What is the rarest pearl in the world?

Pearls are one of the oldest gemstones known to mankind. It is mentioned in the Old Testament and the ancient Indian epic Rigveda, written in the second millennium BC. In Rus’ there was a tradition of decorating clothes and hats with pearls, and in Europe – inlaid images of the Virgin Mary with mother-of-pearl stones. Today this mineraloid is highly valued and is actively used in jewelry. We tell you what types and forms of pearls there are, which of them are considered the rarest and most valuable.

Types of pearls

• natural (“wild”) and cultivated;
• marine and freshwater.

Let’s talk about these varieties in more detail.

Natural and Cultivated

In nature, a mineraloid begins to grow when a foreign object, such as a grain of sand, gets into the shell of a bivalve mollusk. Plates of calcium carbonate begin to layer on it, and a pearl gradually forms. It takes at least 12 years for it to reach the size of a pea. In the past, pearls were actively mined in the habitats of bivalves, but today they are found extremely rarely. Natural samples are practically not used in jewelry – they have an extremely high cost and are most often sold at auctions.

At the end of the 19th century, they learned to cultivate pearls. At the same time, the cultivated mineraloid is no different from the natural one. The only difference is how exactly the foreign object gets into the shell of the mollusk. In nature this happens by chance, but during cultivation it is initiated by humans. Almost all pearl jewelry found in jewelry stores uses cultured specimens.

Marine and freshwater

Bivalves live in seas and rivers, and the composition of the water affects the properties and appearance of pearls. A specialist can easily determine the origin of a mineraloid based on various characteristics:

• Saltwater pearls tend to have a more uniform color, while freshwater specimens tend to have more gradations and spots.
• The shape of sea pearls is close to spherical, sometimes drop-shaped. River ones are often more elongated, the edges may be uneven.
• Freshwater specimens usually have a matte sheen, while marine specimens are bright and pearlescent.

Mineraloids of different origins are used in jewelry. Smooth sea beads are more often used where symmetry is needed, while river beads can be found in bracelets, necklaces, and pendant earrings.

Shape and color

The most common colors are white, cream and other similar shades. But there are unusual colors – yellow, red, blue, pink, green, golden, chocolate and black. It all depends on the type of mollusk, the color of its mantle and the composition of the water. The seas have a more varied range of colors than rivers.

The shape may be round or irregular. It depends on the place in which the mineraloid is fixed inside the shell of the mollusk. Round pieces are highly prized in jewelry, but some fancy shapes can be even more valuable.

The most expensive types of pearls

Let’s talk about the most unusual and rare types of mineraloids that can be found today.

Jade

This variety is found in only one place – off the coast of the island of Meloer in the Pacific Ocean. The specimens have a unique green hue and are large in size. They are not used in jewelry because they are extremely expensive and can only be found in private collections.

Abalon

In the past, Abalone mollusks, living off the coast of South Africa, were commercially available, and their meat was a valuable delicacy. As a result of fishing, their population was practically destroyed, but it was saved by the fact that mollusks began to be bred on farms.

Abalon grows pearls of unusual shape and large size. Its distinctive feature is a bright, almost mirror-like pearlescent sheen. Such samples can be found in private collections and in unique jewelry that are incredibly expensive.

conch

Queen Conch is a large sea snail that lives in the Caribbean Sea. Irregular pearls called concs grow in her shell. They are small in size – from 3 to 8 mm – and have a very beautiful color. The pink ones are considered the most valuable, but yellow and white ones are also found.

The peculiarity of conk is that it does not have a mother-of-pearl shine, but it is harder and more durable than other types of mother-of-pearl stones.

Melo

This type of mineraloid is found in Melo Melo snails in the coastal waters of Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Melo is also called flaming pearl because it is orange in color. The palette ranges from bright orange to almost white. There are examples of yellow and orange-yellow colors.

They tried to cultivate Melo, but all attempts were unsuccessful. All existing samples were obtained naturally, and therefore their price can reach $500.

Pearls of Cortez

Black mother-of-pearl pearls grow in shellfish that live in the Gulf of California. During the time of Columbus, there were legends about the rich Sea of ​​Pearl, at the bottom of which countless treasures were stored. Conquistador Hernan Cortes organized an expedition to these waters and brought several amazing specimens to the Spanish king. They immediately began to pay more for black pearls than for gold.

Today this variety is cultivated and found in jewelry, but is still expensive. The mineraloid attracts with its regular spherical shape, unusual metallic luster and especially large size – from 8 to 14 mm in diameter.

South Sea Pearl

This is one of the most valuable varieties of cultured pearls, grown in the shell of the Pinctada maxima mollusk. Pearl farms are located on the shores of the Pacific and Indian oceans – in Australia, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines.

With a long cultivation period, large samples are obtained. They have pastel shades – mostly gold, pink and champagne – and a matte sheen. The thick mother-of-pearl layer reaches 6 mm, which allows you to create extremely durable jewelry.

Types of pearl jewelry

Pearls are used for different types of jewelry – rings, pendants, earrings, necklaces, bracelets and others. Mother-of-pearl stone is usually featured prominently in a jewelry composition. Moreover, it is often combined with other precious stones – diamonds, cubic zirconia, topazes, amethysts, sapphires and others. The frame is made of white and yellow gold and 925 sterling silver.

Pearl earrings are a classic that always remains relevant. For earrings, symmetrical pearls are chosen – spherical, oval, drop. The most popular colors are white, gold and black. Typically, pearl earrings are medium in size, but drop earrings and miniature studs are also found.

In addition to earrings, you can choose a neat pearl pendant or an elegant necklace. Usually only one pearl is placed in a pendant, but there are products with several stones. The frame is often additionally decorated with a scattering of other gems – for example, cubic zirconia, diamonds.

A classic pearl necklace consists of beads made of pearls of the same color and size. There are also models in which pearls are combined with other precious stones.

At MIUZ Diamonds you can buy pearl jewelry or a whole set. Place your order online and pick it up at your nearest store.

Which pearls are considered the rarest and most valuable?

Which pearls are considered the most rare and valuable Pearls are one of the most ancient precious stones known to mankind. It is mentioned in the Old Testament and the ancient Indian epic Rigveda, written in the second millennium BC. There was a tradition in Rus’.

Kokichi Mikimoto, the founder of the famous Akoya Pearls, always said: “Never give up and keep working, and one day you will see results.” This motto is the heart and soul of the Cozumel Pearl Farm, which is located in the Caribbean.

The pearl-free Caribbean has been attracting worldwide attention for decades as one of the world’s top holiday destinations. But its aquamarine waters boast a rarer and much more elegant gem that few people know about.

Pearls of Cozumel

The Caribbean’s only working pearl farm, Cozumel Pearl Farm, is trying to revive the population of Pinctata Radiata, also known as the Atlantic pearl oyster. In the Caribbean, this species is critically endangered, having almost completely disappeared from the region.

Now the Kaamao family’s dream of preserving this species has come true, thanks to an environmentally friendly pearl harvesting process that helps maintain populations of this small oyster.

In terms of pearl farming, the Cozumel Pearl Farm is still in its infancy. It was founded in 2001 before the farm was destroyed by Hurricane Wilma in 2005. It took a lot of effort to recover. Be that as it may, this farm is not like other pearl farms.

Taking lessons from the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Wilma, Francisco Caamao (affectionately known as Pancho) invented an ingenious new mounting system for shell garlands. He has developed a large support system anchored to the ocean floor that reduces the impact of severe tropical storms and unpredictable weather (all of which are common; the weather gets very bad during hurricane season from July to November).

Kaamo never gave up on his dream of growing pearls in the Caribbean. But the main problem in this matter was to increase the survival rate of oysters during the sowing process, since it was the Atlantic pearl oyster that showed poor survival rate. But to achieve optimal pearl production, seeding techniques have improved over the past few years, resulting in increased pearl production and oyster survival rates.

During the tour, the owners explained the entire production process, from first placing the oysters on towering underwater collection lines, all the way through to seeding and harvesting the pearls.

It takes three to four years to obtain a pearl, it is truly a game of patience and practice to achieve perfection. The money spent has already paid off. With the improvement of sowing techniques, their annual “yield” has almost doubled.

The farm’s pearls can only be purchased here at Cozumel Pearl Farm. They produce only 100-200 pearls per year, which makes them very popular. These rare saltwater pearls are like no other, and they prove that if you reach for the stars, dreams can come true.

Anyone can visit this pearl farm. You will be taken by boat from the town of Cozumel to San Miguel de Cozumel and you will have the whole day to explore the surrounding area, relax and gain new knowledge. After a forty-minute boat ride you will reach the northernmost point of Cozumel, where there is a wide bay.

This is a secluded bay and can only be reached by boat on a private tour with the owners themselves. And it really is very beautiful here. You will be able to admire the wild nature untouched by thousands of tourists, which lives its own life, not paying attention to the presence of humans.

Here is an outdoor education center built into the environment with minimal disruption. In it you can learn everything about what an ideal pearl should be, and also get acquainted with its different types. Then the laboratory will be able to look at sowing and harvesting procedures.

In fact, this pearl farm isn’t just dedicated to preserving the oyster population – they’re also dedicated to reef conservation, as well as rejuvenating the corals through careful replanting and plant cultivation.

Here you also get the opportunity to dive underwater and see the pearl farm with your own eyes. Before diving, a quick safety briefing is provided.

During the dive, you will hold on to a line that is gently towed behind the boat. Amazing visibility of the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea allows you to observe the growing garlands of oysters from a bird’s eye view. Of course, you can dive deeper and take a closer look, or kiss the large sunken statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is said to protect and bring good luck. She is a silent guardian who protects the pearls and the farm itself. A beautiful lighthouse in a water pearl paradise.

I have traveled extensively throughout the region and these waters are the clearest, most inviting waters I have seen. This private sanctuary is a nature lover’s dream.

In recent years, there has been a trend towards increasing popularity of imperfectly shaped or asymmetrical baroque pearls. However, in 2020, the fashion for the classic shape of pearls will most likely return.

At the end of the day, returning by boat to the town of San Miguel de Cozumel, even the most devoted pearl fan will fall in love with them all over again.