Natural vs. Cultured PearlsNatural Pearls are formed by nature without the hand of man. While living in it's natural habitat, a mollusk such as an oyster, gets a small irritant inside its shell such as a grain of sand, coral or seashell. This foreign body is irritating to the animal so it secrets a mucus to protect against tissue damage (much like a human forms a blister). This mucus hardens and accumulates in many layers, called the nacre, until it becomes larger and larger, becoming one of the most prized objects in the world - a pearl. From this humble beginning, true natural pearls are very rare, consequently considered the most valuable pearls and are not commonly found in the modern jewelry marketplace. In 1893, Kokichi MIKIMOTO conceived a method of duplicating this natural process by inserting a shell fragment into the oyster and stimulating the oyster to grow the thousands of layers of nacre which form a beautiful lustrous pearl. The resulting pearls are referred to as "Cultured pearls." Cultured pearls are formed the same way as natural pearls, but man inserts the irritant (called the nucleus). This process is called "seeding" because a small seed or bead is inserted into the mollusk and the pearl is formed around it. For the best cultured pearls, this bead is made of mollusk shell. The mollusks are raised in a controlled environment, on a farm. The great majority of pearls sold today for jewelry are cultured pearls. Types of PearlsThe various types of pearls differ in their luster and their mysterious colors depending on the type of oyster that produced them, and they can take on a wide variety of appearances. Akoya Pearls South Sea Pearls Keshi Pearls "Mother of Pearl" Mabe Pearls Freshwater Pearls Qualities of the Perfect PearlAs the Originator of Cultured Pearls, MIKIMOTO maintains the strictest quality standards. Each pearl harvested is as different and individual as a fingerprint, making it essential to follow quality grading standards. There are five physical factors that determine the quality of pearls and that are important to understand when buying pearls: Luster Surface Perfection Color Shape Size |
The Mikimoto Pearl Grading SystemWhile luster and nacre quality, surface perfection, color, shape and size are standard factors for pearl grading, the MIKIMOTO grading scale is the only qualified system which accurately and consistently defines these six factors by four individual grade categories. No one factor can solely represent the worth of a pearl, but luster and surface perfection are key factors in grading a pearl. **Black South Sea pearls from Mikimoto do not fall under this grading system but the quality is comparable to A+ or better. |
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