Tagged with 'Saltwater pearls'

The use of seed pearls in fine jewellery throughout the latter part of the 19th century was immensely popular. Elaborately decorated brooches, tiaras, pins and earrings were very representative of Victorian fashion at the time. In this article, we look at what are seed pearls?

A Fashionable Pearl

Seed pearls have long been admired by jewellers for their elegance and traditional style.

The example above of an exquisite Fabergé Egg, made for Nicholas II of Russia in 1901, stands just 12cm tall and is adorned with seed pearls. The famous French jeweller to the Tsars was known for crafting his jewelled masterpieces with precious metals, enamel, gems and delicate pearls.

Prestigious jewellers such as Tiffany, Cartier and Boucheron also studded their designs with these tiny gems to match the sensual decadence of La Belle Époque fashion.

How are these small pearls made?

The Formation of Seed Pearls

A seed pearl is a small natural pearl, formed in either a saltwater oyster or freshwater mussel, that is usually less than 2mm in diameter.

Image: Cultured seed pearls

These pearls would have been found when divers searched for natural pearls in the Persian Gulf and Asia, or closer to home in streams and rivers of the USA, Europe and the British Isles.

Today the term "seed pearl" is more widely used to describe a small pearl that has been created as a result of a pearl farmer trying to stimulate the formation of a cultured pearl in a mollusc.

Image 1: Funeral Ring, Landscape and Temples, 18th Century
Image 2: Armband, Jacob Engelberth Torsk, Stockholm, 19th Century

These cultured seed pearls are formed with the accidental help of a loose piece of tissue in the mollusc, perhaps when the implanted bead has been separated from the pearl sac or has been expelled by the oyster.

Traditionally, the first cultured seed pearls would have been formed in Akoya oysters or Lake Biwa freshwater mussels in Japan.

Learn about the different Types of Pearls in our Buying Guide here.

Seed Pearls in Jewellery

Preparing such a tiny seed pearl for use in jewellery requires precision and a careful eye, particularly if the pearl is to be individually drilled and strung in a necklace or tassel earrings.

The famous Baroda Pearl Carpet, sold at auction by Sotheby's in 2009 for $5.5m, was covered with around 1.4 million seed pearls, all drilled by hand and sewn decoratively onto the fabric.

Image 1: Beau Seed Pearl and Diamond Ring with Yellow Gold
Image 2: Beau Seed Pearl and Enamel Pendant with Yellow Gold

Beau, our collection of pearl jewellery and pearl rings, inspired by the Georgian fashion for using seed pearls in jewellery, was designed by Alice Cicolini in 2013. The collection juxtaposes the delicate seed pearl with enamel and white diamonds, and uses the bow as its central motif.

We hope you will agree that Small is most certainly Beautiful!

Here is a simple question. How many freshwater pearls are there in this image ?

Pearls have fascinated us for hundreds of years with their colours, shapes and diversity. Despite our long love story with pearls, our general knowledge of these pretty and precious gems is still relatively poor. A simple test of our understanding is whether we can explain the difference between a freshwater and a saltwater pearl…

Saltwater pearls include Akoya pearls historically from Japan, Tahitian pearls from French Polynesia and South Sea pearls from Australia and Indonesia, whilst Freshwater pearls today originate mainly from China. The difference between saltwater and freshwater pearls is not their geographic origin, however, but in the mollusks in which they originate.

Saltwater pearls are found in oysters that live in saltwater oceans and seas, whilst freshwater pearls are found in mussels that live in freshwater rivers, lakes and ponds.

Both saltwater and freshwater pearls are formed with a similar process. All pearls are formed as the mollusk secretes layers of a protective iridescent substance called nacre around an irritant. In natural pearls an irritant such as a parasite enters the mollusk, whereas with cultured pearls, this irritant is introduced intentionally by man. Experts define both saltwater and freshwater pearls as ‘pearls’ for they have concentric layers of nacre.

Both freshwater and saltwater pearls make beautiful jewellery. Their unique characteristics of each variety make it not too difficult to distinguish a freshwater pearl from a saltwater pearl by looking at its natural colour, its shape, its size and whether the pearl has a bead nucleus inside. Metallic pastel colours, for example, are a clear sign that a pearl is of freshwater origin. A knowledgeable eye might look at the drill hole of the pearl to determine if there is a shell bead nucleus inside.

Continual advances in pearl farming techniques, for example with the introduction of round beaded nuclei to help make larger round freshwater pearls, are making some of these differences harder to identify. With some significant differences in price between freshwater and saltwater pearls, it is always advisable to purchase pearls from a reputable jeweller.

PS The answer above is that there are 5 cultured freshwater pearls in the image above, the rest are all cultured saltwater pearls.

Have you wondered how long it takes to grow a real cultured pearl? Is it a month, a year or perhaps longer? The answer? Of course it depends...

The delicate process of culturing pearls

Pearl farmers start the process of producing a cultured pearl in an oyster or mussel by delicately implanting a small piece of mantle tissue, the part of a mollusc that secretes shell-like material. Farmers might also add a bead of shell, typically from a freshwater mussel to help provide a nucleus for the pearl.

If this complex procedure is successful, the mollusc will start to deposit iridescent layers of nacre, slowly creating a cultured pearl.

One of the first factors that influences the growth of a cultured pearl is how quickly the mollusc recovers from the implantation procedure itself. This is a particularly sensitive time. Before the growth stage of a pearl, the operated mollusc will need care and attention from the pearl farmer.

Image: Cultured pearls

In the case of Japanese Akoya oysters, this care period lasts up to six weeks, as much as three months for a large Tahitian and South Sea oyster, but for Freshwater pearl mussels this care period can be as short as about two weeks.

If you are interested in the differences between the different types of pearls, learn more in our Buying Guide here.

Nacre growth rates

Once the mollusc has recovered, it is returned to the pearl farm population, where the main period of growth of the cultured pearl will take place.

Depending on the type of mollusc, the water cleanliness, temperature and the time of the year will all influence the rate at which the mollusc deposits its nacre to grow a cultured pearl.

During this time, the molluscs will be regularly inspected by a pearl farmer, checked for sickness and cleaned of parasites. The farmer will also closely monitor environmental factors such as water temperature, food quality and any risks of pollution.

The growth rate of nacre can vary widely with around 0.3mm of nacre a year for Akoya pearls, up to 2mm a year for Tahitian and Australian South Sea pearls and as high as 5mm per year for Chinese freshwater pearls.

Nucleation is also a factor in a pearl's size

For non nucleated pearls, which did not initially have a bead of shell implanted, a simple rule is that the longer a pearl is grown in the mollusc the larger the pearl.

Typically, non nucleated Chinese freshwater pearls can quickly grow to maturity over periods as short as 6 months, reaching sizes up to 9mm in diameter within 24 months.

Image: An operation by a pearl farmer to culture a pearl

This simple rule may not be true for nucleated pearls, however, as their size is also influenced by the diameter of the implanted shell bead and how many culturing operations the oyster has had.

Typically, an Akoya pearl will grow between 10 to 14 months before reaching a size of up to 9mm in diameter, a Tahitian pearl may grow for 18 to 24 months to reach a size of 10mm and a South Sea pearl will grow between 2 and 3 years to reach diameters of up to 15mm.

For nucleated pearls, the thickness of the nacre is often a reliable measure of how long each pearl has been cultured and its quality.

A complex partnership with nature...

So to answer the question, there are many factors that determine the size of a real cultured pearl and how long it will take to grow in an oyster or mussel. It is an amazing and complex process that relies on the skill and expertise of the pearl farmer and their partnership with nature.

If you are interested in learning more about the different qualities of a pearl, why not read our Buying Guide to Pearl Grading.

Biologists may tell us about warning colours in nature and how we are all programmed from birth to be frightened of stripey snakes or red spiders. But have you noticed how we also universally love the warm, rich colours of yellow gold, autumn, honey, sunset and these golden pearls?

Pearls are traditionally white in colour, often being a symbol of purity and worn by royalty and in wedding jewellery. Any fortunate person who has seen a golden South Sea pearl though is sure to remember it.  By some miracle or natural sleight of hand, the soft satiny lustre and enchanting orangey yellow tones of these pearls closely resembles the world's favourite and increasingly valuable precious metal.

Golden South Sea pearls are mainly cultured in the gold-lipped Pinctada maxima oyster, named for the honey coloured mother of pearl lining inside its shell. These oysters produce the highest proportion of golden pearls, though some light golden pearls can also be found in the silver-lipped Pinctada maxima oyster. The majority of golden pearls today come from pearl farms in the Philippines and Indonesia, although deeper "burnt gold' colour pearls have also been farmed in Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand.

A special, sheltered environment is required for culturing South Sea pearls as it can take up to 18 to 30 months to grow each pearl. The best pearl farms are located in remote locations where the water is pristine and there are rich, fresh sources of plankton for the mollusks to feed on. The delicate oysters also need to be protected from other hazards such as typhoons and abrupt changes in water temperature. One of the specialist farmers of golden South Sea pearls is Jewelmer, which has been a leader in the non-extractive, environmentally sound production of golden South Sea cultured pearls since 1979.

The unique opulent and warm colour of golden South Sea pearls is perfectly suited for fine jewellery. Amongst the treasure hoard of designs, the classic pearl necklace remains our most popular, either in monochrome with golden pearls or in multi-colour with white, champagne and golden pearls. Our South Sea pearl necklaces are carefully matched with the glint of yellow gold and pave diamonds.

Naturally golden South Sea pearls should not be treated for colour, however it is possible that pearls found on the market may be dyed. If you fall in love with a golden South Sea pearl, we would recommend that you check that the colour is natural and only buy from a reputable specialist jeweller.

2011 is the 50th anniversary of the first successful experiment to grow cultured pearls in French Polynesia.

 

Jean-Marie Domard, a Frenchman who had studied pearl grafting at the farm of Mikimoto, located the first Tahitian pearl farm at Hikueru, an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago situated approximately 750km from the capital of French Polynesia. Hikueru, which was visited by the famed Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, was a perfect breeding ground for the black lipped oyster.

 

Despite their name Tahitian pearls are confusingly known as 'black pearls' as a result of taking on the colour of the black lipped Pinctada margaritifera cumingii oyster. These pearls are formed though in many exotic colours such as silver, grey, pistachio, peacock and aubergine.

 

Initially the industry believed these incredible colours to be the result of a post-culturing treatment.

 

Following confirmation by the laboratory of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) that the colour was indeed natural, the first production of cultured pearls from French Polynesia began to be marketed successfully in the US and Europe during the 1970s.

 

Amongst the most beautiful pearls in the world, Tahitian pearls are farmed today in warm saltwater lagoons, mainly throughout French Polynesia. No pearls are actually cultured in Tahiti itself, with the main farms being as far as 1500km away on remote atolls and islands. Their locations are chosen for their reefs that provide protection from tides, access to free flowing warm water and environmental purity.

 

Combined with classic round and baroque shapes, these colourful pearls have become highly fashionable and sought after. Whether made as a choker necklace, a unique multi-coloured pearl necklace or with the simplicity of a Tahitian pearl pendant or Tahitian pearl earrings, these pearls perfectly match the exotic surroundings of their source.

White Akoya pearls are loved for the high quality of their lustre, their exquisitely round shapes and their pink overtone. An Akoya pearl necklace and a pair of Akoya pearl earrings have been a classic jewellery box item for many years.

Since the invention of a technique for culturing pearls in the early part of the 1900s, the Akoya cultured pearl industry in Japan has been located in the Southern part of the country and towards the Pacific Ocean.

These areas include the Mie Prefecture in Honshu, the Ehime Prefecture in Shikoku and the Nagasaki and Kumamoto Prefectures in Kyushu. Ago Bay, in the Mie Prefecture, is one of the best known locations.

The site of a typical saltwater pearl farm is carefully selected for its environmental characteristics. Farmers look for small, well protected bays and inlets, which will protect the oysters and provide a rich flow of nutrients.

Most of the estimated 500 farms are still family owned businesses that farm pearls from an average stock of around 200,000 oysters each, although there are also a number of larger farming companies with over several million molluscs.

The pearl industry in Japan has enjoyed strong growth over the years but has recently suffered major setbacks from environmental algae blooms and competition from Freshwater pearl and also Akoya pearl production in China. The recent devastating tsunami hit the North East of Japan and the majority of pearl farms in the South were physically unaffected, although the economic impact may be felt for some time to come.

The industry of diving for pearls largely disappeared with the invention of a method for producing a cultured pearl in the early 20th century.

Although a romantic notion, pearl diving was an arduous experience. Natural pearls were gathered by pearl divers that would manually search the beds of oceans, lakes and rivers, perhaps finding only 3 or 4 quality pearls for every ton of oysters brought to the surface. Modern diving suits were unavailable, with divers in the Persian Gulf descending on weighted wooden platforms and baskets up to 40 times a day.

The rarity of natural pearls pushed divers down to depths of up to 20 metres requiring two to three minute breaths for each dive. Divers would suffer from decompression sickness, the cold waters and deep-sea pressure.

Japanese pearl divers, also known as Amas, have a thousand years of diving tradition working on Akoya pearl fisheries and farms. Their trade was passed down the generations from mother to daughter as women were considered better able to hold their breath and endure the cold longer.

Ama divers started to work at the age of eleven, even still diving in their sixties or seventies. They provided for their families while their husbands kept the house and brought up the children. Ama divers still work today, but primarily now for the tourist industry.

On modern day pearl farms, pearl divers work from boats and offshore inspecting oyster baskets that are suspended in water. Over the course of 18 to 24 months divers may check on an oyster's health, recovering the oyster for cleaning and eventually harvesting of a pearl.

The fascination with an image of the pearl diver hunting for pearls will likely persist for many years.

The historic Star Ferry has ploughed its way across Hong Kong harbour since the late 1880s. The crossing is named by National Geographic Traveler as one of their 50 Places of a Lifetime.

When the sun is shining, the sea turns a petrol green colour and with that magnificent skyline, there can be few better ways to get to work in the morning or places for buying pearls.

For the last four days, Hong Kong has been host to the largest Spring Jewellery Show in Asia, with more than 30,000 buyers and suppliers attending from around the world – a record attendance despite recent times.

In pearl terms, Hong Kong has grown to be one of the most important pearl trading centres in the world and this is one of the key dates in the annual calendar for buying pearls. It is hard to comprehend the size of the pearl industry until confronted by more than 10,000 square metres of pearls for sale at this Jewellery Show.

The new season’s freshwater pearls from China are available to the market for the first time and prestigious pearl famers such as Robert Wan from Tahiti and Paspaley from Australia offer their pearls at auction to a select specialist group of buyers.

Pearl prices are beginning to rise again. Demand for these incredible gems is increasing, particularly from customers in India and China, whilst production over the last two years has been reduced as pearl farmers have weathered the global crisis.

This is particularly true of larger Freshwater, Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea pearls and higher grade quality pearls are in much shorter supply now. With minimum lead times of 18 months to over 3 years for farmers to increase their pearl harvest, it is likely that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future, especially for the premium grade pearls.

It is a good time to buy pearls and we will have many beautiful pieces of pearl jewellery to show you at Winterson over the coming months.

If you hear a pearl described as real or natural, remember that there is a significant difference in meaning.

A natural pearl is a real pearl formed in a wild mollusc living in its natural habitat and without any human intervention. Cultured pearls are also real pearls, but the pearl farmer stimulates the development of the pearls in the mollusk.

Natural pearls have been collected and used in jewellery for centuries. Until the introduction of techniques for culturing pearls in the early 20^th century, the world’s main natural pearl fisheries could be found in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mannar Straits between India and Sri Lanka, and off the coast of California.

The image of a diver searching for pearls in azure blue tropical waters is a symbolic one, as today there are few fisheries left due to over-fishing, pollution and competition from the cultured pearl industry.

In response to increasing demand and limited supply, the value of rare natural pearls has been rising steadily over the last ten years.  A natural pearl necklace can be priced at between 100 and 10,000 times the value of a cultured pearl necklace of the same size, weight and lustre.

Naturally occurring South Sea pearls are virtually unknown today on the world market. Although experiments in culturing South Sea pearls began as early as 1912, it was not until 1954 that the first successful operation began in Burma.

The size and quality of the pearls produced since then have been sensational, with cultured South Sea pearls being regarded as the most luxurious types of pearls today.

 

The oyster used by growers is the large Pinctada maxima oyster, which can be found in two varieties, the silver-lipped and yellow-lipped oysters. The Pinctada maxima oyster can be as large as 30cm in diameter and up to 3 years in age before grafting operations begin.

 

The most popular colour of South Sea pearls has been white, combined with delicate overtones of silvers and pinks, and is produced by the silver-lipped oyster found in ocean waters mainly off the coasts of Australia and Indonesia.

 

The yellow-lipped oyster, found off the coast of the Philippines and Indonesia, produces highly  fashionable golden pearls with overtone colours of peach and even red. The best quality golden pearls can command significant prices today at auction.

 

The thickness of nacre on a South Sea pearl contributes to a rich depth of lustre and shine unmatched by many other pearls. These are the largest pearls being cultured today, typically being found in sizes between 8mm and 16mm and sometimes even exceeding 20mm in diameter.

 

Available at Winterson in a number of contemporary and classic South Sea pearl necklaces, pendants and South Sea pearl earrings, these stunning designer pearls really make a unique and beautiful gift.