All About Pearl

Pearl is the birthstone for June and the anniversary gemstone for the 3rd and 30th year of marriage. Pearls are the most diverse gemstone. They come in so many shapes, sizes and colors. There are two main types of pearls, freshwater and saltwater. In History pearls have been a symbol of beauty, purity, wealth and love. Up until the early 1900’s all pearls were natural. Divers would risk their life and dive down 20 to 30 feet to collect an oyster they thought might have a pearl within. It was a dangerous and often unrewarding profession. Many divers suffered serious injury while looking for a beautiful natural pearl. The invention of round cultured pearls as manufactured today is the work of the Japanese Tatsuhei Mise, who obtained his first round pearl in 1904. The famous Japanese Mikimoto used this same technique to produce high quality cultured pearls and thanks to his qualities as an excellent technician and businessman that the cultured pearl has gained its present world-wide reputation. All pearls today are of the cultured pearl variety. There are no longer divers that brave the elements to look for natural pearls. It must not be forgotten that whether natural or cultured, the pearl is still one of natures creations.
Saltwater pearls are farmed in the ocean in an oyster. While freshwater pearls are farmed in lakes, rivers and streams in a mussel. Both types are grafted and raised on a farm for 1-3 years to produce a pearl. White saltwater pearls are found in Japan, freshwater are mainly from China. There are a variety of South Sea saltwater pearls that are from Tahiti (black), Australia (silvery white), Indonesia (golden) and the Philippines (golden).  The natural color of freshwater pearl is white, off-white, pink and peach. A lot of freshwater pearls are color enhanced by either dye or radiation. This permanently changes the color of the pearl. Today you will find freshwater dyed pearls in every color of the rainbow. All of the pearls featured on our website are of natural color.
Keshi pearls are a by- product of the pearling industry. Many people call them natural pearls because they are not cultured. They form in the oyster while it is at the farm producing a cultured pearl. These organic odd shaped pearls are unique and in larger sizes quite rare. We love keshi pearls and use the Tahitian variety in a lot of our pearl designs.