Pearls are, without doubt, one of the most treasured jewels in the world. And while everyone may have heard of them, very few people know the finer details about the ‘Queen of Gems’.
So in today’s post, we’ll be talking about the rarest pearl hues and what makes them sought-after.
Let’s Get Right To It
South Sea pearl’s golden variant is one of the rarest colors seen in this gemstone.
Here’s Why…
This incredibly large organic jewel is born inside the golden-lipped Pinctada maxima – a marine bivalve mollusk belonging to the Pteriidae family of oysters.
Its formation process is an extremely intricate one that starts with the grafter surgically implanting a perfectly round nucleus bead and a tiny piece of mantle tissue into the gonad (reproductive organ) of the oyster. It is then placed in an ‘after-surgery tank’, before being put back into the water.
Over time, the mantle tissue triggers the oyster to produce a pearl sac around the nucleus bead. It then begins to coat the bead with several concentric layers of nacre and conchiolin (a durable protein created by the oyster). This continues for the next two to three years until the pearl is fully formed and ready to be harvested.
Furthermore, as the golden-lipped oyster can be nucleated only thrice over several years, the resultant pearl is considered to be exceptionally rare and equally expensive.
Other Quality Factors
Other than its rarity, the following factors are also responsible for making this jewel a prized possession.
- Nacre Thickness: As mentioned before, the nacre is an important part of the pearl’s formation and can greatly influence its luster and durability. Golden South Sea pearls are known for having the thickest nacre, which can range between 2.0 to 4.0mm. Needless to say, the thicker the nacre, the more valuable the stone.
- Luster: This refers to the inherent glow of the gem. South Sea oysters thrive in warm climates, because of which they have a high metabolism. This enables the oyster to secrete the nacre at a faster rate, which results in a thick, soft and satin-like coating that is diffused towards the edges.
- Shape: Contrary to popular belief, golden South Sea pearls can be found in several shapes, which include the baroque, drop, pear, and near-round. Having said that, premium pearls (which constitute somewhere between 10-30% of the total production) showcase a perfectly round shape.
- Size: South Sea pearls are one of the largest varieties of cultured pearls available today. They can range anywhere between 9mm to 20mm in size. This is another factor that greatly adds to the value of this gem.
Other Rare Varieties
1. Pink Pearls: While dyed pink pearls are easily available, natural pink pearls are most certainly not. This is because they are created by the queen conch, which is an endangered large marine sea snail. Also, these pearls are not cultured, which makes them extremely scarce.
2. Blue Akoya Pearls: This hue is created due to improper implantation of the nucleus bead. The error in the process leads to an inflammatory response that occurs in the form of irregular secretions of nacre around the nucleus bead. As this occurrence is completely accidental, the resultant blue color is exceptionally rare.
We do hope you found this article helpful.
Also read: Are Cultured Pearls Real or Fake?
