can be three to six times the cost of an American cultured pearl necklace, so one can choose according to ones pocketbook. Companies such as Tiffanys sell silver overtone cultured pearl necklaces, whereas Mikimoto sells rose overtone pearl necklaces. According to the Gemological Institute of America, both types enhance the value of white pearls, though a rose overtone cultured pearl necklace will mostly suit a fair skinned user while dark skin is better offset by the silver overtone pearl necklaces.
Royalty prefers to buy white pearls, and since pearls, given their reflective nature, tend to absorb the color from its surroundings one really cannot notice the difference between rose overtone and silver overtone cultured pearl necklaces once they drape the recipients neck.
Certification of a Cultured Pearl Necklace
One important and essential way of determining the quality of a cultured pearl necklace is to review its certification if it is available, as this will enable the buyer to evaluate its price with regard to the quality of the pearls. This certification is also known as the grading report and is essentially a description of the characteristics of the pearls.
A brief word about taking care of your cultured pearl necklace is required, as it will help eliminate harmful acts that may shorten the life and reduce the luster of pearls. One should keep the necklace away from household chemicals, and the necklace should be worn after applying perfumes and hair sprays to obviate the harmful effects that these chemical-laden perfumes and sprays may have on the luster of the cultured pearl necklace. Wearing pearl necklaces as often as possible is also recommended since body oils help maintain their luster.
Popularity: 27% [?]
