Pearls

Pearls are roundish, hard objects that are produced by shelled creatures living in water, called “mollusks” or oysters.  When a foreign body such as a parasite or sand grain enters the soft tissue of the mollusk, it causes irritation.  As a defensive mechanism, the mollusk coats the foreign object with layers of minute, crystalline calcium carbonate called “nacre”.  Nacre is known for its brilliance and iridescence.

High quality, naturally occurring pearls have been valued as gemstones for centuries.  Truly “natural” pearls are hard to find.  These natural pearls are formed when a foreign body enters the shell of the mollusk naturally, without the intervention of man.  Most of the pearls used in fashion jewelry today are created with the intervention of man, and are called “cultured” pearls.  The “irritant” needed to trigger pearl formation is introduced into the mollusk by man.  Thus, the uncertainty associated with the natural introduction of the initial irritant is eliminated, and the rate of pearl production is much higher than in the wild.  This has led to the availability of good quality pearls at reasonable prices.  Pearls today are used to make pearl necklaces, earrings, and other jewelry.  Pearls have also been used to adorn costumes, and have been crushed and used in cosmetics.

The color of the pearl depends on the color of the nacre produced by the mollusk.  White and light pink are the most common colors for pearls.  However, certain kinds of mollusks can also produce light pastel colors and black nacre, which in turn create pearls of various colors.  Fashion jewelry designers today sometimes dye pearls in various colors to suit their needs and taste.