Gemstone Pearl
The pearl is also a valuable in gemstone family since time is not known and it is highly attractive. Pearl is different from other gemstones because it is organic in nature while the other gemstones belong to minerals. It is formed from the phylum mollusks members body tissues like mussels and oysters. The pearls are made up by calcium carbonate, it is naturally available in wild areas, but now mostly pearls are available as a cultivated form. Pearl is available in multicolor and the most famous is Akoya pearls, which is from China and Japan and its color are usually white, black and occasionally blue. Pearls comes from different countries in various shades as golden comes from the Philippines and Indonesia similarly white comes from Australia and black pearl or Tahitian from Tahiti. There are mainly two types of pearls like salt water and fresh water, fresh water pearls produced by mussels and fresh water pearls produced by oysters. Mussels produces more pearls than oyster, fresh water pearls are in various colors just like pink, white, purple and blue.
Pearls belong to organic gemstones and it is created by oyster, in old days it was an assets. The pearl is rare because thousands of oysters produce a single pearl and that is why it is so valuable and expensive. Nowadays the pearls are cultured by artificial manner and for this purpose shell beads are used. In artificial pearls culturing Japan is leading the other nations, South Pacific has large oyster and produces large pearls while in China pearls are cultured by fresh water mussels. The pearls value is determined by its luster and shinning from its surface. The expensive pearls do not have any fault or flaws moreover these types of pearls have smooth, shinny and even surface. In this regard other factors also be considered like size, color and texture. However, among pearls rosy color pearl is most demanded. Cultured and natural pearls can be easily distinguished by their surface shinning. The natural pearls are mostly very expensive because of limited availability and uniqueness moreover; its features are more attractive and clear than cultured pearls. Pearls have more precious when they are in quite round shape, unique color and high quality. Pearl has many shape from sphere, oval and free form. There is no grading system to determine the pearl, but flawless pearl is considered the perfect.
Pearl Uses
Pearls are very common among gemstones and it is being used since ancient time, it is used in rings, necklaces and in pendants. Irregular pearls are used in pendants. Pearls are among the most popular gemstones and have been used since antiquity. All colors and types of Pearl are used as gemstones, and they are especially popular as necklaces. Pearls are also extensively used as bracelets, and can also be the center stone in rings, earrings, and pendants. Pendants are often made of non-rounded Pearls such a baroque-shaped Pearls.
Pearl Sources
The pearls are naturally found, but it is a limited source while pearls are cultured in many countries of the world. China and Japan are leading in pearl culturing, however, other countries are also producing pearls by same method. Different countries producing various colors and shades of pearls while Australia producing highest quality of pearls and white is dominant among others which are producing in Australia. In the East Persian gulf is the main part of the world that produces world class pearls, however, Panama and Venezuela deposits were also pointed out by many travelers. Pearls has long history being used in jewelry, before the cultured pearls the natural pearls were rare and expensive.
Pearl Properties
Pearl has many beneficial properties for human beings some of them are healing properties and intelligence enhancement. The hardness of pearl is from 2.5-4.5 while it shows transparency to opaque shades. The gemstones pearl belong to mineral class calcium carbonate.
Pearls Verities
There are a lot of verities of pearls are flourishing in blue, white, green, yellow, orange, brown, pink, purple, gray, black and multicolored.
Pearl as Birthstone
Pearl is the birthstone of June.
General information about Gemstone Pearl
Chemical Composition: CaCO3 + conchiolina.
Color: White, pink, yellow, black, blue, brown and green.
Hardness on Mohs scale: From 2,5 to 4,5.
Mineral class: Calcium carbonate and conchiolin (organic) combined with water
Transparency: Matt.
Zodiac: Gemini