|
|
Cultured Pearls – From Origin to Cleaning
Pearls used to be extremely expensive because it takes Mother Nature – or oysters, to be more specific – an extremely long time before they can create such beautiful organic gems. Pearls are produced when an oyster comes into contact with an object purely by chance. It then covers the object with layers of acre until it becomes a pearl. It takes an even longer time however for man to successfully find oysters that have undergone such processes.
Nowadays however pearls are not that rare or hard to find. They can even be sold for very affordable rates…provided that they’re man made.
The Cultured Pearl Industry
Pearl harvests involve placement of shell beads inside oysters for the creatures to cover with nacre. Most cultured pearls can be found in Japan but other cultured pearl producers are also based in the South Pacific and China.
Kokichi is noted as one of the early and important figures to develop advanced techniques in the production of cultured pearls. Most of these advancements had been developed in the late 1800’s till early 1900’s. Unlike natural pearls, cultured pearls can be made into perfection – pearl farmers are able to make the necessary adjustments to ensure that the pearls oysters will produce are perfectly round and free from flaw.
In the 1930’s, Kuwait’s surprisingly main activity was pearl exportation. It was only when Japan entered the market that the Middle East country decided to switch their attentions to oil. Fortunately, the change of direction for both countries was beneficial for the world in general.
How to Judge Cultured Pearls
When estimating the value of cultured pearls, there are several factors that you need to consider: iridescence, luster, reflectivity, shine, shape, size, and colors. Of course, cultured pearls with lots of visible flaws are definitely priced more cheaply than cultured pearls free from any blemish.
How to Care For Cultured Pearls
One thing you should remember about cultured pearls is that no matter how many coatings of nacre they’re made of, they are still more easily breakable unlike other gems which have a natural quality of hardness like sapphires, rubies, and of course, diamonds.
As such, cultured pearls require extra care when handling.
If you’ve decided to wear cultured pearls for tonight’s ball, make sure that you only wear them when you’ve finished primping and you’re absolutely done fixing your hair and makeup.
It’s important that you keep your cultured away from any exposure to toxic chemicals – which can be found in hairsprays and all sorts of makeup – to preserve its beauty. By the way, be sure to spray your perfume on your body first before wearing your cultured pearls as well.
Cultured pearls may also be affected when you apply all sorts of creams, oils, and lotions, to any part of your body that’s in direct contact with your cultured pearls. As such, make sure that you take them off first before you initiate your beautifying ritual.
The surface of cultured pearls is extremely easy to scratch or nick. As such, make sure that you keep them inside cloth pouches before placing them inside your jewelry box. Do not place them in the same pouch where your other jewelries are in store because this may cause scratches as well.
Once they’ve done their duty for tonight – and that’s to enhance your beauty of course! – make sure that you use a soft cloth to wipe off any signs of dirt that may have clung to the surface of your cultured pearls. Even if you don’t see anything marring their surface, just clean them all the same.
How to Clean Your Cultured Pearls Properly
Firstly, don’t clean your cultured pearls the way you clean your other jewelries. Each gem has its own unique properties and these properties may require a different method of cleaning.
Choose a clean soft fabric to clean cultured pearls. Wet them slightly for better results. You can also use hand soap when cleaning cultured pearls. Make sure however that you don’t use any soap with rather strong properties like laundry soaps or detergent bars.
Once you’re done cleaning and wiping your cultured pearls, make sure that you air them out in a place where they won’t get dirtied once more.
Lastly, never ever make the mistake of allowing an ultrasonic cleaner to clean your cultured pearls.
|
|
Products
|
|
