White and pinkish pearls usually command higher prices than yellowish or cream colored pearls. The body color of South Sea pearls is judged the same way as other pearls. A small blemish near the apex where the pearl was attached to its host is common but not critical because most pearls need a drill hole anyway, and that spot is perfect for that. A smooth surface free of any blemishes is always desirable but uncommon in normal cultivation. The quality and thickness of the nacre is reflected in the luster which along with the color are the most important factors affecting the beauty and value of the pearls. Large round pearls are always highly prized and small increases in diameter can increase valuations substantially. South Sea pearls are valued primarily for their size, shape, luster, color, and surface nacre. The warm waters and currents speed the oyster’s metabolism and allow them to grow at much faster rates than Japanese Akoya pearls which live in much colder waters. The large sizes of these pearls are related to the larger sizes of the host organisms, their shell sizes, the large beads that are viable for implantation, and the warm waters in which they thrive. The average size of a South Sea pearl is 13 mm, with most harvests producing a range of sizes from 9 mm to 20 mm. These waters are the native habitat of large oysters known as the gold lipped or silver lipped oysters ( Pinctada maxima) which can be nucleated with beads larger than any other saltwater oysters. South Sea pearls are cultured throughout the South Pacific in coastlines along Australia, Myanmar, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Cook Islands and Polynesia. The world’s largest round South Sea pearl is 24mm in diameter. South Sea Pearls South Sea pearls are among the largest commercially harvested cultured pearls in the world.
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