Pearls exhibit endless sophistication and glamour. Their elegance and timeless beauty have charmed everyone; celebrities are no exception. From Marilyn Monroe to Kate Middleton, the humble pearl has found its way into some of the classiest ladies’ jewellery boxes.
If you too are planning to bring home a piece of pearl jewellery, cultured pearls are a great option.
Here are 5 intriguing facts about cultured pearls that will tell you how impressive the gem can be!
1. Cultured Pearls are Real
Cultured pearls are often confused with artificial ones. You too may have wondered whether cultured pearls are real.
To put your confusion to rest, they are very much real and grown in mussel farms. Cultured pearls are obtained by inserting an irritant into the clam or oyster to form the pearl.
Artificial pearls on the other hand are man-made and created in labs. They are often made from glass, plastic or oyster shells.
2. Kokichi Mikimoto Created the First Cultured Pearl
Natural pearls were rare and very expensive, this meant only the rich could afford them.
But this changed when Japanese entrepreneur Kokichi Mikimoto set out to create cultured pearls. He successfully received a patent for cultured pearls in 1896, thereby starting the cultured pearl industry. It helped fulfil the demand for pearls and also made them more affordable. He is still remembered as the Pearl King.
3. They Can be Extracted without Killing the Mollusks
Just like natural pearls, cultured pearls are cultivated inside oysters too.
However, during the time of extraction the pearl can be taken out without harming or killing the mollusks. This is another reason why cultured pearls are popular. Over the years, the technique has undergone several changes in order to prolong the life of the oysters.
4. The Only Gem to Come from a Living Creature
Pearls are often called the Queen of Gems and classified as a gemstone even though they are quite different from sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, etc.
All the other gemstones are formed deep in the earth’s crust, pearl is the only gem that is formed under water that too by a living creature! This makes pearls really special and unique.
5. 99% of the Pearls in the Market are Cultured
Natural pearls are not easy to obtain.
Did you know only 1 out of 10,000 oysters forms a pearl naturally? This makes them extremely rare and very expensive. It is impossible to meet the demand through the natural process. Therefore, when Kokichi Mikimoto began creating cultured pearls, it changed the pearl industry forever.
Today, almost 99% of the pearls available in the market are cultured.
Did You Know?
In ancient Rome, pearls were a status symbol. They were considered so precious that a law was passed to restrict the commoners from wearing pearls!
Top 5 Facts on Cultured Pearls FAQs
- Are cultured pearls better?Cultured pearls are created by inserting an irritant into the mussel. However, since this is done in a controlled environment, the process allows farmers to produce authentic and high-quality pearls.
- Do pearls scratch easily?Yes, pearls are soft and susceptible to scratching. They score only 3 on the Mohs scale of hardness. This makes them one of the softest gems in the world. It is recommended to wear and store pearl with care to avoid scratching its surface.
- Are cultured pearls considered real pearls?Yes! Cultured pearls are very much real. The only difference is the irritant is artificially inserted into the oyster to initiate the process of pearl formation.
