Cultured or natural pearls: size, shape, clarity, color - what do you need to know?
Pearls form as a result of an immune response within the shell of certain molluscs, which serves as a defense mechanism against a potential threat such as a parasite or an external threat that could injure the mantle tissue.
A small piece of mantle tissue from the donor shell is transplanted into the recipient's shell, which causes a pearl sac to form, in which the tissue stores calcium carbonate.
Pearls are considered feminine jewelry, associated with the Moon and the planet Venus.
Size - Described mostly in terms of the size of the pearls in millimeters instead of their weight. The bigger the size, the bigger the price, but when it comes to pearl sizes, the price jumps could be uneven. Once the size hits the 8-9mm diameter scale or above, prices tend to go up a lot compared to the smaller diameter ranges.
Shape - Pearls can come in round and oval shapes, they could be pear-shaped or even deformed. The latter are called "baroque pearls". Symmetric spheres or symmetrical drops are among the most valuable shapes. Pearl sizes typically vary between 2 mm and 16 mm in diameter and this size depends solely on the type of mollusk from which they are formed.
Clarity - Good quality in terms of clarity would mean that the pearls come with their characteristic pearl luster and there are sharp and bright reflections on their surface. They would be smooth, flawless and a proper layer of pearls would be present to increase durability.
Color - Pearls come in a variety of colors, from white to black. However, the natural color results from a combination of several factors, such as the predominant color of the pearl, one or more colors that exceed the body color, and also the play of bright colors. The latter could be a subtle combination of colors such as pink, green, blue or even silver and would change once you moved the pearls in your hands.
We at Charms and Charms exclusively use natural cultured pearls in combination with 14k or 18k gold.