Pearl INFO

At seaside* collectibles, we primarily deal in freshwater pearls and are happy to provide general information about pearls, their care, dyes, colors, styles and hope to answer some FAQs about our pearls.  Please let us know if you think there is information we should add to make this page more informative.

      Natural Pearl Colors    Although most people are used to seeing white pearls, pearls are actually available in a natural rainbow of colors. The primary determinant of pearl color is the species of mollusks that produce them. For cultured pearls implanted with a bead to begin the nacre producing process, the color of pearl may also depend on the color of the bead as well as the origin of the tissue inserted with the bead. The color of the bead may show through the layers of nacre ?thereby influencing the color of the pearl. Because the implanted tissue secretes nacre, the tissue origin also affects the color of the pearl. For example, if the tissue is from a region that secreted black nacre, the pearl created will also be black. Last, trace elements present in the water, such as iron, magnesium, or aluminum, may also affect the pearl color.

Variety                Type                                          Implant                    

Akoya                 Saltwater                                 Bead + Tissue                                  

 Natural color -  White body color with overtones of cream, gold, silver, green, blue, and rose

 Variety                Type                                          Implant    
South Sea          Saltwater                                Bead + Tissue                                  

Natural color -   Silver, white, pink, cream, and gold

Variety                Type                                          Implant    
Freshwater         Freshwater                            Tissue/ Implant + Tissue                 

Natural color -  White , cream, gold, silver, pink, rose, lavender, plum, tangerine, and mocha

Variety                Type                                          Implant  
Tahitian              Saltwater                                Bead + Tissue                                 

Natural color -  Grey, black, green & purple 

Each pearl is a complex layering of color. The body color is defined as the dominant overall color of a pearl. The overtone, or secondary color, may be one or more translucent colors that appear over a pearl's body color. To observe the overtone in a white pearl, place the pearl on a white background under direct light. The outside ring of the pearl will reflect the white background, but the overtone will appear in the dark area in the middle area of the pearl. For dark pearls, the overtones will appear in the lighter areas of the pearl when placed under light.

About Freshwater Pearls
Although historically originating in Japan around Biwa Lake (north of Kyoto), freshwater pearls are also cultivated in China since the beginning of the 1970s on the Yangtze River in Eastern China. Freshwater pearls are the product of an elaborate process in which a single resilient mussel can be harvested many times, yielding several pearls at a time.
The Freshwater pearl looks remarkably similar to the Akoya pearl, but Freshwater pearls are available for almost half the price of Akoya pearls. The only tradeoff is that Freshwater pearls are generally smaller, less symmetrical, and not as well matched when strung on a strand. But if you are looking for affordable pearls, Freshwater pearls are the perfect gift with the best value of all types of the pearl family.  In addition to the major types of pearls there are the pearl oddities: Abalone pearls, Circle pearls, Keshii pearls and Mabe pearls.

Pearl Care
Please store Pearls in soft cloth pouch, minimize its contact with hairspray, makeup, perfume, and other personal care products, which contain chemicals that can harm the pearl's surface and dull the pearl's luster.  In some cases, some dyed pearls may actually bleed if  these care products are applied.  When you take your pearls off, gently wipe them with a soft damp cloth. Washing your pearls periodically is the best way to help remove harmful build-ups.

About Dyed Pearls
Some pearls are the market may be dyed, and according to the Federal Trade Commission, manufacturers are required to disclose this information to the customer. However, many manufacturers fail to disclose this information. Dyeing is typically applied after drilling, and frequently leaves color concentrations in cracks, fissures, and drill holes. These dye residues can be difficult to see, particularly in strung pearls, so detection requires careful visual examination under magnification. Dyeing typically changes the color of conchiolin permanently and renders the pearls virtually indistinguishable from natural or cultured colors if processed correctly. High quality pearls that are dyed or color treated will not fade over time. A dyed pearl can usually be detected by examining the drill hole to look for an uneven concentration of color. Size is a good gauge to tell if a black pearl is a natural color because most cultured blacks are 9 mm or larger, whereas blackened Akoya or Freshwater pearls rarely exceed 9 mm.

Dyeing color is not very commonly used nowadays as before, because of the emergence of new pearl treatment techniques , like Irradiation.  Irradiation pearl treatment is to use of gamma rays to darken the nucleus of the pearl in akoya pearls and the nacre layers in freshwater.  Irradiation has differing effects from freshwater to saltwater cultured pearls. The gamma rays do not affect the nacre layers of a saltwater cultured pearl, but in fact darken the nucleus of the pearl. An irradiated saltwater pearl appears to be gray or blue. The nacre of freshwater irradiated pearls, on the other hand, if affected by the gamma rays and can become very dark. Some of these freshwater treated pearls will also have an intense metallic sheen and iridescent orient over their surface.

Color preference
The color does not affect the quality of a pearl, but it may affect the perceived beauty of the pearl according to individual preferences. At seaside*collectibles, we occasionally offer rare colors that may be available on a limited basis. Extremely rare colors may be priced higher, and unusual pearl colors such as blue may be auctioned at Sotheby's or Christie's. Some colors are more popular than others in particular markets. For example, white pearls are the most popular in America, while silver colors are more sought after in Asia.

Matching colors 
At seaside*collectibles, each jewelry set, comprised of a combination of a pendant, necklace, bracelet and/or pair of earrings, is hand selected for consistent color and pearl shape within the set.  But if, for example, you purchase a necklace and subsequently a bracelet of the same color, the color may be slightly different from item to item, as pearls naturally exhibit color variation.

The AAA - A System
This system grades pearls on a scale from AAA to A, with AAA being the highest grade, this grading scale is common to freshwater and akoya pearls only, but is accepted by many with South Sea and Tahitian pearls as well:

AAA: The highest-quality pearl, virtually flawless. The surface will have a very high luster, and at least 95% of the surface will be free from any type of defect.

AA: The surface will have a very high luster, and at least 75% of the surface will be free from any type of defect.

A: This is the lowest jewelry-grade pearl, with a lower luster and/or more than 25% of the surface showing defects. In many cases, if the pearl is being mounted into a piece of jewelry, it can be mounted so that the defects are hidden -- thus providing a lovely jewelry piece at a lesser price.

Some reputable sellers may use intermit grades for the pearls - only those that do not fall in a category but are between two - such as A+ and AA+.

Pearl Necklace Styles
While most other necklaces are simply referred to by their physical measurement, strings of pearls have their own set of names that characterize the pearls based on where they hang when worn around the neck. The names for pearl necklaces are:

Choker - Nestles at the base of the neck
Collar - Rests directly against the throat - can be multiple strands
Princess - Comes down to or just below the collarbone
Matinee - Falls just above the breasts
Opera - Long enough to reach the breastbone or sternum
Rope - Any length that falls down further than an opera

Necklaces can also be classified as uniform, where all the pearls are the same size, graduated, where the pearls are arranged in size from large in the center to smaller at the ends, or tin cup, where pearls are generally the same size, but separated by lengths of chain.

How is jewelry and pearls photographed at seaside*collectibles?
The colors of our items are a true representation of  them and are photographed with a digital camera in natural light with no flash.  An occasional tungsten light is used to show natural luster or detail. The display of colors will vary depending upon your computer monitor system settings.

We hope this info helps you in your pearl selection & knowledge.  Please visit our store, The Iron Gate Gallery to view our selection of fine artisan designs in pearls.

Happy Hunting from your friends at seaside*collectibles!