Tasaki Pearns

Rego

Fana

Types of Pearls

Akoya - Akoya Pearls are found only in Japan, China, and Vietnam. Japanese Akoya pearl farms are shifting towards the warmer Chinese waters, where these pearls take only half as long to grow. Overtone colors of Akoya pearls include white, cream, rose, silver, and green. Akoya pearl sizes range from less than 5mm to 9mm. Larger Akoya pearl sizes are possible, but less frequent. Akoya pearls are known for their lovely orient and warm color. They rarely grow more than 9 mm in size.

Biwa - A fresh water pearl cultivated in a mollusk only in Japan's Lake Biwa. Smoother and more lustrous than fresh water pearls from China.

Burmese - Large cultured pearls (10 mm and larger) grown in large oysters off the coasts of Burma. Warmer in color tone than South Sea cultured pearls, rare and costly.

Cultured Pearls Made famous by Mikimoto, nearly all pearls sold on the open market are cultured.

Cultured pearls evolve in a similar manner as natural pearls, with the distinction being that cultured pearls have an irritant intentionally placed by a pearl farmer to start the formation of a pearl. The process may take one to several years. Japan, China and various places in the South Pacific have traditionally been major suppliers of cultured pearls. All pearls sold on this website are cultured pearls.

Fresh Water - Pearls cultivated in mollusks, not oysters, found in fresh water lakes and rivers. Fresh water pearls generally are elongated in shape and have a milky translucent appearance. Their wide range of interesting shapes and colors make up in fashion appeal for their relatively low value.

Japanese Vs Chinese Akoya Pearls - Japan is famous for its introduction and promotion of the cultured pearl. Unfortunately, pollution has devastated Japan's pearl harvests and has decreased the quality of their pearls.

China initially started culturing pearls in the 1980's and is now producing pearls of equal and sometimes higher quality than many of the pearls coming from Japan. Since the waters in China are less polluted and warmer, Chinese pearls have a thicker nacre and often a higher luster. Some Japanese firms have even started importing Chinese pearls and labeling them as Japanese pearls since it is more expensive to grow the pearls in Japan.

Keshi - Tiny pearls, some a little bigger than a grain of sand, which form naturally in many cultured pearl oysters.

Mabe - Large hemispherical cultured pearls grown against the inside shells of oysters instead of within the body. Less expensive than regular round cultured pearls and, because of their hemispherical shape, used mounted in such jewelry as earrings, rings and brooches. These are grown in Japan, China and the United States.

Natural Pearls (UNCULTURED) - These are the most rare form of a pearl. They form without human instigation. The process begins when an irritant positions itself inside the oyster. As a defensive measure, the oyster secrets layers of nacre which cover the irritant. This nacre forms the "pearl" as we know it. The amount, quality and shape of nacre that surrounds the irritant particle essentially determines the quality of the pearl. Because of their rarity and low demand, natural pearls can only be bought at estate auctions and through private dealers.

Saltwater Pearls - These are almost always Akoya pearls. (Akoya is the Japanese word for Saltwater) These pearls are farmed in saltwater and are always grown in oysters. Saltwater pearls typically command a higher price than their freshwater cousins.

South Sea - Large cultured pearls (10 mm and larger) grown in large oysters off the coasts of Australia. Usually silvery in appearance, and sometimes not as lustrous as fine Akoya pearls, South Sea pearls are rare and costly.

Tahiti Cultured Pearls - are pearl concretions that are secreted inside the black-lipped Pinctada Margaritifera species of pearl oysters cultivated mainly in the lagoons of French Polynesia. They consist of thick pearly layers containing organic substances and calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite.

In French Polynesia, the trade designation "Tahiti Cultured Pearl" is reserved exclusively for cultured pearls obtained from a grafting of the locally cultivated Pinctada Margaritifera, variety cumingi pearl oyster. Such pearls have a continuous pearly layer over at least 80% of their surface and do not reveal either the underlying nucleus.French Polynesia Official Classification: Tahiti Cultured Pearls are classified according to their diameter, luster, shape, surface purity and color.

Lengths and terminology:

Choker - 14" to 15" in length. Should nestle around the base of the neck.

Princess - 18" in length. Halfway between choker and matinee length.

Matinee - 22" to 23" in length. Should fall to the top of the cleavage.

Opera - 30" to 36" in length. Should fall to the breastbone.

Sautoir or Rope - Any pearl necklace longer than opera length

Dog Collar - Multiple strands of pearls fitting closely around the neck.

Bib - Multiple strands of pearls, each shorter than the one below, nested together in one necklace.

Graduated - A necklace composed of pearls which taper downward in size from large pearls in the center.

Uniform - A necklace which appears to be composed entirely of pearls of the same size, though there generally is a slight difference in size between the center and the end pearls for a more proportionate look.

 

When selecting a strand of cultured pearls, it’s best to buy them from a knowledgeable jeweler. Your local jeweler can explain how to make the most of your purchase and insure that you are getting the best quality pearls within your price range.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can evaluate any piece of cultured pearl jewelry on the following quality factors. But always remember that the better the quality of pearls you select, the more beautiful and valued they will be over time.

LUSTRE: Lustre is a combination of surface brilliance and a deep seated glow. The lustre of a good quality pearl should be bright and not dull. You should be able to see your own reflection clearly on the surface of a pearl. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky indicates low quality.

SURFACE: Cleanliness refers to the absence of disfiguring spots, bumps or cracks on the surface of a pearl. The cleaner the surface of the pearl, the more valuable.

SHAPE: Since cultured pearls are grown by oysters in nature, it is very rare to find a perfectly round pearl. However, the rounder the pearl, the more valuable it is. Baroque pearls, which are asymmetrical in shape, can be lustrous and appealing, and often cost less than round pearls.

COLOR: Cultured pearls come in a variety of colors from rosé to black. While the color of a pearl is really a matter of the wearer’s preference, usually rosé or silver/white pearls tend to look best on fair skins while cream and gold toned pearls are flattering to darker complexions.

SIZE: Cultured pearls are measured by their diameter in millimeters. They can be smaller than one millimeter in the case of tiny seed pearls, or as large as twenty millimeters for a big South Sea pearl. The larger the pearl, other factors being equal, the more valuable it will be. The average sized pearl sold today is between 7 and 7-1/2 millimeters.

Tahiti Cultured Pearls

French Polynesia Official Classification Tahiti Cultured Pearls are pearl concretions that are secreted inside the black-lipped Pinctada Margaritifera species of pearl oysters cultivated mainly in the lagoons of French Polynesia. They consist of thick pearly layers containing organic substances and calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite. In French Polynesia, the trade designation "Tahiti Cultured Pearl" is reserved exclusively for cultured pearls obtained from a grafting of the locally cultivated Pinctada Margaritifera, variety cumingi pearl oyster. Such pearls have a continuous pearly layer over at least 80% of their surface and do not reveal either the underlying nucleus. Tahiti Cultured Pearls are classified according to their diameter, luster, shape, surface purity and color. Diameter   Pearls are classified from millimeter to millimeter and measured by the shortest diameter, which generally ranges between 8 and 14mm. This is done by sorting them through sieves. Some pearls reach 16mm and very exceptionally 18mm. To date, the record diameter for a round pearl is 21mm, 24,6mm for a semi-round, 26,95mm for a baroque pearl (Exhibited in The Robert Wan Museum of The Pearl) Luster     This is the quality of the light reflections from the pearl's surface. Pearls are said to have high, or very high, luster when the reflections are bright and sharp. When the light reflections are weak and fuzzy (or diffused), the pearls are described as dull. The Tahiti Cultured Pearl rivals anything grown in Japan for the sharpness and intensity of reflected light from a pearl's surface. In fact, pearls from French Polynesia often possess such a mirror-like finish and radiant brilliance that their overall appearance is likened to that of very shiny metallic objects, such as ball bearings. The only problem with such an analogy is that it suggests a cold, steely beauty. In reality, lustrous Tahiti Cultured Pearls have warmth to them--even when their surfaces gleam as brightly as a dress shoe. Regardless, the lustre of the Tahiti Cultured Pearls is just like their colour--all natural. Shape    Four basic shapes are defined at the production stage: # round and semi-round,(see photo 1) # semi-baroque,(see photo 2) # baroque(see photo 3) # and ringed or circled.(see photo 4) For some jewellery makers, shape is purely a design element, be it the sensuous curves of the drop or the flowing free-form lines of many baroque shapes. For such artists, all shapes that inspire them share aesthetic equality. Most designers agree it is difficult to favor one kind of shape over another. A New York designer once said: "A pearl that looks homely seen loose will be transformed into a thing of beauty if placed in the right setting." Quality This is determined by observing the special features of the pearl's surface and luster. But nacre thickness, color, shape and size also judge quality. Nacre Thickness This affects the durability and sometimes the beauty of a Tahiti cultured pearl.If a cultured pearl starts off with a thick coating of nacre (and gets reasonable care), its beauty will last a life time. If, however, the pearl has a thin nacre coating (or is carelessly treated), its nacre will soon wear away, exposing the nucleus. The French Polynesian Government has set up a minimum nacre thickness of 0,8mm to the Tahiti Cultured Pearl. All pearls showing less than 0,8mm thickness are banned for marketing and destroyed. Surface For reasons best understood by psychologists, pearl dealers talk about the degree to which a pearl's skin is free of blemish as "spotting", a very negative term for a very common pearl feature. Tahiti cultured pearl farmers generally use four ratings for surface quality: A, B, C and D. Pearl dealers prefer the neutral term "surface" as a way of discussing--or even rating--the presence or absence of imperfections in pearls. In this regard, it is the pearl word equivalent of "clarity".