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The pearl produces in the whole year, usually is more in December, dive into the sea, take the sea freshwater mussel  from the water plant or the stone, from it take out the pearl. The meat is edible. Before the modernization search for pearls emerge, the natural pearl gathering has been completed by the young river character and extremely good “the female diver”, formerly, the girls often start from 4 or 5 years old age to start to study dive and search for pearl. According to the stipulation, formerly the female divers every 40 minutes must go to sea to operate one time, in one day they worked at least 10 times. Until now, on the pearl island, the visitor can still see the performance of the “female diver” searching  for pearl: The female divers put on the white diver’s suit, they held the big wooden basin which was used for gathering the female shell. When they dived into the sea bosom from the ashore in an instant,they aroused the water drop four splash, which looked like a pearl danceing in the air, made the person recollections in close succession, but in the filling of the poetic sentiment and behind the romantic sentiment scene, was the difficulty which the female divers were assaulting the great storms. In the past, each small pearl was condensing the female divers industrious and the sweat. Keywords: the female diver, the natural pearl, the pearl islandDescription: Dive into the sea, take the sea freshwater mussel  from the water plant or the stone, from it take out the pearl. , the natural pearl gathering has been completed by the young river character and extremely good “the female diver”.

If you’re shopping for the lady in your life, then you probably have heard at some time or another that she has an interest in pearls. Yes, those by products of oyster irritation are plainly lovely and women who are fashion conscious will often envision themselves wearing a strand around their necks or adorning themselves with a pair of pearl drop earrings. Exactly what is the mystique behind the pearl? Elegance, affluence and status to name a few points, but there is much more including the physical, emotional, and spiritual side of owning pearls. Please continue reading and we’ll explore what it is about women and pearl jewelry that every guy must know in order to find the perfect gift. Pearls Are Physically Uplifting – Every woman wants to be told that she is pretty and it is her choice in clothing, make up, perfume, hairstyle, and jewelry that goes a long way in determining external beauty. Men sometimes have a difficult time understanding what attracts them to a mate, but it is these accoutrements that play a part in that appeal. She probably understands the attraction better than you and adorns herself accordingly. Pearl drop earrings accentuate the neck and draw attention to her hair while a strand of pearls worn around her neck point to her neck, shoulder blades and, of course, her bust line. Pearl bracelets bring attention to the silky smoothness of her hands and, together, all three complement her natural beauty. The Emotional Aspect Of Pearls – Emotionally, women are different from men as they are generally more sensitive and better at establishing and maintaining relationships. Women have a need to look a certain way in order to please herself and to please her partner. That doesn’t mean you aren’t satisfied with her and the way that she looks, but if wearing something beautiful makes her feel better about herself, then presenting a gift of pearls to her shows that you care about her deepest feelings. Deeply Spiritual And Highly Meaningful – Because pearls are equated with something rare, even hard to get, they carry a special meaning for people who are spiritually minded. Muslims believe that paradise dwellers will be adorned with pearls, Hindus revere nine sacred pearls, and Christians are told to look for the pearl of great price. The holiest of all ceremonies, marriage, is where just about every bride is adorned in fine jewelry including pearls. Pearls come in a variety of colors, shapes and quality levels and include Akoya, Freshwater and Tahitian. Setting pearls in gold or silver puts the accent on their attractiveness and is a gift idea that no woman would ever refuse. Educate yourself about the different pearls and settings available to you, but please know this: with a gift of pearls you cannot go wrong!

In keeping with the notion of purity and innocence, pearls are a traditional wedding accessory, both for the bridal party and the bride herself. Lest that leave the bride-to-be feeling like she has no say in her jewelry choices, the following list of pearl options offers a means of customizing a long-time tradition. Freshwater Pearls

Freshwater pearls are a common variety of the basic pearl and are famous for their diversity in terms of size, shape and color. Perhaps the best feature of the freshwater pearl is that despite its comparable beauty, it is less expensive than a saltwater pearl. Freshwater pearls are usually polished to expose their colors and subtle metallic overtones and can be found in every tone from slightly yellow to glistening black. Dyeing freshwater pearls is common practice and makes for consistent, striking pieces to be included together on a single piece of jewelry. Keishi Pearls

Keishi pearls are the most distinctive-looking pearl you will see, due to their unique, uneven contours. Like the freshwater pearl, they come in many shapes and sizes, but the Keishi pearl is often flat or dimpled rather than perfectly circular, resulting in surfaces that can reflect the light in mysterious, unique ways. When strung together, Keishi Pearls create an accessory that boasts shimmer, texture and personality. Coin Pearl

Also a freshwater pearl, the Coin Pearl looks just like its name – circular and flat like a disk, but with soft edges. Coin pearls make great pendants, earring drops and bracelet charms. Like all pearls, the coin pearl comes in a variety of colors, but is most commonly found in the traditional white. We suggest pairing the Coin Pearl with small, color-rich gemstones for a subtle match to your wedding’s color theme.

Freshwater Pearls are found or cultured in mussels or oysters in rivers, lakes or ponds and tend to be more irregular in shape and more varied in color than saltwater pearls.
Nearly 96% of freshwater pearls today are produced in China, With the development of culturing technique, Chinese freshwater pearls has played an much more important role in the jewelry industry than ever before.
Freshwater pearls’ lower price than saltwater doesn’t necessarily mean low quality. In fact, some high quality freshwater pearls are very valuable. Currently the typical sizes range from 4 mm to over 10 mm.
Those various shapes of pearls can be used to make impressive looking jewelry pieces that sell for moderate prices.
The grading of freshwater pearls is more variable than that of saltwater pearls because freshwater pearls are more colorful and of various shapes. But we can still generally assess their value according to the 7 factors:
Luster and Nacre
When cultivating freshwater pearls, it is not need to insert a shell bead. All that is needed is the insertion of a piece of mantle. After the first harvest, mussels can spontaneously grow pearls a second time. That means cultured freshwater pearls either do not have nucleus or have a very little one inside, hence, freshwater pearls are make up with very thick nacre.
Only those freshwater pearls with EVENLY high luster can be considered as high valued ones. Judge luster see Luster and Nacre
Surface Quality
Blemishes such as discolorations, pits, bump, wrinkle and cavities can decrease the value of pearls.
Color
Freshwater pearls come in a wide variety of body colors: white, pink, orange, yellow, lavender, gray…
When determining what color to buy, keep these in mind:
The color doesn’t affect the price of freshwater pearls as much as it does that of saltwater pearls.
Pink or silver overtone can increase the freshwater pearl value.
Iridescence increases the value too.
Natural color pearls are more valued than treated ones.
Shape
By inserting different shapes of nuclei, people can harvest some unique shapes freshwater pearls as they desiring. Thin shapes freshwater pearls tend to sell for less than fatter-looking ones. Symmetry and round are of higher value than baroque.
Size
Size for freshwater is not as important of a price factor as is luster and surface quality. But it still sticks with the rule of the larger, the more valuable.
Treated Freshwater Pearl
People often treat freshwater pearls to get colorful pearls in various shapes. Treated freshwater pearls bring fashion industry more inspiration and possibility of creating shining pieces. The most often used treatments are bleaching, dyeing, or irradiation. Those big size cultured freshwater pearls mixed with small size ones create a changeful world of pearl jewelry.
Online Wholesale Pearl Jewelry Store.

Before dealing with the topic of the Fish in Quran versus Bible versus sciences, it is mandatory to remember that the total words in the Bible are 788,280 while the total words in the Quran are 77,473. It follows that, the Bible is more than 10 times the Quran word-wise. The Pearl is mentioned 10 times in the Bible and six times in the Quran, i. e. the Bible mentions the Pearl about twice as does the Quran. In other words, the Bible has the potential of more than 10 times (word-wise) and twice (subject-wise) than the Quran to talk about the Pearl.

A pearl is a hard, rounded stone like object produced by certain animals (oysters). Pearls can be used in jewelry and in cosmetics or in paint formulations.

Freshwater pearls are formed in freshwater mussels that live in fresh water e. g. in lakes, rivers, ponds etc. saltwater pearls grow in oysters that live in the ocean and seas.

The Pearl in the Bible:

The mother-of-pearl in the king’s palace

Esther 1:5-6

5 When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest, who were in the citadel of Susa.

6 The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones.

No mention shall be made of pearls

Job 28:18

No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

Matthew 7:6

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

Matthew 13:45

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

Matthew 13:46

Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Women should adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array,

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

1Timothy 2:9

9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

The Woman again!

Revelation 17:4

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

Revelation 18:12

The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

Revelation 18:16

and cry out: ” ‘Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!

Is the Lord lamb?

Revelation 21:21-27

21The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.

22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.

27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

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The Pearl in the Quran:

There are two types of Pearls, the Freshwater and Saltwater Pearls

Surah 55:19- 22

[19] He has let free the two bodies of flowing water (salt and fresh), meeting together:

[20] Between them is a barrier which they do not transgress:

[21] Then which of the favors of your lord will ye deny?

[22] Out of them come pearls and coral:

The righteous deeds shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls

Surah 22:23

Allah will admit those who believe and work righteous deeds, to gardens beneath which rivers flow: they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls; and their garments there will be of silk.

Surah 35:33

Gardens of eternity will they enter: therein will they be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls; and their garments there will be of silk.

The women companions in the Paradise are with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes, like unto pearls well-guarded

Surah 56:11-24

[11] Those will be those nearest to Allah:

[12] In gardens of bliss (delight):

[13] A number of people from those of old,

[14] And a few from those of later times.

[15] (They will be) on thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones),

[16] Reclining on them, facing each other.

[17] Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness),

[18] With goblets, (shining) beakers, and cups (filled) out of clear-flowing fountains:

[19] No after-ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer intoxication:

[20] And with fruits, any that they may select:

[21] and the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire.

[22] And (there will be) companions with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes,-

[23] Like unto pearls well-guarded.

[24] a reward for the deeds of their past (life).

The male servants in the Paradise are boys who are like unto pearls well-guarded

Surah 52:17- 24

[17] As to the righteous, they will be in gardens, and in happiness,-

[18] Enjoying the (bliss) which their lord hath bestowed on them, and their lord shall deliver them from the penalty of the fire.

[19] (To them will be said “Eat and drink ye, with profit and health, because of your (good) deeds. “

[20] They will recline (with ease) on thrones (of dignity) arranged in ranks; and we shall join them to companions, with beautiful big and lustrous eyes.

[21] And those who believe and whose families follow them in faith,- to them shall we join their families: nor shall we deprive them (of the fruit) of aught of their works: (yet) is each individual in pledge for his deeds.

[22] And we shall bestow on them, of fruit and meat, anything they shall desire.

[23] They shall there exchange, one with another, a (loving) cup free of frivolity, free of all taint of ill.

[24] Round about them will serve, (devoted) to them, young male servants (handsome) as pearls well-guarded.

Surah 76:10-22

[10] “We only fear a day of distressful wrath from the side of our lord. “

[11] But Allah will deliver them from the evil of that day, and will shed over them a light of beauty and (blissful) joy.

[12] And because they were patient and constant, he will reward them with a garden and (garments of) silk.

[13] Reclining in the (garden) on raised thrones, they will see there neither the sun’s (excessive heat) nor (the moon’s) excessive cold.

[14] And the shades of the (garden) will come low over them, and the bunches (of fruit), there, will hang low in humility.

[15] And amongst them will be passed round vessels of silver and goblets of crystal,-

[16] Crystal-clear, made of silver: they will determine the measure thereof (according to their wishes).

[17] And they will be given to drink there of a cup (of wine) mixed with zanjabil,-

[18] A fountain there, called salsabil.

[19] And round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness): if thou seest them, thou wouldst think them scattered pearls.

[20] And when thou lookest, it is there thou wilt see a bliss and a realm magnificent.

[21] Upon them will be green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade, and they will be adorned with bracelets of silver; and their lord will give to them to drink of a wine pure and holy.

[22] “Verily this is a reward for you, and your endeavour is accepted and recognised. “

Back to the main topic of my series of articles (1- 75); this is my question to you smart readers: “Is the Quran quoted from the Bible “?

Pearls have been used in designing of alluring jewelry. These were first used as a souvenir to a Chinese emperor. At that time, pearls were well thought-out to be very precious. Usually, the royal families owned beautiful pearl jewelry such as pearl bracelets and pearl necklaces. Rather than, their respective uses in jewelry’s and accessories, pearls were also embedded in royal crowns.

In recent times, there has been a dramatic boost in pearl growth. This has resulted in the growth of cultivated pearls, which have bestowed a new significance, as well as, look to the pearl jewelry. It’s no more a Herculean task to search for cultured pearls within the economical limits.

Pearl Bracelets can be availed in different sizes, shapes, colors and even with different types of pearls embedded in it. If you are thinking to buy pearl jewelry, subsequently there are few things which you must consider before making a purchase, such as, its shape, type, color and style.

Type of pearls:

If you are looking for an assortment in shapes as well as colors, then freshwater pearls are the best alternatives for you. Though, they lack the considerable luster or shine like the sea water pearls.

• Akoya pearls originated from Japan . In addition to it, they can be compared to freshwater pearls . They are symmetrical with definite shape and sizes. They also have their inherited charm and luster to compete with other varieties.

• Australian Sea pearls and Tahitian pearls are bigger in size as well as expense.

Quality of pearls:

Quality of pearl is determined by its shape, luster, size as well as the pearl surface. The most exceptional pearls are those with big size, luster, smooth surface and edges.

• Choosing the right style:

Before purchasing the pearl, do make sure that it complements with your style, individuality and age. For example, those who prefer pearls with their professional outfits should choose smaller and elegant pearls. It would prevent the unnecessary exaggeration of one’s personality.

You can wear pearl jewelry anywhere and anytime, round the clock and all the seasons. But it is necessary to take proper care of pearl jewelry to enhance your usage. Freshwater Pearls are attractive, trendy and stylish and suitable for every occasion. Their beautiful colors and shapes are a favorite for Pearl Jewelry.

A pearl is a hard object that is produced within the soft tissues of a living mollusk. A pearl is composed of calcium carbonate in small crystalline form, which gets deposited on a piece of grit or other foreign materials. Pearls are called organic gems as they are formed inside the living bodies. The creation of a pearl starts when a piece of grit or other foreign particle enters into the shell of a marine or fresh water mollusk such as, clams and oysters. Thereafter, layers of a substance called nacre get deposited on the grit. This further culminates into the formation of a pearl. Pearls come in different colors such as white, blue, red, salmon pink, green, brown and tinge of yellow on black. Pearl is also called the queen of sea. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth. Pearls are categorized into different types as per their shapes and origins. The Shapes Baroque pearls are irregular in shape. These pearls are not preferred much as gems in the jewelry. Hence, the cost of these pearls is less as compared to other types of pearls. However, irregular shapes give these pearls a unique look. Spherical pearls are the most wanted variety of pearls. They are expensive and their prices vary depending upon the quality of the curve of their surface. Symmetrical pearls are pear shaped pearls. Pearls that have symmetrical sides also belong to this category. Natural or CulturedNatural pearls are formed when a foreign particle accidentally intrudes inside the shell of a mollusk and several layers of nacre grow like onion skins around the particle. Natural pearls vary in shape depending on the shapes of the grits wearing the coats of nacre. They could be either Saltwater Pearls or Freshwater Pearls. These pearls are rare and hence quite expensive. They are called vintage pearls in the market. Cultured Pearls are cultured inside the mollusk artificially. An object is placed inside the shell after opening it. The object gets coated with several layers of nacre. The depth of coating of nacre depends on the kind of mollusk used. It also depends on the quality of water in which mollusk lives and the time span of the process of culture. The quality and the durability of the cultured pearls depend upon the thickness of nacre coating. Cultured pearls can be differentiated from the natural pearls with the help of X-rays. Saltwater Pearls are found in the mollusks living in salt water. These pearls can also be cultured. Freshwater Pearls grow inside the mollusks found in the fresh water of rivers or lakes. Pearls look elegant and every piece of pearl unfolds the unique method of nature to create.
 
The beginning of new revolution in the pearls jewelry market by introducing freshwater pearls.

Unlike cultured freshwater pearls, natural freshwater pearls of excellent quality are extremely difficult to find or create. That’s because everything is left to nature. As such, maybe it’s not too hard to understand why freshwater pearls, in spite of its imperfections, are still incredibly more expensive than the best cultured pearls.
How Natural Freshwater Pearls Are Made
The process of making natural freshwater pearls is exactly the same with the process of making natural seawater pearls. Firstly, a foreign object finds its way inside the mussel or oyster. It can be anything from a parasite to a tiny pebble. If the oyster isn’t able to take it out of its system, it will begin to feel irritated. To reduce its discomfort, it will start secreting nacre which is the stuff that pearls are made of.
How Cultured Freshwater Pearls Are Made
Pearl divers or makers will create a small opening in the oyster’s shells in order to insert mantle tissue from other oysters. The insertion will cause the freshwater oyster to start producing nacre. Pearl manufacturers can guarantee the outcome or quality of their products by taking control of factors like water temperature, the oyster’s health, and so forth.
History of Freshwater Pearls
Japan used to be the dominant figure in the cultured pearl industry. Having met success in their attempts in culturing pearls from saltwater mussels, they decided to conduct the same experiments with freshwater mussels from Lake Biwa. Their attempt was successful as well, and people were delighted to see new colors, colors that were never produced in saltwater pearls. As such, cultured freshwater pearls of Japan became so popular that all cultured freshwater pearls were referred to as Biwas in those days regardless of their origin.
Unfortunately, pollution caused great damage to Biwa cultured pearl production, and it was during this time that a new dominant figure emerged in the market: China. The country was blessed with numerous natural resources that the space-challenged Japan didn’t have: acres and acres of open land, innumerable lakes and other water bodies, and thousands and thousands of available human resources willing to work for less than minimum wages.
Although the first few experiments of China in cultured freshwater pearl production were pretty much unsuccessful and understandably unappealing to the public, China was soon able to master the necessary techniques to create pearls that could not only surpass the quality of the best pearls produced by Japan but were also sold cheaper compared to other pearls. Chinese cultured freshwater pearls also came in a variety of colors, some of which Japanese cultured freshwater pearl makers were unable to reproduce.
How to Take Care of Freshwater Pearls
Freshwater pearls, whether they’re natural or cultured, possess a soft surface which can easily be scratched or damaged. As such, it’s imperative that you keep your pearl jewelry separate from other jewelries. It’s also better to place them inside a pouch rather than a jewelry box because the latter’s surface can also cause nicks to appear in pearl jewelry.
The acidity level of a woman’s skin may affect the wearing life of pearl jewelry. If a pearl necklace is constantly being worn by a woman with a particularly high level of acidity in her skin, the acidity will gradually seep into the pearl, affecting its luster and shape. To prevent this from happening too soon, you should always polish your pearls with a non-abrasive cloth after taking them off.
Be careful about exposing pearl jewelry to chemicals. Spraying perfume while you’re wearing your pearl necklace can cause considerable damage to them over time. You must also avoid spilling any liquid on them, especially when it has rather strong properties such as lemon and vinegar.
Heat can also cause damage to pearl jewelry. If you persist in wearing your pearl jewelry in hot and humid weather, the climate can change the color of your pearls or worse, cause cracks to appear on the surface. Dry unmoving air is also bad for your pearls.
Make sure that you are using only jewelry cleaners specifically intended for pearl cleaning and nothing else. You can not steam-clean pearls as well. If you wish to preserve the luster of your pearls, you can use a drop of olive oil on them.
Pearl jewelry is amazing to possess not only because of its natural beauty but also because of the amount of hard work put into them. Hard work by humans and nature combined.

Pearl cultivation process Pearl, unlike gemstones or precious metals, is a kind of lively gem. A natural pearl forms when an irritant, such as parasite or a piece of sand, accidentally enters the body of a particular species of oyster, mussel or clam and cannot be expelled. As a defense mechanism, the mollusk secretes a smooth, crystalline fluid, called “nacre” (the same secretion it uses for shell-building, composed mainly of carbonated calcium), to coat the intruder. As long as the irritant is present, the mollusk continues to add a layer upon a layer of nacre on the irritant until a lustrous pearl is formed.     A cultured fresh water pearl, which is grown in a clam undergoes exactly the same process. The only differentce is that the irritant is a surgically implanted piece of mantle tissue. To culture fresh water pearls, skilled technicians slightly open a host clam’s shells up to 1 – 1. 2 cm, cut small slits into the mantle tissue inside both shells, insert a small piece of epthelial membrane (the lip of mantle tissue) from another clam into those slits, and using a fine needle to shape it into round. After implanting, it takes five to seven days for a host clam to cover an irritant with its own tissue and 10 days later it begins producing centric layers of nacre. Tendering pearl-bearing clams is a continuous process aiming at smoothly  developing the pearls to minimize blemishes. The pains-taking process can last four to five years long.   Apparently, in fresh water clams, the insertion alone is sufficient to start nacre production. No artificial nucleating bead is needed. Therefore cultured fresh water pearls are composed entirely of pure nacre, making them “real” pearl, just like their natural fresh water and natural salt water counterparts.   Fresh water pearls   Although the traditional source of pearls has been oysters which live in saltwater, mollusks which live in freshwater lakes and rivers can also produce pearls. China has harvested freshwater pearls for many a millennia. The first record mentioning pearls in China was from 2206 BC. The United States was also a major source of freshwater pearls from the discovery of the New World up through the 19th century, when over-harvesting and increasing pollution significantly reduced the number of available pearl-forming mussels.   Freshwater pearls are often somewhat less lustrous than their salt water counterparts. However, they appear in a wide variety of shapes and colors, and they tend to be less expensive than saltwater pearls, making them quite popular. Freshwater pearls are also quite durable, resisting chipping, wear, and degeneration.   Freshwater pearls differ from other cultured pearls in that they are not bead-nucleated. Freshwater mollusks are nucleated by creating a small incision in the fleshy mantle tissue and inserting a piece of mantle tissue from another oyster. This process may be completed 25 times on either side of the mantle, producing up to 50 pearls at a time. The mollusks are then returned to their freshwater environment where they are tended for 2-6 years. The resulting pearls are of solid nacre, but without a bead nucleus to guide the growth process, the pearls are rarely round.   In recent years the Chinese have been able to take the art of culturing freshwater pearls to new levels. In the last decade the quality of pearls produced have become so high that many pearls in the top percentage of a harvest are nearly indistinguishable of their saltwater relatives. Gone are the rice-shape seed pearls as they are now being replaced with round, lustrous pearls of sizes as large as 16mm, mimicking large South Sea pearls. This has created a renewed interest in freshwater pearls as an affordable alternative to the higher priced saltwater.   The Japanese have a distinguished history of culturing freshwater pearls as well. Lake Biwa was once world renowned for producing high-quality freshwater pearls. However, in the mid 1970’s pearl farming all but came to a halt due to pollution in this lake that was once synonymous with freshwater pearls. Today the Japanese are trying once again to farm freshwater pearls in Lake Kasumigaura, utilizing a bead-nucleated hybrid mussel ( Hyriopsis Schlegeli anadonata/plicata hybrid mussels). The resulting pearls have been quite large and unique. But due to the high prices of such pearls the market remains a niche for collectors.   Fresh water vs. Akoya   Freshwater and Akoya pearls, while both genuine pearls, differ greatly in value and composition. The three main differences are the culturing process, the nucleus, and the shape.   Fresh water pearls are mantle-tissue nucleated, whereas Akoya pearls are bead-nucleated. Instead of inserting a mother of pearl bead and a piece of mantle tissue into the gonad of a freshwater mollusk as is the process with an Akoya oyster, only a piece of mantle-tissue is used, and this is inserted into the mantle tissue of the freshwater mollusk, not the gonad. The result is a pearl composed of solid nacre, and the mantle tissue is eventually dissolved or drilled out.   Fresh water pearls are nucleated in the mantle tissue which is on either side of the oyster. This tissue is much larger than the gonad of an Akoya oyster. Therefore the freshwater mollusk can be nucleated up to 25 times on either side, for a total of 50 nucleations. An Akoya oyster, on the other hand, can handle a maximum of 5 nucleations in its gonad, but very rarely is nucleated with more than 2 beads at a time. So upon harvest, a freshwater mollusk may produce up to 50 pearls at a time, while the Akoya oyster has a maximum production of 2.   Freshwater mollusks are also much easier to farm. The mortality rate is much lower than that of the nucleated Akoya oysters, and fresh water farms rarely deal with natural disasters such as typhoons and red tides that plague Akoya pearl farms. (see pearl guide)   South Sea pearls   South Sea pearls are among the largest commercially harvested cultured pearls in the world. The average size of a South Sea pearl is 13mm, with most harvests producing a range of sizes from 9mm up to 20mm.   The South Seas lie between the northern coast of Australia and the southern coast of China. These waters are the native habitat of the large oyster, the Pinctada maxima. This oyster grows up to 12 inches in diameter, and can be nucleated with a much larger bead than other saltwater oysters such as the Akoya.   There are two varieties of Pinctada maxima: the silver-lipped and the gold-lipped. The two are distinguished by the coloration of the outer edge of the interior. This shell is also known as mother of pearl, and is responsible for the coloration of the cultured pearls produced.   Unlike the Akoya oyster, the South Sea oyster will only accept one nucleation at a time. The oyster is nucleated when it is only about half developed, from 4. 7 inches to 6. 7 inches in size, or about 24 months old. Although the South Sea oyster will only handle one nucleus at a time, this oyster (like the Tahitian pearl producing Pinctada margaritifera) can be nucleated up to three times over the course of many years.      There are four reasons South Sea pearls can grow to such large sizes dwarfing many of their other salt water pearl counterparts. The reasons consist of: the large size of the Pinctada maxima, the size of the implanted bead, the length of time the pearl is left to grow in the oyster, and the oyster’s environment. Due to the size of the oyster it is able to accept a large bead. The gonad of the Pinctada maxima is several times larger than that of the Akoya. Because of this same reason the South Sea oyster deposits nacre around the nucleus at a much quicker rate, especially in warm water which speeds the oyster’s metabolism. The South Seas are also extremely clean, and filled with plankton – the Pinctada maxima’s favorite food source. The clean waters and abundant food supply also speeds the nacre production. The growth period for South Sea pearls is also substantially longer than that of the Akoya. Akoya pearls are harvested after only 9-16 months, where as South Sea pearls are harvested after at least 2 years.     South Sea pearls have several distinct characteristics that are unique to this gem. The nacre is unusually thick, ranging from 2-6mm compared to the . 35-. 7mm of an Akoya pearl. South Sea pearls also have a unique, satiny lustre that comes from the rapidly deposited nacre and warm waters of the South Seas. South Sea pearls also have a subtle array of colors, typically white, silver, and golden, that are rare in other pearl types. (see pearl guide) www. aypearl. com engaged in wholesale jewelry,handmade jewelry,fashion jewelry,costume jewelry and  etc.

The Buddha called love he drop of honey at the edge of the razor blade??sweet stuff if you can just get to it. I tis a paradox that could equally apply to the quest throughout history for arguably the most prized of all gems ?the pearl. In ancient times, pearls were believed to be gifts from the gods, transformed from drops of dew. Throughout history they have captivated the imagination like no other gem. Their beauty is celebrated in ancient texts, kingdoms have been wagered for their prestige and empires obsessed with their rare allure. In this section, we invite you to immerse yourself in pearls – the legends and myths, their extraordinary place in history and their ethereal appeal – an appeal which remains as powerful today as it was when pearl divers first risked the dangers of the deep. Pearls In Ancient HistoryPearls have been prized for thousands of years. Their mysterious beauty is matched by the mystery of their provenance in ancient times. As pearls were traded through trade routes of the ancient world now lost in the mists of time, the origins of some of the most important pearls in history remain uncertain. What is certain, however, is that the most prized of all pearls were oceanic pearls. Unlike freshwater pearls, oceanic (saltwater) pearls have properties from the sea that preserve their beauty for generations. Freshwater pearls tend to become chalky or milky over a relatively short time. And unlike their freshwater cousins, oceanic pearls are valued for their regular shape and superior size. But the factor in history that made oceanic pearls the most valued of all was their rarity. Early pearl fishers risked the many dangers of the deep to dive for the precious gems. Today, wars may no longer be waged over pearl beds, but just as in ancient times, divers still face the perils of the deep in the quest for the perfect pearl. Throughout history, the rarity and ethereal beauty of pearls has given rise to many myths and legends. In ancient times, Indians believed that pearls were created by a divine power that transformed drops of dew. In Persian mythology, pearls are created from the tears of the gods while another Persian name for pearls is hildren of light? revering the pearl as gifts from the gods. The Chinese believed that pearls were created by the power of moonlight. As trading routes opened from the lands where pearls originated, the ancient legends also spread around the world. The Greeks adopted the legends of the Orient, believing that pearls were created from the dew of the moon, captured by the oysters swimming on the surface of the sea by night. They also believed that a lightning strike at night would create a pearl. Both the Greeks and later the Romans ascribed the Goddess of Love – Aphrodite or Venus – with the creation of the pearl. In China, where pearl oysters have been gathered for thousands of years in freshwater rivers and the southern coasts, the character for ‘pearl’ appears for the first time in a dictionary written in 1000 BC. The Old Testament of the Bible, the Talmud, the Koran and the Indian epic Mahabharata all praise the purity and perfect beauty of pearls. Since ancient times, three pearl regions of the Orient have been famed for their fertility:- the Gulf of Mannar (between Ceylon and South India- the Persian Gulf- the Red SeaTHE GULF OF MANNARThe pearl beds of the Gulf of Mannar are mentioned in written records as early as the 6th century BC. For centuries, royal houses and warlords from India, Persia and Arabia fought to rule over the pearl beds and their prestigious bounty. On his extraordinary journeys of discovery, Marco Polo visited the Gulf in 1294, when up to 500 ships and boats would come at harvest season, carrying divers, merchants and adventurers, all in search of their fortune. Their levy was one tenth of their catch, payable to the king. In 1510 when the Portuguese conquered the region, a new era of European colonisation began. The Portuguese were followed by the Dutch and, finally, in the late 18th century, India was claimed by the British Empire. THE PERSIAN GULFUntil the discovery of oil and right into the 20th century, pearls were the main source of income for the entire gulf region for centuries. As recently as 1938, around 20% of the region’s population earned their livelihood through pearls. The pearl beds of the Gulf were renowned throughout the ancient world and remained in the hands of Arabian and Persian princes until the sixteenth century when the Portuguese took control of the most important harbours. Their rule lasted for a century before the Persians regained control. Pearls were traded mostly in the markets of Bahrain and Hormuz before the treasures were shipped by Indian merchants to the major pearl markets of Bombay. Unlike South Sea pearls, the pearls from Persian Gulf oysters were tiny, generally from 2mm to 5mm in size, but sometimes reaching 10mm. They were often yellowish or brownish in colour. As the Gulf was a major source of pearls in the ancient world it is easy to understand why South Sea pearls when they occasionally emerged through ancient trade routes became so highly prized. THE RED SEAThe third of the major pearl beds of the ancient world was famed for its pearls long before the birth of Christ. As early as the second millennium BC, the seafaring Phoenicians were trading as far away as India and first brought pearls home to the Mediterranean. The Greeks were captivated by the gems, adorning both the statues of their deities and themselves with the jewels. The campaigns of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) opened trade routes between the known world and the orient, and the pearl trade flourished. With the unprecedented expansion of the Roman Empire, the pearl beds of the Red Sea came under the control of the Romans after the fall of Alexandria in 30 BC. The Romans developed what can only be described as an obsession for pearls and during the 500 years of their empire, more pearls were traded and hoarded than in any other period of world history. Perhaps the most famous pearls of antiquity were a pair of jewels worn in the ears of Cleopatra, each said to be as valuable as the province of Asia. To impress Marc Anthony with her wealth and power, she is said to have dissolved one of the pearls in a glass of wine before drinking it. Octavian, the future Emperor Augustus is believed to have plundered the second after defeating Cleopatra, cutting it in half to embellish a statue in the temple of Venus. Julius Caesar issued pearl decrees allowing only for patrician ladies to wear pearls. The notorious Roman Emperor Caligula wore shoes embroidered with pearls and bedecked his pets and horses with ropes of the precious gems. Nero carried a pearl sceptre and had the interior of his litter lined with pearls. Over 500 years the expansion of the Roman Empire continued to open trade routes to the east with pearls being one of the most highly valued commodities. It is said that the Romans traded so much gold for pearls that their trade balance was badly affected. Following the fall of the Roman Empire, the fashion for pearls declined over the centuries. Roman riches were keenly plundered and hoarded by Goths and Vandals, with many treasures later turning up under the Franks who promoted the influence of the Christian Holy Church. Through to the Middle Ages, the greatest pearl treasures were seen in religious art and iconry or owned by the Byzantine emperors. Through a period of unrest and economic decline that preceded the Middle Ages, the people of Europe were filled with apocalyptic fear and the custom of donating their worldly possessions to the Church reached its peak. Many pearls were surrendered in the hope of divine salvation. It was not until the 12th and 13th centuries when the crusaders returned from the Holy Land, growing the order of knights throughout Europe, that the fashion for pearls, neglected for centuries was revived. The crusaders returned to Europe with stories of the fabulous wealth of Indian and Persian princes and it is from these times that the tales of The Arabian Nights originate. Pearls From The New WorldThe political stability and economic growth that enabled the Renaissance in Europe also led to a new age in pearls. Art and culture were no longer so strictly controlled by the church and pearls once again became a favourite fashion luxury. Venice and Genoa were famed for their pearl markets. In addition to pearls so keenly traded from the Orient, freshwater pearls were also discovered in many areas of Europe and can still be seen on church vessels and crown jewels that survive from that period. On the third of his legendary voyages, Christopher Columbus, discovered the pearl beds of the Americas and soon a thriving trade was established bringing pearls to Europe from the coast of what is now Venezuela, Panama and later the Gulf of California. The royal and noble houses of Europe including the Italian Medici, the Austrian Hapsburgs and the English Stuarts were among the biggest buyers. The most famous pearl of this time is La Peregrina, The Pilgrim, which was owned by Phillip II of Spain. It was believed to have bought the freedom of the slave who discovered the gem in the Gulf of Panama. Today, La Peregrina is owned by Elizabeth Taylor. A gift from Richard Burton, through the centuries its owners have included Queen Mary Tudor and Napoleon Bonaparte. Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603) amassed a wealth of pearls to rival the lavish collections of the Persian princes and Indian Maharajahs. She always wore at least seven ropes of pearls – the longest reaching her knees – and owned more than 3000 lavish gowns embroidered with pearls. The fashion for pearls spread among the wealthier middle class throughout Europe and in many countries, including England, France, Germany and Italy. Pearl laws were passed aiming to curb the inflationary demand on pearl prices and the outflow of gold. The passion for pearls continued to grow unabated and through the Baroque age, the Rococo period and the Napoleonic age became firmly established as an essential accessory in any wealthy and fashionable woman’s wardrobe. Around 1845, French explorers returned to Europe with pearls from the South Sea, some dark in colour and larger than any pearls previously seen. Eugie, Empress of France, and wife of Napoleon, wore these dark pearls frequently, leading yet another fashion for pearls. In the late 1800s, the world’s most prolific Pinctada maxima oyster beds were discovered off the coasts of northern Australia. For hundreds of years, these beds had been fished by early traders and venturers including the Chinese, Macassars and Indonesians, who are now all known to have had established trade links with Australia Aboriginal people. The discovery?of the beds by Europeans soon gave rise to a booming mother-of-pearl shell industry. The isolated town of Broome became the world’s most important pearling port and by 1900 was supplying around 75% of the world’s demand for mother-of-pearl shell. Early in the 20th century the port was home to a fleet of 400 pearling luggers and more than 3000 pearlers from throughout Asia, principally from Japan. Occasionally, the Pinctada maxima oysters yielded natural pearls – the largest and most voluptuous pearls the world had seen. Their discovery caused a sensation and the modern passion for South Sea pearls was ignited that continues to this day. For the first time, the Europeans brought to the pearl beds the ‘new’ technology of the industrial revolution. Diving systems, for example, meant that divers could reach depths not previously possible. This also meant that rare natural pearls were being discovered in growing quantities. In terms of quality, size and quantity, their discovery led to an unprecedented era of pearls through the Victorian era in Europe. South Sea pearls were a popular highlight of the World Exhibition of Paris in 1900. Around this same time in Japan, Kokichi Mikimoto was having his first success in producing cultured pearls ?a success that has influenced the history of pearls to this day.