(904) 354-5959
0
  • No products in the cart.
Total:$0.00

20 Jun June’s Birthstone: The Pearl

Posted at 15:41h in by

This month’s birthstone is the lovely pearl. Pearls are organic gems that are made of a product called calcium carbonate and is drawn from the water by the mussel that the pearl is formed in. Pearls have been used as adornments for centuries and were one of the favorite gems of the Roman Empire. They are unique because they are the only gems from living sea creatures and require no faceting or polishing to reveal their natural beauty.

There are many less expensive pearl imitations on the market, but there are several ways you can determine if your pearl is real.

  • Tooth Test – When you rub the pearl against the tooth you should feel a slight natural texture. If the pearl was artificial pearl, made of glass or plastic it would feel slick and/or smooth.
  • Friction Test – Rub two pearls lightly against one another. If they feel gritty or sandy, they are real pearls. If they feel smooth, they are not real.
  • Surface Magnification – When magnified, the surfaces of the pearls should look scaly, maze-like. If they look grainy, the beads are imitation pearls.
  • Flaw Test – Real pearls rarely ever appear flawless.
  • Matching Test – Observe the whole pearl jewelry piece, their shape, luster, size, and color. Real pearls tend to be variations, while imitations will appear identical.
  • Overtone Test – Real pearls have various overtones.
  • Drilled-Hole Test – The pearl nacre coating is thicker than the coating of imitations and you may find a clear dividing line between the nacre and nucleus from the real pearl’s drilled-hole.

Many people ask what is the difference between a natural pearl and a cultured pearl. The difference is simple. A cultured pearl is one that is formed with human intervention and a natural pearl is one that is formed when foreign matter enters the body of the mollusk. When creating a cultured pearl, a piece of mantle tissue or a round bead is inserted into the mollusk. The process of creating the pearl then begins and layers of nacre are deposited around the irritant. The same process occurs in a natural pearl.

Pearls are very delicate and should be handled carefully. You should always make putting on your pearls the last thing you do. Makeup, perfumes and hair sprays can be very damaging to your pearls. Likewise, removing your pearls after an evening out should be the first thing you do before wiping your face and neck with cleaners or night creams. Wipe your pearls with a soft damp cloth to keep them clean. To enhance their shine and luster, you can occasionally buff them a silk cloth.

To learn more about pearls or see what Hemming Plaza Jewelers has to offer, be sure to check out our segment on First Coast Living, Thursday, June 21, 2012.