Known as Tear of the Gods according to mythology, the pearl is the only precious stone in the world that is manufactured by living animals and, unlike other minerals, does not need cutting or polishing to reveal its beauty.
Our ancestors say, according to ancient texts, that pearls were born in the waters of the earth, by the powers of heaven, it was fertilized by lightning and considered the daughter of the Moon. Other legends reveal the pearl's connection with Venus, the Goddess of Love, which makes it the most feminine of jewels.
In ancient Rome, they were considered symbols of wealth by members of the nobility due to their high cost and because they were rare. In the Renaissance, only members of the highest noble lineage had access to them.
Great men of fashion used pearls, elevating them to the status of elegance, but it was Coco Chanel who proposed the use of pearls in everyday life, in addition to showing that their fake version was also possible and had nothing inelegant. Nowadays, they occupy a preferential place among women's jewelry, becoming symbols of unquestionable femininity.
Natural pearls are extremely rare and represent less than 3% of world production. In addition to being practically extinct, it is quite hard work to find them, given the ratio of 1 in 1 million. Since 1916, they are no longer sought after, as the work is too difficult.
In the past they were collected manually: the person would dive and pick up the oysters, checking whether or not they contained pearls. It was a lengthy job, as in a large quantity of oysters only a very small portion had a quality pearl that could be sold at a high price.
The production process for cultured pearls follows the same principle as for natural pearls. An irritating object is implanted inside an oyster that will generate the pearl. Simplifying the reproduction, the cost is lower.
Molluscs are reared until they are of the right age to accept mother-of-pearl mother-of-pearl. Through a delicate and careful process, professionals implant the nacre inside the mollusk, which is then returned to the water, where it receives the proper care so that the pearls form. Even with this procedure, not all molluscs manage to produce pearls. There are also cases where the molluscs develop the pearl, but either they do not come out with the proper quality or they do not come out fully developed.
There are different colors and tones of pearls, as well as textures and brightness. The most appreciated colors are gray, blue, pink, gold, black, white and cream. It is worth mentioning that the colors do not determine the value of the pearls. Size, as with diamonds, is a major factor in price formation. The most expensive pearls are the largest and roundest.
In the city of Toba, Japan, there is an island called the Pearl Islands of Mikimoto, where the first successful culture of pearls was carried out by the hands of Kokishi Mikimoto (1858-1954). It is also on this island that we can find a statue of Mikimoto himself, known as the king of pearls.
With so many stories, the pearl is a symbol of purity and beauty and its use in sets assembled with noble materials can only highlight the beauty of women.
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