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*|Formation|
A "natural"
pearl is one that is found in an oyster at the bottom of the ocean.A
"cultured" pearl is found in an oyster on a pearl farm.When
a natural pearl begins,a foreign object finds its way into an oysters'
soft inner body,so the oyster coats it with nacre,a soft crystalline
substance.When a cultured pearl begins,our pearl farm inserts a
tiny baby pearl into an oyster;then the oyster takes over to produce
a beautiful pearl.As you can see,cultured pearls and natural pearls
share the same properties;just think of it kind of like in-vitro
fertilization! We have even gone as far as splitting one of our
pearls to see what we find-it was solid pearl right through to the
baby pearl core!
On the basis of the theory of forming natural pearls, people cut
a tiny section from the ectoblast connective tissue of another clam.
After the proliferating of cells and growing of bursa, a
pearl came into being.These man-made pearls are called cultured
pearls.In china, cultured freshwater pearls mainly come from
Huaihe River, Taihu Lake area and Wenling (Zhejiang Province).
Seawater pearls mainly
come from Guangxi Province, Guangdong Province and Hainan Province,
North Sea and Sanya. South Sea pearls mainly come from the South
China Sea, Australia, Hawaii and Tahiti. One seldom sees round South
Sea pearls. Mostly they are off-round or baroque pearls.
South Sea pearls
are deep-sea cultured pearls. It takes 1.5 to 2 years to form a
pearl.
*|Category|
1.There are two types
of pearls:natural pearls and cultured pearls.
2.Depending
on where they are found,they are classified as:freshwater pearls,
seawater pearls and South Sea pearls
*|Color|
There are many colors
of pearls: pink, peach, purple, yellow, white, gray, brown, champagne
and black. Among them, pink, peach and purple are the only natural
colors to found in the freshwater.Along with shape
and color, pearls can be designed into different styles. The
black pearl is created by a big black oyster. The pigments
of black and gray come from the color and chemicals excreted
by the black oyster. Black pearls have high luster,metallic color
and thick nacre. The darker the color,the higher the price.Among
them, black pearls with a little bit of green are the most precious.
*|Quality|
Pearls can be appraised
in three ways:
1.Luster
A, Strong luster: sparking and crystal on the surface.
B, Medium luster: glittering and translucent.
C, Feeble luster: the luster is poor.
2.Shape:
A, Rotundity: also named " ball bearing".
B, Ellipse: thin and long also named "rice pearl".
C, Abnormality: Mum pearl, drop pearl, art pearl etc.
3.Size: The bigger, the more expensive.
*|Care|
1.Don't
put pearls beside anything hot,such as a heater or furnace.
2.Pearls need fresh air and water. You should wear your jewelry
regularly.
3.The rigidity of the pearl is only 2.5 to 4.5,so you shouldn't
put it together with other jewelry.
4.Don't wear pearl jewelry when you bathe or go swimming.
5.Place it down evenly.
*|Distinguish|
1.When scratching two
pearls against each other,you can see pearl powder and it doesn't
damage the surface. This lets you know that the pearl is real.
2.When rubbing gently against your teeth. It should feel rough,
not smooth, like sand on stone.
3.A real pearl is heavier than a fake one.
*|Adorn|
1.The pearl's color
should suit your skin.
2.The style and size should fit your dress and occasion. |