REAL PEARLS, NATURAL AND CULTURED
First, the term "pearl" is not but should be applied only to natural pearls, formed in a mollusk when some event in nature induces the oyster or mussel to form a pearl. These pearls are quite rare and are the pearls of antiquity before pearl farmers learned to culture pearls. Freshwater pearls fished from the rivers in the USA are natural pearls but nowadays, most freshwater pearls are also cultured in freshwater pearl farms.
In any event, naturally forming or cultured, such pearls are formed in the oyster or mussel and are not fakes. The real difference in the totally natural pearl and the cultured pearls is what makes the pearl start to grow and the thickness of the nacre. Nacre is the pearly layers that make a pearl so lovely. The natural pearl will have very thick nacre, generally forming in concentric rings around some starting source or irritation to the mollusk.
A large natural pearl is very, very rare. Cultured pearls generally use a "core" of mother-of-pearl, the shell of the mollusk. The bead core goes into the mollusk and nacre is formed around the core. The core determines the overall shape of the pearl. How long the oyster is allowed to let the pearl grow determines the thickness of the nacre. Thicker nacre is better. Best of all is thick nacre and a smooth, almost blemish free surface.
Are you familiar with jewelry?
Orignal From: REAL PEARLS, NATURAL AND CULTURED
没有评论:
发表评论