What is the rarest color of pearl?

Pearls are the first precious jewelry known to people. As the author of the book “Pearls and Life” Edwin Streeter wrote, “these humble little balls played their role in the development of world progress and civilization.” One of the first written evidence of pearl fishing dates back to the 2nd century. n. e. and tells about the important role in the trade and prosperity of Ancient India, namely Manara. Pearls from the Gulf of Manara are still well known to specialists today. The oldest pearl jewelry that has survived to this day is kept in Paris in the Persian Gallery of the Louvre. This three-strand necklace containing 216 pearls was found in 1901 in Susa, the winter residence of the Persian kings, inside a bronze sarcophagus. Images of pearls are found on ancient Persian sculpture dating back to the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries. BC e. In the Natural History manuscript, Pliny the Elder stated that pearls were considered the first among jewels and that the pearls that adorned Cleopatra during the feast with Mark Antony were worth 60 million sesterces, which was equivalent to 52 kg of silver. The most valued were “oriental” pearls from the Persian Gulf, Sri Lanka, India and the Red Sea. He was loved very much in these territories. Men and women wore pearls as signs of special distinction or social status. At a later time, already in the lands of modern Europe, pearls often adorned royal crowns and the bindings of sacred books. For example, 30 years were spent on the production of the Missal of the Rouen Library, and on the decoration of the Ashburnham Gospels in the 98th century AD. e. XNUMX pearls left. Alexander the Great played a huge role in the history of the pearl trade, linking East and West. Having conquered most of the civilized world, he facilitated the exchange of goods between different peoples, so when the trade routes of Alexander the Great reached the East, its inhabitants, who already possessed treasures of natural pearls, saw a foreign stone for the first time. The history of natural pearls marked the beginning of the modern stage of popularity of all types of this miracle of nature. After the Crusades, a fashion for clothing embroidered with pearls appeared in Europe, which by the end of the reign of Louis XVI became an integral attribute of high society. The outfit of a society lady could consist of a full pearl “set” – a dress embroidered with pearls, a necklace and earrings. The widespread popularity and use of pearls in all areas of life has led to a rush of demand. To limit the acquisition of pearls, many countries began to pass laws aimed at limiting the ownership of the stone and its transmission by inheritance. However, many of these decrees were successfully implemented. Over time, pearl fishing began to be affected by various destructive factors: depletion of fisheries and changes in the current that carried away food for oysters. At the beginning of the 20th century, the pearl trading centers of Bombay, London, New York and Paris faced the problem of a decrease in the supply of precious stones to the market. Field
Initially, Japanese nature fully endowed its inhabitants with precious seafood, which constitute the main wealth of this country. Japan remains one of the main suppliers of pearls to the world market today. Natural “wild” pearls are rare and highly prized today. You can find it either in very expensive branded jewelry or at auctions. The most common product in ordinary jewelry stores is cultured pearls, grown by the same pearl oysters, but under human control. The beginning of mass pearl cultivation was given by Kokichi Mikimoto at the end of the 1893th century, when he created the first plantation. In 15, he managed to obtain the first artificially grown semicircular pearl, and after another XNUMX years he received a patent for the technology of growing ideal round pearls. Mikimoto made an invaluable contribution to the cultivation of pearls, not to mention the fact that the baskets he developed are used on plantations and farms to this day. The essence of cultivation is quite easy to describe: a three-year-old oyster is carefully opened and a foreign body is implanted into it. Different manufacturers use different primers. Then the entire natural process occurs over the next 2–3 years. This process is completely controlled. However, cultured pearls are in no way inferior in their properties to natural ones. If we talk specifically about natural pearls, they are mainly mined in Japan, Sri Lanka, the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. Freshwater pearls are mined in Russia, North America, China and Germany. Types of pearls The most famous types of saltwater cultured pearls are: Akoya Pearl · South Sea Pearl · Tahitian pearl The color of a pearl depends on what type of oyster produced it, and therefore on the “place of residence” of that particular oyster. The Pinctada martensii oyster, found off the coast of Japan and China, produces pearls ranging in size from 2 to 10 mm. The shape varies from round to irregular. Pearls are usually white with cream, grayish, blue, golden-green, silver tints, as well as pink with various nuances. They are highly valued for their richness of colors and extraordinary shine. South Sea Pearl White and golden pearls, exceeding 10 mm in diameter, are born in the largest oysters, Pinctada maxima, in the warm waters of the South Seas off the coast of Australia, Indonesia, and Thailand. These pearls are renowned for their exceptional sizes and stunning hues. Oysters Pinctada margaritifera live off the coast of Tahiti and French Polynesia and produce naturally occurring black pearls. Pearls range in size from 8,5 to 20 mm and can be found in shades of blue, grey, green and purple. They are highly prized due to their wonderful color nuances and the time spent in cultivation. Freshwater pearls These pearls are made by inserting a piece of the mollusk’s mantle rather than the hard core. The tissue dissolves and the pearl turns into a thick layer of nacre. Freshwater pearls are very easy to recognize due to their bizarre shape, sometimes elongated, similar to grains of rice or grapes. There are lavender, peach, tangerine and green-blue shades. It is used very widely in jewelry as an inexpensive alternative for a wide range of less affluent buyers. What you need to know when choosing pearls To understand how to choose the right pearls so that they are truly of high quality, you will have to pay attention to several important criteria, such as: How luster, color, quality of mother-of-pearl, size, shape. In this matter, the main thing is not to rush, but to check everything in detail. You should not trust only the words of the seller, who is primarily interested in selling his products faster.

Brilliance

In natural pearls it is very intense. The pearl shimmers, emits light not on its surface, but from within. If the pearls are of really high quality, then if you look closely, you will notice a sharp contrast between the brightest part of it and the most shaded part. As a result, the illusion of a ball inside the pearl itself is created. In order to see all this, you should look at pearls on a light surface, but not on black.

How to choose pearl color

You can choose the color of the pearl that you like best and which is best will suit your facial features and hair color. Both artificial and natural pearls are dyed. But you must remember that undyed pearls are much more expensive, and they look more attractive. Natural pearls can be gray, black, grey, white. The last of all is the cheapest. The rarest pearl is pink. Accordingly, not everyone can buy it.

Shape and size

Be sure to pay attention to the shape and size of the pearls. pearl shape – round, and if there are any defects, then the quality of such decoration is worth thinking about. In general, all defects are best seen on a black background, but do not forget that other characteristics are visible only on a light background. Look at that too where the hole is drilled – it should be in the center and nothing else. And one more thing: all the pearls should lie flat, and the product itself should look very neat in appearance. There are a variety of pearls sizes . And the larger they are, the higher their price. To choose the right size pearls, be sure to take a closer look at the different options. Often one thread looks no worse than double , but at the same time costs an order of magnitude cheaper, but the jewelry cord looks best. About fakes Imitation pearls are pearls that can be called “artificial” in the full sense of the word. At his birth the oyster does not take any part . Cultured pearls are the creation of human hands from start to finish. Imitation pearls appeared in the 15th century. The so-called “Roman pearls” were glass beads filled with paraffin. “Pearl essence” – the composition with which artificial pearls were coated on top, was made for a long time from fish scales. Today, these technologies continue to improve, offering mussel extracts. Back in the 15th-16th centuries, the Indians learned to make mother-of-pearl balls that looked like pearls, or clay balls that, after firing in mica, resembled pearls. Mother of pearl was extracted by scraping it from the shells of mollusks. Today, different technologies and different materials are used. It could be glass, plastic, mother of pearl, alabaster, and others synthetic and natural materials or mixtures thereof. Synthetic pearls – not pearls at all. They make it in various shapes and sizes. It’s inexpensive. The 20th century gave rise to a number of imitations of pearls – made from glass, mother-of-pearl pastes, celluloid, and gelatin. Nowadays, the likes of black pearls are cut from hematite, and pink ones from coral. The most common and famous “imitation fake” is pearls. “majorica”, Shell pearl, Mabe-pearls You need to understand that in 95% of cases, only a specialist in a gemological laboratory, where there is special equipment, can distinguish natural pearls from their synthetic fakes. The same applies to determining methods for refining pearls.

Do you have any questions or suggestions?

1. Pearl of Allah
2. Pearl of Abernathy
3. La Peregrina Pearl
4. Pearl of the Arco Valley
5. Imperial Pearl of Hong Kong
6. Big pink pearl
7. Pearl of Gogibus
8. Jomon Jewel
9. Pearl of Hope
10. Syrota

Each of the following ten pearls has its own unique story. a rich history with rich and noble characters:

Pearl of Allah

This interesting specimen, also known as the Pearl of Lao Tzu, is considered to be the largest natural pearl in existence. The pearl was found in the Philippines and given to Wilburn Cobb (an American) when he saved the life of the son of a tribal chief. Weighing more than 7 kilograms and almost 24 centimeters in diameter, it is simply a huge creation of the sea.

What is the rarest color of pearl?

Pearls come in a variety of colors, the rarest shade being blue. When found in nature, blue pearls are very expensive. The overtones of blue pearls range from light aquamarine to a very dark, deep blue.

Who is famous for wearing pearls?

Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Grace Kelly and Coco Chanel are just a few of the leading ladies known for wearing pearls.

What is the rarest pearl?

The rarest pearl in the world is Melo Melo, which is produced by sea snails rather than oysters or clams. Melo Melo differs in appearance from classic pearls by its shimmering surface with patterns that swirl in the light.

Pearl of Abernathy

The Abernathy Pearl is a freshwater pearl found in Scotland’s River Tay in 1967. It is named after the diver Bill Abernathy who found it. This gem is one of the very few rated PERFECT.

The fact that the pearl was found in Scotland makes it especially unusual. These waters have never produced many pearls, but after the Industrial Revolution the river became extremely polluted. Pearls typically require pristine water to form, which makes the Abernathy pearl even more unique. It was displayed in a jewelery shop in Cairncross for almost 30 years before being sold in 1992. No one knows who currently owns the Abernathy Pearl.

La Peregrina Pearl

This beautiful gem has a long and storied past. It was discovered near Panama in the 1500s and then given to King Philip II of Spain, who gave it to his wife, Queen Mary. Its name, La Peregrina, translates as The Wanderer. This pear-shaped pearl is huge, weighing almost 56 carats. After the death of Queen Mary, the pearl passed through the hands of other queens of France and Austria, and then to Napoleon Bonaparte.

Richard Burton last bought it for Elizabeth Taylor as a Valentine’s Day gift. She loved the pearl and wore it on a unique necklace with other precious stones such as diamonds and rubies, starting the fashion for pearl jewelry in modern times. At a recent auction, the pearl was sold for almost $11 million. This pearl has been owned by some of the most influential and fashionable women throughout history and will undoubtedly remain one of the most valuable pieces of jewelry in the world for centuries to come.

Pearl of the Arco Valley

The second largest natural pearl ever discovered, the Arco Valley Pearl is reported to have once belonged to the famous explorer Marco Polo, to whom it was given as a gift by the Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan. Today it is the largest natural gem in the world outside of a museum.

Imperial Pearl of Hong Kong

A Baroque-style pearl almost the size of a bird’s egg, the Hong Kong Imperial Pearl gets its name from the ownership of the Chinese royal family. With an interesting teardrop shape, this pearl is known for its amazing brilliance and rich color.

Big pink pearl

This pearl was discovered off the coast of California. The Large Pink Pearl was created by a mollusk called abalone. The diver who discovered this treasure still owns the pearl, despite numerous offers to buy it. In 1991, it was valued at $4,7 million.

Pearl of Gogibus

The Gogibus Pearl has a long and mysterious past. The pearl, discovered by a Spanish merchant named Gogibus, was sold to King Philip IV. The whereabouts of the pearl are currently unknown, although it is rumored that every few years the long-lost Gogibus Pearl can be seen in private collections in different parts of the world.

Pearl of Jomon

The 5000-year-old Jomon Pearl was once believed to be the oldest pearl in existence. Since then, older pearls have been found throughout the Arabian Peninsula, but the Jomon pearl continues to be one of the most famous pearls in the world and is a national treasure in its native Japan.

Pearl of Hope

Considered to be the largest marine natural pearl ever discovered, the Hope Pearl is an impressive specimen. It measures approximately 5 by 10 centimeters and weighs almost 100 grams. Pearls range from greenish-gold in color at the bottom to pure white at the top. This gem is in the permanent collection of the British Museum of Natural History, where it can be admired by any visitor to London. This also led to the popularity of baroque pearl jewelry. Henry Philip Hope once owned this pearl and the Hope Diamond at the same time.

Pearl – Orphan (Huerfana)

This pearl was once part of the Spanish Crown Jewels. It was once owned by Doña Isabel de Bobadilla, the first female governor of Cuba. Unfortunately, the pearl is believed to have been destroyed in a palace fire in Cuba in the 18th century.

Each of the ten most famous pearls in the world has its own unique story. Traveling through history in the possession of rich and powerful people, pearls have seen a lot.

These pearls are considered a miracle of nature and are among the most beautiful examples of their kind. They continue to be prized in museums, private collections, jewelry stores and “pearl history books” around the world.