Throughout history pearls have been worn by the rich, and given as rare and expensive gifts. Traditionally worn by new brides on their wedding day, for thousands of years they have been a symbol of love, purity and perfection. Nowadays pearl jewellery is available to more people than ever before, and you no longer need to be royalty to afford it. Pearls are grown on farms around the world and with so many varieties to choose from any bride-to-be can find the perfect pearls to suit her wedding gown. In fact there are so many varieties that it can be difficult to know which to choose, so here are a few things to look out for:
Type of pearl – There are two types of pearl, saltwater and freshwater. Saltwater pearls are found in oysters in the sea, and are usually larger and more regular in shape than the freshwater variety. For this reason they usually also cost more. Freshwater pearls are farmed in lakes and rivers, usually smaller and often less regular in shape, though they come in a large range of different colours.
Size – When it comes to pearls, size makes a huge difference. The bigger the pearl, the more desirable it is and the more it will cost. Saltwater pearls are generally bigger than freshwater, and are therefore more highly sought after.
Nacre – Pearls take a very long time to form inside the shell of an oyster. When an irritant is introduced into the shell the oyster produces nacre, which builds up in layers forming the pearl. The thicker the coating of nacre, the longer the pearl will last as jewellery. Some cultured saltwater pearls are ‘beaded’ with a larger nucleus which speeds up the process and keep the pearls as round as possible. Most freshwater pearls and all natural pearls are formed entirely of nacre, which is why their shape is often less regular.
Luster – No pearl is perfectly shiny like glass but they should have a sort of reflective quality to them, called the lustre. Pearls that have this shimmery surface are the most popular type.
Colour – The natural colours of pearls are various shades of white, pink and lilac although nowadays you can now get cultured pearls dyed in almost any colour. A pearl necklace made of matching naturally-coloured pearls will cost more than dyed ones, as it can take a long time to collect enough matching pearls for a whole string.
Shape – When we think of pearls, we normally imagine that they are all perfectly round and shiny. In reality this is rare, and these round pearls are highly in demand and so can be very expensive. Small cultured pearls tend to be more rounded and some of the larger ones have been formed around a bead to help the shape develop. Irregularly shaped pearls are also used to produce unique pendants and earrings.
Matching – It can be hard to find enough pearls of the same size, shape and colour to make a whole necklace, so a string of regular pearls is more desirable and will be more expensive.
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