Dare to discover how pearls are formed

As Garance Doré would say, "Pearls are always appropriate", and from Lavani we totally agree. But... do you know how pearls are formed? There is a whole world around oysters and their pearls.

Oysters and their pearls: discover how pearls are formed.

 Within the world of pearls, we can say that there are pearls of different types and formed in very different ways. If you have ever worried about wearing pearls because you are not sure how they are formed, stay and read today's post.

Ready to discover all about pearl formation? Let's start with the post for you to discover all about this world!

1. How pearls are formed

Throughout the centuries, pearls have kept intact their status, their importance and their timelessness, and if not, tell it to two icons like Coco Chanel, who assures that "a woman needs strips and strips of pearls" or Audrey Hepburn, who prefers pearls on the screen and in her private life.

Pearls are precious stones that are formed in water and more specifically in oysters (if in salt water) or in mussels (if in fresh water) and have accompanied royalty since the 5th century BC, giving them the elegance that characterizes them.

Shells that produce pearls

Natural pearls are very difficult to find (practically impossible), while cultured pearls represent 99% of all pearls used for jewelry. The technique to create this preciousness was discovered by Kokichi Mikimoto, a Japanese businessman, in 1893 and consists of grafting inside the oysters an irritating particle that makes them cover with mother-of-pearl as a defense mechanism to the particle, we tell you below the formation.

Am I hurting the oysters if I wear pearls?

You are not the only one who is afraid of misusing pearls and damaging the environment, since Australia has started to implement the so-called wild oyster reserves, which guarantee the sustainability of oysters, establishing a maximum of pearl oysters allowed for commercial use, since oysters are living beings and are also necessary to clean the seabed, so we must treat them with care and affection.  

 

2. Oysters and their pearls: why do oysters have pearls?

It is very simple, you could even say that it is a defense mechanism. When some foreign element enters the oyster or shell, it cannot expel it. What it does is to cover the foreign element, whether it is sand, a parasite or other element, with the same material that they have inside the walls of the oyster or shell, which we know as nacre. And little by little, in this way, the pearl is created.

This is a process that can take many, many years, sometimes even 10 or more.

 

3. Where do sea pearls come from?

Each pearl is unique, different and with its own peculiarities. At Lavani, we like to say that our pearl jewelry "are sisters, not twins" because each one has a particular and wonderful way of expression and comes from different places. 

There are 4 main areas where sea pearls are produced:

The Australian pearlspearls, recognized for their perfect shape, color and size; Tahitian pearls Tahitian pearlspearls, which are generally black and smaller than the others; the Freshwater pearlspearls, which are cultured in fresh water and have a shorter process (4 years) and Mabe pearls, which are generally black in color and smaller than the others. Mabe pearls or Japanese pearls, which are usually the most irregularly shaped, becoming flat on one side. 

Extraction of pearls

The extraction of pearls is a delicate process because, if not taken enough care, the oyster could die in the extraction process. Once out, gemologists are the ones in charge of determining the value of each pearl, and they do it taking into account its color (white, pink, cream, gold or black), its luster, and its luster (more brilliant or less), its shape (from round to baroque) and its surface. surface (whether it is clean or more irregular). 

*Curiosity: the world's largest natural pearl weighs 34 kilos, was found by a fisherman in the Philippines and kept for years under his bed and is valued at 88.5 million euros. Now, it is exposed in the city hall of Puerto Princesa. 

 

At Lavani we love to make you feel unique. We know that you are all wonderful, that you love to look elegant, chic and unique and we want to show you that we can fulfill your desires, so we present you...

Our made entirely of natural small pearls, respecting the environment and made in a sustainable way.