An Overview of Pearls

An Overview of Pearls

Mollusk is a soft body marine animal. A natural pearl is formed in a pearl bearing mollusk. A pearl is a gemstone that is formed when a foreign object or irritant enters the soft tissue or mantle of a mollusk. This irritant can be a grain of sand or other foreign body, and the result is a beautiful, iridescent gemstone. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know about pearls.

Types of Pearls
There are two main types of pearls—natural and cultured. Natural pearls are those that form without any human intervention in the nature. They are rare and valuable because they must depend on natural conditions to develop. Cultured pearls, on the other hand, are created through human intervention in an oyster farm. During this process, a technician inserts an irritant into the oyster to create the pearl over time. Cultured pearls are more abundant and are used in jewelry making more often than natural ones.

Pearl Grading System
The quality of a pearl is determined by several factors including its size, shape, color, luster, surface quality, nacre thickness, and matching (in case multiple pearls are being used). To measure these factors accurately and consistently across all gems, each pearl is graded using a standard grading system established by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The GIA system gives each pearl a grade from A+ (the highest) to C- (the lowest). It also provides criteria for evaluating each factor so that buyers can make informed decisions when purchasing their pearls.

Pearls are beautiful gemstones that have been coveted for centuries by people around the world. Whether you’re looking for natural or cultured pearls for your jewellery collection or just want to learn more about them for personal knowledge, understanding the basics about these gems can help you make an educated decision when shopping for them. With this information in mind, you will be able to identify high-quality pearl pieces with confidence! Gemkart offers natural pearls direct from the source.