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When buying cultured pearls, consumers must consider several quality characteristics that are very different from the four C's of diamonds or gemstones. Nacre quality is very important. The nacre is the layers of protective coating - a pearly substance - that grows around a pearl nucleus. Experts warn that only pearls with a sufficient layer of nacre will last through years of wear; thin-nacre pearls often peel or crack. A nacre that is less than 0.35 mm is considered too thin, and thicker is always better.... (2004) Complete Story
When Chinese freshwater pearls began flooding the market several years ago, craft artists took notice. It is not that pearls were new to them. Studio jewelers had been incorporating pearls into their designs for decades, long before the current wave of Chinese freshwater pearls reached these shores. But the growing availability of Chinese freshwater pearls has allowed artists to indulge their passion for pearls as they never could before.... (2004) Complete Story
Ginseng, green tea, and herb and oil extracts are just a few of the main ingredients in millions of cosmetics on the market today. And now pearls have entered the picture in a bigger way, hoping to take the cosmetics industry by storm. But the use of pearls in cosmetics is not a new concept. For thousands of years, people in Asia, especially in China and Japan, have been using pearl powder as a natural remedy to maintain the appearance of youthful skin. It has also been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a dietary supplement, usually in capsule form, to supply the body with amino acids and minerals.... (2005) Complete Story
Thirty years after Robert Wan began culturing his first Tahiti black pearls in the seas of French Polynesia, he is still fascinated by the darkly shimmering treasures. When discussing his successful journey to become one of the most influential suppliers of cultured Tahiti black pearls, he still beams and comments, persuasively, "I love pearls!".... (2003) Complete Story
China was one of the first to master the art of culturing. The Middle Kingdom began producing cultured pearls in the fourteenth century. In the 1960s a state-controlled industry introduced freshwater cultured pearls to the world market. Originally cultured using the wild Cristaria plicata or cockscomb mussel, initial production was of low quality baroque pearls, disparagingly known as rice crispies....
(2006) Complete Story
