ABOUT PEARLS
Pearls are one of the oldest gems known and are the only gem produced by a living organism. They are a miracle of nature. Pearls require no polishing or cutting and usually only require a simple cleaning once they've been extracted from the oyster.
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It takes several years and many people to bring cultured pearls from the depths of the seas to your hands. So many factors can influence the outcome of the pearl culturing process and the farmer never really knows what the pearl will look like until it is harvested. Although most south sea pearls on the market today are cultured, they are still valuable and rare. No two pearls are ever the same making your purchase unique.
Pearls are cultivated in unique and isolated locations. These farming locations are some of the most pristine and bio-diverse rich areas in all the world. Pearl farming is an eco-friendly process that gives back to the environment and helps to maintain aquatic balance. It is a sustainable industry and we at Thalassa, strive to work with the pearl farmers directly to preserve the provenance of our pearls. It takes a great deal of sweat, luck and tears to culture these special Pearls and you can be guaranteed that any pearl you purchase from Thalassa will be one of a kind.
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How to look after your pearls
There are a few simple rules to follow:
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1. Put your pearls on last when getting dressed, especially after applying perfumes as these can damage the pearl surface.
2. After wear, take your pearls off first and wipe them with a soft cloth to remove any residues.
3. Store your pearls in a cloth bag away from other items as they can scratch.
4. Have them re-strung, or settings checked, once a year.
5. Most importantly enjoy them and wear them often!
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Generally, pearls are judged according to the following characteristics:
Lustre - perhaps the single most important feature of a pearl. Lustre is the glow resulting from the reflection of light passing through the layers of nacre of a pearl. The higher the lustre, the more valuable the pearl. How can you tell if the lustre is good? If the lustre is good, the reflection on the surface of the pearl should be clear and bright.
Surface - sometimes the surface of a pearl isn't smooth or clean and there can often be spots, marks or other imperfections.
Size - Australian South Sea Pearls are the largest and rarest in the world and can vary in size from around 10mm up to 20mm and larger, although the average is around 11-12mm. Tahitian pearls are slightly smaller and range from 9mm to 16mm. Pearls from other locations such as Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines are about 8mm-16mm.
Shape - pearls can vary in shape and categories include round, near round, drop, oval, circle, button and baroque. Other variations can occur and may be reflected in different grading methods.
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Colour - the colour of the pearl is predominantly dictated by the colour of the donor tissue and to a lesser extent, by the environment in which the host oyster lives. Typically, pearls produced in Australia are white with overtones of pink, blue, green, silver and cream. Although Tahitian pearls are called black pearls, their colour can range from black to white, silver, blue, green, peacock, aubergine and many shades in between. Most pearls from the Spice Islands of Indonesia and Myanmar (Burma) tend to be cream and yellow but can also be white/silver. Some gold and champagne coloured pearls are produced in Australia, Indonesia and Myanmar, however the best gold pearls are currently grown in The Philippines.