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Tahiti Cultured Pearls
Tahiti cultured Pearls are
Pearl concretions that are secreted inside the black-lipped Pinctada
Margaritifera species of Pearl oysters cultivated mainly in the lagoons
of French Polynesia. They consist of thick Pearly layers containing
organic substances and calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite. In
French Polynesia, the trade designation "Tahiti Cultured Pearl" is
reserved exclusively for cultured Pearls obtained from a grafting of the
locally cultivated Pinctada Margaritifera, variety cumingi Pearl oyster.
Such Pearls have a continuous Pearly layer over at least 80% of their
surface and do not reveal either the underlying nucleus.French Polynesia
Official Classification: Tahiti Cultured Pearls are classified according
to their diameter, luster, shape, surface purity and color.
Legends of Tahiti
For centuries, Tahiti and Her Islands evoked a mythical paradise. Today,
one of nature's magnificent creations grew in the turquoise-colored
lagoons of these islands and atolls. That creation is Tahitian black
Pearl, jewel of the sea, a living symbol of purity and perfection. Long
before Westerners discovered Tahiti, the black Pearl had a reputation
for exceptional value and rarity, enhanced by its use in Jewelry of the
world's Royalty and Nobility. As such, natural black Pearl was known as
the "Pearl of Queens" and the "Queen of Pearls", its wonder inspiring
many questions among people, centuries ago. But their lack of scientific
precision led them to improvise with legend and poetry. Thus, ancient
Chinese believed that Pearls were conceived in the brains of dragons.
According to ancient Polynesian legends handed down from one generation
to the next, Oro, Polynesian god of war and peace, came down to earth,
on a rainbow to offer a special type of Pearl oyster to mankind.
Of Dragons, Angels, Adam, Eve and Tears..
In the Orient, Pearls are associated with the tears of angels, mermaids
or mythical nymphs. The ancient Chinese believed that Pearls were
conceived in the brains of dragons.Ceylon legend tells how the tears of
Adam and Eve created a lake that gave birth to Pearls --white or pink
Pearls from Eve's tears, and more precious and rare grey and black
Pearls from Adam's tears. Why the difference? Man knows better how to
control his emotions, according to the legend. Therefore, his tears are
more valuable.
Pear of Queens and Queen of Pearls
Long before Western man even discovered that Tahiti existed, the black
Pearl had a reputation for exceptional value and rarity that was only
enhanced by its use in the jewelry of the world's royalty and nobility.
The result was that the natural black Pearl became known as the "Pearl
of queens" and the "queen of Pearls", its wonder inspiring many
questions among many people many centuries ago. But their lack of
scientific precision led them to improvise with legend and poetry.
Real Tahitian Pearls vs. Fake Tahitian Pearls
Here are some tips on how to tell the difference between real Tahitian
Pearls and fake Tahitian Pearls:
Real Tahitian Pearls have the following characters:
1. Tahitian Pearls have overtones or hue: green, gray, blue,
peacock, eggplant or magenta.
2. Tahitian Pearls are cold to the touch. They can quickly adopt
body temperature.
3. Tahitian Pearls are gritty when rubbed across the teeth.
4. Drilled holes are smooth around the edges.
5. Tahitian Pearls are heavy to hold.
Fake Tahitian Pearls have the following characters:
1. They don&9;t have overtones or hue.
2. They always have the same temperature as their environment.
3. They are smooth on teeth.
4. Drilled holes are bumpy, as if Pearls are melted during
drilling.
5. They are light in weight.
Read more...
The Birth of a Pearl
The birth of a Pearl is truly a miraculous event. Unlike
gemstones or precious metals; which must be mined from the earth, Pearls
are grown by live oysters far below the surface of the sea. Gemstones
must be cut and polished to bring out their beauty...
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The History of Pearls
No one will ever know who were the earliest people to collect and wear Pearls. George Frederick Kunz a gemologist in his 1908 masterpiece - The Book of the Pearl, states his belief that an ancient fish-eating tribe, perhaps along the coast...
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Natural Pearls
A natural Pearl is a Pearl that forms in nature with no
human intervention. Natural Pearls, What is a Natural
Pearl Natural Pearls are grown in wild oysters. The
process begins when an irritant, such as a grain of sand
or a piece of shell, gets inside an oyster's shell...
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Freshwater Pearls
Freshwater Pearls are a kind of Pearl that comes from
freshwater mussels. They are produced in Japan and the
United States on a limited scale, but are now almost
exclusive to China The U.S. Federal Trade Commission
requires that freshwater Pearls are referred to as..
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Saltwater Pearls
Although freshwater Pearls can be grown in mussels and
other mollusks, saltwater Pearls are always grown in
oysters. Most saltwater Pearls are harvested in the Red
Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the coastal waters of India
and Japan. Generally, saltwater Pearls...
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Cultured Pearls
Cultured Pearls are those in which humans take a helping
hand. By actually inserting a foreign object into the
tissue of an oyster or mollusk, Pearl farmers can induce
the creation of a Pearl. The same natural process of
Pearl creation takes place...
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Akoya Pearls
Akoya Pearls are found only in Japan, China,
and Vietnam. Japanese Akoya Pearl farms are shifting towards the warmer
Chinese waters, where these Pearls take only half as long to grow.
Overtone colors of Akoya Pearls include white, cream, rose, silver, and
green...
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Keshi Pearls
Tiny Pearls, some a little bigger than a grain
of sand, which form naturally in many cultured Pearl oysters. Keshi is a
Japanese word for "poppy seed". Thus, keshi is also called the seed
Pearl deriving the name from its size. Keshi Pearls are irregularly
shaped...
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The Pearl Myths
There are many myths
about Pearls that have continued through the centuries.
"Pearls of Wisdom", is a common saying and even
shares the title of some books in areas such as
medicine, country living, inspiration and wisdom
collections and Oriental teachings...
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Back to 'All About Pearls' Summary
Ever since the ancient Egyptians first started creating
jewelry, Pearls have become one of the highest regarded gemstones. Even
today Pearls still hold their value due to the rarity of "mother nature"
creating this form of jewelry. Pearls are created from a core. The core
of a natural Pearl is simply a fragment of shell or fishbone, or a grain
of sand that strays into the unsuspecting Pearl oyster's shell. To
protect itself from this irritant the oyster secretes multiple layers of
nacre, forming a Pearl...
Read more...
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The Legends of Tahiti Pearl
