| Pearls make great jewelry and have been used for | | | | which kind of mussel or oyster created it. Pearls may |
| that purpose for hundreds of years. Historians believe | | | | be found in white, brown, pink, black and creamy |
| that the Chinese even mastered the cultivation of | | | | colors. |
| freshwater pearls as early as 700 years ago. A pearl | | | | When judging the value of a pearl, there are several |
| appears when a single piece of sand is trapped inside | | | | factors to take into account. |
| a mussel or oyster. The shell tries to protect itself from | | | | Lustre is the combination of the inside glow and outer |
| the sand by coating it in layers and layers of shiny | | | | brilliance. The highest quality pearls will seem more solid |
| secretion. With time the layers turn into the orb that is | | | | and dense, while the lower quality pearl may seem dull |
| known as a pearl. | | | | and chalky. |
| Natural wild specimens like this are very valuable, | | | | The smoothness of the surface is the second most |
| because they are so rare. With overfishing and | | | | important factor to consider. Pearls are grown |
| demand for pearls, there are fewer mussels left to | | | | organically, so they are almost never perfect, and so |
| produce pearls. Natural pearls may take as long as 10 | | | | often have imperfections and blemishes. A high quality |
| years to develop. | | | | product will only have blemishes that are visible from |
| The cultivated kind is more common. These are pearls | | | | up close. |
| created by design, often in freshwater. This method | | | | The shape is equally important; the roundness of the |
| has been known by the Chinese for centuries, but not | | | | pearl is a determining factor. It's common for pearls to |
| often seen in the West. Cultivated freshwater pearls | | | | not be completely round. The rounder, the higher the |
| are the most popular today as they are of high quality | | | | value. |
| and affordable. | | | | The color of the pearl is actually less important and |
| Pearls can be found in all colors. The color of the pearl | | | | mostly depends on the preference of the buyer. |
| depends on the water in which it was grown and | | | | |