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Pearl Questions, Answered
We get a lot of the same questions at the counter, over and over, in almost the same words each time. So instead of answering them one at a time forever, here they are in one place, in plain terms.
How Are Pearls Formed?
Pearls undergo a completely natural formation process. This process begins with a foreign substance entering the shell of mollusks like oysters and mussels. Sometimes this process can take years, resulting in the elegant beauty of pearls.
The foreign substances that enter oysters cause irritation, leading to the secretion of a substance known as nacre, made of aragonite crystals, also called mother-of-pearl. This secretion covers the foreign substance, gradually forming the pearl.
How to Tell a Real Pearl From a Fake
There are certain key points to distinguish real pearls from fake ones. However, it is always recommended to purchase pearls from reputable brands to ensure their authenticity.
- Real pearls are not perfectly smooth and may have slight imperfections.
- When touched, real pearls feel cooler.
- Real pearls are heavier compared to fake ones.
- Rubbing a real pearl against your teeth will feel slightly gritty.
Do Pearls Give Birth?
This is, by a wide margin, the question we hear most, so no hedging: they do not. What people are calling "pearl birth" is damage. A pearl that has sat in a drawer with the wrong chemicals nearby, or been left in the sun, or just worn without care for years, can develop small flakes or bumps on its surface that look, from a distance, like a tiny pearl growing off the side of it. It is wear. Nothing is being born.
What is Cultured Pearl?
Cultured pearls, like naturally occurring pearls, are pearls produced by human intervention in mollusks such as oysters and similar marine organisms. Cultured pearls are considered real pearls, just like natural pearls.
Cultured pearls are produced by placing a mother-of-pearl nucleus and a bead inside an oyster, creating the appropriate environment for pearl formation. The oyster triggers its natural defense mechanism over time, transforming the nucleus into a pearl.
What are the Benefits of Pearl Gemstone?
Pearls have held significant importance in many cultures throughout history. It is believed that wearing this gemstone provides various benefits:
- Maintains skin health: One of the most common beliefs about the benefits of pearls is their ability to maintain and enhance skin health. This gemstone, considered a symbol of beauty in many cultures, is believed to beautify its wearer.
- Reduces stress: Wearing pearl jewelry is believed to be beneficial for problems like stress and anxiety.
- Supports sleep patterns: There is a widespread belief that people with insomnia can regulate their sleep patterns after using pearls.
- Boosts the immune system: It is believed that pearls have an effect that supports bodily functions and strengthens the immune system.
- Brings love and luck: Especially pink-toned pearls are believed to bring love and luck to the wearer. Traces of this belief can be found in many cultures throughout history.
Which Pearls Are More Valuable?
The value scale of pearls is determined by factors such as their size, color, shape, and perfection. Since each pearl has a unique structure, generally, larger, brighter, and more flawlessly surfaced pearls are considered more valuable.
Do Pearls Change Color?
Properly cared for pearls, stored under appropriate conditions, do not change color.
However, exposure to various chemicals, sweat, sunlight, perfume, and similar factors can cause pearls to change color.
White pearls that are not properly cared for and come into contact with chemicals can turn yellow.
What to Consider When Buying Pearls?
Just like any natural stone, it is possible to come across fake pearls. When buying pearls, the most important thing to consider is the reliability of the seller.
Furthermore, it is important to remember that pearls with lower prices are more likely to be fake.
How Should Pearls Be Maintained?
Pearls are more delicate than commonly thought. To be able to use them for many years, they need to be properly cared for to avoid wear, scratches, and deformations.
Keep pearls away from perfume, lotion and direct sun where you can, and put them on last, after you get dressed, not before. Long stretches in the sun or repeated contact with chemicals can leave them yellowed and worn. If you would like to see them in person, our pearl necklaces and pearl bracelets are handmade in our own atelier in Istanbul.
When you clean them, a soft cloth is all you need. No chemical cleaners, ever.
