WHAT ARE CULTURED PEARLS
Cultured pearls explained.
Natural pearls are so rare to find in nature that most pearls sold today are cultured. By introducing a small shell bead to a mollusc, pearl farmers can induce the creation of a pearl. From there, the same process of natural pearl creation takes place.
There are four major types of cultured pearls: freshwater, South Sea, Tahitian, and Akoya pearls.
Today, nearly all pearls are cultured. Over the years, the pearl production process has been optimized so that we can now get bigger and better pearls. The quality of the pearls can also be increased by improving the culture process, which means that we now have access to more valuable gems.
TYPES OF CULTURED PEARLS
Selecting a pearl.
There are two basic varieties of cultured pearls; freshwater and saltwater. Freshwater pearls are grown primarily in man-made lakes and reservoirs in China. Saltwater pearls, which include Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea, are grown in bays, inlets and atolls in many places around the world.
Saltwater pearls are considered more valuable than freshwater pearls, although rare and very high-quality freshwater pearls can be exceedingly valuable.
The most durable pearls.
Unlike saltwater cultured pearls, most of the freshwater cultured pearls are made of entirely solid nacre. This distinction makes freshwater pearls more durable and therefore a better choice for jewellery.
Modern methods have made the difference in quality between freshwater and saltwater pearls barely noticeable. They are dazzling in their rich, bright lustre, and their unique charm will last you a lifetime.
Quality Factors.
Industry-wide there is no standardized grading for freshwater pearls. However, we ensure that each pearl is inspected against our exceptional quality grading standards.
We appraise their qualities in accordance with the Pearl Description System of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), which is the most widely accepted system of grading worldwide for cultured pearls.
Here are the seven factors in the GIA system we use to assess the quality, value, and beauty of freshwater pearls.
A pearl's lustre is a measure of its brilliance and reflectivity.
The more lustrous the pearl, the more it shines and reflects light and images.
The appearance of the surface of the pearl is perhaps one of its most critical characteristics.
The surface should be smooth and clean, without bumps, spots, discolourations, or other disfiguring characteristics.
The shape of the pearl is one important area where “value” and personal taste may diverge.
In general, round and near-round pearls are the most valuable, because of their rarity.
Pearl colour is another area where the most “valuable” pearl may or may not be the most appropriate pearl for you as an individual.
Pearl colours range across almost the entire spectrum from white to black.
Nacre is the substance from which the pearl is actually created.
The thickness of the nacre often determines how durable the pearl will be over time.
The size of the pearl has a direct bearing on its quality and price.
Larger pearls command higher prices (with all other factors being equal).
Pearl matching is the evaluation of the complete appearance of a pearl strand.
Matching can include size, colour and quality.
To produce one of the finest ranges of freshwater pearl necklaces, we’ve gone directly to the best pearl farms to find you the finest freshwater pearls, and present them in our meticulously curated collections.
We sell the finest freshwater pearls.
We go directly to the best pearl farms to find the finest freshwater pearls. We bid a little more to have them set aside for us.
This way, we can make freshwater pearl jewellery that is a bit above and beyond what you’ll normally see in brick and mortar jewellery stores.
INCREDIBLY STUNNING PEARLS
Our pearls are composed of solid crystalline nacre, the closest you can get to the way a natural pearl is formed in the wild.
NO STORES
We sell exclusively online and offer fine freshwater pearl jewellery without the luxury markup.
HIGH STANDARDS
We do not compromise on quality. We ensure that each pearl is inspected against our exceptional quality grading standards.