|
Up
| |
Pearls - Natural or real pearls are made by oysters and other
mollusks. Cultured pearls also are grown by mollusks, but with human
intervention; that is, an irritant introduced into the shells causes a pearl to
grow. Imitation pearls are man-made with glass, plastic, or organic materials.
 Because natural pearls are very rare, most pearls used in jewelry are either
cultured or imitation pearls. Cultured pearls, because they are made by oysters
or mollusks, usually are more expensive than imitation pearls. A cultured
pearl's value is largely based on its size, usually stated in millimeters, and
the quality of its nacre coating, which gives it luster. Jewelers should tell
you if the pearls are cultured or imitation.
Some black, bronze, gold, purple, blue and orange pearls, whether natural or
cultured, occur that way in nature; some, however, are dyed through various
processes. Jewelers should tell you whether the colored pearls are naturally
colored, dyed or irradiated.
| |
|
