Pearls: the only organic gemstone

People have coveted natural pearls as symbols of wealth and status for thousands of years. A Chinese historian recorded the oldest written mention of natural pearls in 2206 BC.  Sima Qian, "The Records of the Grand Historian": an allusion to Chun Shen Jun Fu - the pearl crawler. As the centuries progressed toward modern times, the desire for natural pearls remained strong. Members of royal families as well as wealthy citizens in Asia, Europe, and elsewhere treasured natural pearls and passed them from generation to generation.

Gold Bracelets with Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl

Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)  Image Source: The Palace Museum

Summer Crown of Imperial Consort

Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)  Image Source: National Palace Museum

PEARL TYPES

Perhaps the best-loved organic gems of all time, pearls—both natural and modern cultured pearls—occur in a wide variety of colors. The most familiar colors are white and cream (a light yellowish brown). Black, gray, and silver are also fairly common, but the palette of pearl colors extends to every hue. The main color, or body color, is often modified by additional colors called overtones, which are typically pink (sometimes called rosé), green, purple, or blue. Some pearls also show the iridescent phenomenon known as orient.

(Image from Baidu)

1.      NATURAL PEARLS VS. CULTURED PEARLS

Natural Pearls

Natural pearls form in the bodies, or mantle tissue, of certain mollusks, usually around a microscopic irritant, and always without human help of any kind.

Cultured Pearls

The growth of cultured pearls requires human intervention and care. Today, most of the mollusks used in the culturing process are raised specifically for that purpose, although some wild mollusks are still collected and used.

2.      PEARLS ORIGIN

There are four major types of cultured whole pearls:

Freshwater Cultured Pearls

China produces both freshwater and saltwater pearls and is the largest producer of pearls in the world. The annual production of freshwater pearls, represented by Zhuji, Zhejiang, and Suzhou, Jiangsu, accounts for more than 90% of the world's production. China's saltwater pearls are produced in Hepu, Guangxi, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, and Hainan, and were once known as the "South Pearl". Freshwater cultured pearls are the most commonly produced pearls and they are one of the most popular pearl types among shoppers and jewelry designers. This is due to their remarkable range of sizes, shapes, and colors, plus their commercial availability at lower price points. They are usually cultured in freshwater lakes and ponds, often with many pearls grown in one oyster. China is the leading source of freshwater cultured pearls.

(Image from Baidu)

Akoya Cultured Pearls

Akoya cultured pearls are the most familiar type of saltwater cultured pearl to most people in the U.S and other western markets. Many customers think of white or cream-colored akoyas as the classic pearl used for jewelry, especially single-strand necklaces. Japan and China both produce Akoya cultured pearls.

South Sea Cultured Pearls

Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines are leading sources of these saltwater cultured pearls. South Sea cultured pearls can be white to silver or golden, depending on the type of oyster. Their large size and thick nacre, due to a long growth period, plus their limited critical growing conditions are all factors contributing to their value.

Tahitian Cultured Pearls

Cultivated primarily around the islands of French Polynesia (the most familiar of these is Tahiti). These saltwater cultured pearls sometimes referred to as black pearls, have a wide color range. They might be gray, black, or brown, and they can have blue, green, purple, or pink overtones.

Cultured pearls from Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar, are grown in the Pinctada Maxima mollusk. This shell is called gold-lipped because of the color of the outer rim of its mother-of-pearl layer.

Pearl Jewelry Journey

How is a piece of pearl jewelry born?

The first step is to select the pearls. The processing of pearls requires rinsing (to clean the surface of the excess impurities), polishing (to further remove impurities from the surface of the pearls), sorting unified pearls (according to different colors, size classification), drilling (the pre-selected pearls will be punched), beading (according to the size, color, luster, shape and other different categories of beading).

A complete piece of pearl jewelry, in addition to the pearl part, there is the accessory part, that is, the metal part. The processing of the pearl jewelry's empty tray accessories needs to go through the opening of the adhesive film, wax injection, inversion, mold execution, stone setting, polishing, and so on. After the accessories are produced, the pearls are then set. The process of combining gold/silver processing and pearl inlay is a perfect combination of both craftsmanship and aesthetics, and its process is simply outlined by the production of pearl accessories followed by the gluing of bare pearls. Finally, a complete piece of pearl jewelry is made.

Qing Dynasty 19th century Inlaid red gemstone

Qing dynasty, Daoguang, with emerald green band head

Pearl Symbolism

Pearls are treasures from the Earth’s ponds, lakes, seas, and oceans, and they’ve always embodied the mystery, power, and life-sustaining nature of water.
The spherical shape of some pearls led many cultures to associate this gem with the moon. In ancient China, pearls were believed to guarantee protection from fire and fire-breathing dragons. In Europe, they symbolized modesty, chastity, and purity.

La Peregrina: One of the world's most famous pearls In 2011, Redesigned by Cartier. The jewelry was auctioned at Christie's as part of Taylor's collection and eventually sold for $11 million.

Vintage Chanel Pearl Drop Earrings Circa 1996

Coco Chanel once said: "Every girl needs a string of pearls". She was particularly fond of pearls, of which the image of using pearls with a little black dress is a classic among classics.

Mannssi takes "new Chinese aesthetics" as the design concept, dialogue, and blends traditional Chinese craftsmanship with modern fashion. At Mannssi, we design many pearl chunky beads jewelry with freshwater pearls. Our Chinese Heritage jewelry collection combines traditional Chinese pendants with auspicious elements and freshwater pearl chunky beads, adding a traditional oriental aesthetic to a modern aesthetic. 

Mannssi Pearl Series, click here.

Mannssi hopes to pass on traditional Chinese elements and give them more emotion and power by combining them with modern fashion elements.