HOW MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEARLS ARE THERE?

Origin, Form (shape) & appearance, and colour are excellent, logical and primary factors for classification of pearls. 

Why This is a Good System for Defining Pearl Types?

This system is good because of the following 3 reasons:

Clarity and Organization

Three main attributes define pearl types: 

1. Origin                                                                            
2. Form and Appearance 
3. Colour 

These categories help us understand the different types of pearls clearly and in an organized way. It helps us group pearls by their shared traits. This makes it easier to learn about pearls in an easy manner.

Reflects Key Characteristics: 

These factors directly address the most important and noticeable characteristics of pearls:

Origin: This tells if a pearl is saltwater or freshwater, natural or cultured. It often points to the specific mollusk and geographic region. All these factors greatly affect the pearl's properties.

Form and Appearance: Shape is an important feature. "Appearance" includes shine, surface quality, and special traits like iridescence or banding.

Colour: People often notice the colour of a pearl first. A key factor in understanding how desirable and valuable the pearl is.

Practical for Identification:

This system is practical for both experts and consumers. You can often identify a pearl by its origin, shape, and color. This helps narrow down the possibilities.

Elaboration on Each Factor:

Here's a more detailed look at how each factor can be used to define pearl types:

Origin:

• Saltwater vs. Freshwater:

The main difference is where the mollusk lives. Saltwater mollusks live in the ocean. Freshwater mussel lives in rivers, lakes, and ponds.

• Natural vs. Cultured:

This indicates whether the pearl formed spontaneously in nature (natural) or with human intervention (cultured).

• Mollusk Species:

It is important to know the specific mollusk, like Pinctada maxima or Hyriopsis cumingii. This knowledge greatly affects the pearl's size, shape, color, and shine.

• Geographic Location:

The area where the mollusk lives, like French Polynesia, Australia, or China, can change the pearl's traits. This happens because of differences in water temperature, salinity, and nutrients.

Form (Shape) and Appearance:

Shape/Size

• Round/Spherical Shapes: The most prized shape, especially in saltwater pearls.
• Near-Round: Slightly off-round but still symmetrical.
• Oval or Button: Symmetrical but elongated or flattened.
• Drop: Pear-shaped or teardrop-shaped.
• Baroque: Irregular, non-symmetrical shapes.
• Semi-Baroque: Moderately irregular shapes, not as distinct as full baroque.
• Circle or Ringed: Characterised by concentric rings or grooves around the pearl.
• Size: Different pearl sizes exist like Small or large pearl

Appearance:

• Lustre: The intensity and sharpness of the light reflected from the pearl's surface.
• Surface Quality: The presence or absence of blemishes (spots, bumps, wrinkles).
• Orient: The iridescent, rainbow-like effect seen in some pearls, caused by the diffraction of light through the layers of nacre.
• Unique Features: Some pearls have distinctive features like the "flame" structure in conch pearls or the banding in some freshwater pearls.

Colour:

• Body Colour: The dominant overall colour of the pearl (e.g., white, cream, black pearl, gold or pink pearl).
• Overtone: A translucent secondary colour that appears to float over the body colour (e.g., rose, green, blue, silver).
• Orient: As mentioned above, this is the rainbow-like iridescence.
• Intensity/Saturation: How strong or pale the colour is.

In this blog, we will only discuss about the Pearl types on the basis of origin.

Origin

Oriental Pearls

Traditionally, Oriental in the context of pearls refers to the natural saltwater pearls harvested primarily from the Persian Gulf. These pearls (true pearl-oyster) were renowned for their exceptional quality, lustre and iridescence. The term "oriental" simply means "from the East," as Europeans considered the Persian Gulf.

They majorly and have a marine or salt-water origin. It belongs to one of the many species of Margaritiferae mollusks.

The Margaritifera family, specifically the genus Margaritifera, produces high-quality pearls. These pearls are unique.

Cultured Oriental Pearls

The term "Oriental Pearl" was historically used to describe natural saltwater pearls harvested primarily in the Persian Gulf.

Saltwater Pearls (modern technology): Today, when we mention saltwater pearls, we usually mean cultured pearls. These pearls grow in saltwater oysters. Farmers create them by putting an irritant inside the oyster. These include:

1. Tahitian Pearls

These pearls form in the black-lipped oyster. You can mainly find this oyster in the warm waters of French Polynesia, a group of islands in the South Pacific. People recognize them for their dark colours (black, grey, brown, and dark green to blue) and rich overtones (peacock, green, blue, pistachio).

Natural Tahitian pearls are extremely rare. These pearls are created by introducing a bead nucleus and a piece of mantle tissue into the oyster to stimulate pearl formation. They are available in a variety of shapes from round, nearly round to Baroque, Button. These pearls are relatively large in size and commercially in huge demand.

2. Akoya Pearls

Cultured in Japan, China and Vietnam. Akoya refers to a type of oyster that makes Akoya pearls.

People call this oyster Pinctada Fucata martensii. In Japanese, people call it Akoya-gai. Gai means shell.

Japan is the most renowned producer of good quality Akoya pearls. Kokichi Mikimoto pioneered the practice in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Known for their perfectly round shapes, they are famous for their classic white colour. They are found in other natural colours also like blue and grey and some have gold and champagne hues. The colours other than white are rarer.

Hanadama Akoya Pearls is a term used to describe the highest grade of Akoya pearls. Hanadama in Japanese means flower pearl. This name is given to the very best Akoya pearls produced in Japan.

3. South Sea Pearls

Cultured in Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar. These pearls are produced by Pinctada maxima oyster, the largest pearl producing oyster in the world. It has two varieties

1. Silver-lipped Oyster (pearls are white, silver and cream)
2. Gold-lipped Oyster (pearls are yellow, deep gold)

Geographic Locations of South Sea Pearls

• Australia is best producer of white south sea pearls (using silver-lipped oyster).
• Indonesia producer of both white and golden pearls
• Philippines is known for producing golden South Sea pearls (golden lipped oyster)
• Myanmar also produces South Sea pearls 

South Sea pearls are usually the most expensive of the three cultured oriental pearls: Tahitian, Akoya, and South Sea. This is because the Pinctada maxima oyster makes South Sea pearls. This oyster is more sensitive and produces fewer pearls. They have the thickest nacre of all cultured pearls.

Fresh-water Pearls

These are found in the fresh-water brooks, rivulets, rivers or fresh water lakes and not in salt water. They belong to the mollusk species Unionidae, known as fresh-water mussels.

These pearls usually form naturally. An irritant, like a grain of sand or a parasite, enters the mussel. This makes the mussel secrete nacre around the irritant.

Some main type of fresh water pearls with examples are given below:

Non-Nucleated or Tissue-Nucleated Freshwater Pearls:

Description: 

• These pearls are formed when a small piece of mantle tissue from a donor mussel is inserted into the host mussel. This is the traditional way to grow freshwater pearls. It lets many pearls develop inside one mussel.

Characteristics:

• Come in a wide array of shapes: round, near-round, oval, button, drop, baroque, etc.
• Exhibit a wide range of colours naturally, including white, cream, pink, lavender, peach, and orange.
• Generally more affordable than bead-nucleated freshwater pearls.
• Solid nacre throughout.

Examples:

• Rice Pearls: Small, elongated pearls resembling grains of rice. These were exceedingly common in older freshwater pearl production.
• Potato Pearls: Irregularly shaped, often lumpy pearls, somewhat resembling potatoes.
• Baroque Pearls: A broad category encompassing any irregularly shaped pearl. This can include a vast range of unique shapes, from elongated to flat to textured.
• Coin Pearls: Flat, round pearls resembling coins.
• Stick or BIWA Stick Pearls: Long, thin, stick-like pearls. (Note: True Biwa pearls from Lake Biwa in Japan are rare and historical, as the lake is no longer used for commercial pearl production).
• Keshi Pearls: These are small pearls that form as a by-product of the culturing process. They can develop in both freshwater and saltwater mollusks. They often take on a baroque shape and exhibit a high lustre because they consist entirely of nacre.

Bead-Nucleated Freshwater Pearls:

Placing a round bead inside a mussel creates these pearls. Craftsmen often make this bead from mother-of-pearl. They also add a small piece of mantle tissue to help the process. This technique, similar to that used for culturing saltwater pearls, encourages the formation of larger, rounder pearls.

Characteristics:

• Typically larger and rounder than non-nucleated freshwater pearls.
• Exhibit a higher lustre because of the consistent nacre layers around the bead nucleus.
• Still more affordable than many saltwater pearl varieties, although usually more expensive than tissue-nucleated freshwater pearls.

Examples:

• Edison Pearls: A prominent example of bead-nucleated freshwater pearls. People know them for their large size, which is often 11-16mm.
• They have a round shape and a strong metallic shine. Their colors are bright and include purple, peach, pink, and white. Experts consider them a higher-end freshwater pearl.
• Ming Pearls are high-quality, round freshwater pearls. They are similar to Edisons. These pearls often have an exceptionally white color or a brilliant shine.
• Other Round Bead-Nucleated Pearls: These may simply be marketed as "round freshwater pearls" without a specific trade name. They offer a more affordable alternative to Akoya or South Sea pearls while still achieving a classic round shape.

Soufflé Pearls:

Description: 

• These are bead-nucleated, but the nucleus is removed part way through the growing period.
• Characteristics:
• Large and very lightweight.
• Baroque or irregular shapes, often with a puffed-up, hollow appearance (hence the name "soufflé").
• Unique textures and often a high lustre.
• Can display interesting colours and orient.

Fireball and Other Uniquely Shaped Freshwater Pearls

Description: 

• New shapes that producers are experimenting with, most are bead nucleated, but not with a round bead.

Characteristics:

• Often have a round body with a comet like tail.
• Come in a variety of colours and have metallic lustre.

Factors Affecting Quality and Price of Freshwater Pearls:

• Lustre: The intensity and sharpness of the light reflected from the pearl's surface. Higher lustre is more desirable.
• Surface Quality: The presence or absence of blemishes, such as spots, bumps, or wrinkles. Fewer blemishes are better.
• Shape: Round is generally the most valuable, but unique and well-formed baroque shapes can also be highly prized.
• Colour: While personal preference plays a role, certain colours may be rarer or more in demand.
• Size: Larger pearls are generally more expensive.
• Nacre Thickness: While freshwater pearls often consist of solid nacre, you can still assess the thickness and quality. Thicker, more even nacre is preferable.

Natural Pearls (Not Cultured)

Conch Pearls

The variety of pearl is usually pink or yellow in colour. You can find it in the common conch shell or in the yellow conch shell.

Clam Pearl

You can find them in the common clam of the Atlantic coast, and they appear in black, dark purple, or mixed with white.

Placuna Pearl

You can find them in the placuna or the window glass shell in the east. They are rarely of much value. Placuna pearls are typically flat and disk-shaped, often used in inlays rather than standard jewellery. They are less common than other pearl types and are used for medicinal purposes

Oyster Pearls

They are found in the common edible oyster (Ostrea). They are generally black, purple or with a mixture of black and white or purple and white.

They are devoid of nacreous lustre and have neither beauty nor value. They are usually less popular in the market. However, they can still be interesting and valued for personal, cultural, or experimental reasons.

Coque de perle

Coque de perle, or bubble pearls, are a type of pearl. They form inside the shells of some mollusks. Pearl oysters, especially those in the genus Pinctada, create these pearls. People recognize them for their unique structure and nacre quality. 

Layers of nacre form Coque de perle pearls. Nacre is the shiny material that lines the inside of mollusk shells. This nacre gives the pearls their characteristic lustre and pearly effect.

People often describe them as hemispherical or disc-shaped, resembling small bubbles. They can also vary in shape, being either round or elongated, depending on how they formed and the space within the shell. Their unique rounded or bubble-like appearance makes them distinct from traditional round pearls.

The term "pearly effect" describes the unique shine and color change seen in pearls and nacre. Nacre is the material found in pearls and the inner lining of mollusk shells.

 Abalone Pearls

Produced by abalone mollusks, particularly in the Pacific Ocean. Abalone pearls are distinctive for their colorful, iridescent surfaces.

People see them as rare and appreciate their unique look. However, they do not have the same market price as traditional oyster pearls. They are generally green, blue-green or fawn-yellow and have an intense red, flame like iridescence. They are rarely round, generally flat or irregular.

Pinna Pearls

You can find them in the Pinna or wing-shells or the Mediterranean and adjacent seas. These pearls are more crystalline than others. They are almost see-through and have a unique red or yellow color. However, they are not extremely valuable. 

Coconut Pearls (Melo Melo Pearls)

The term "coconut pearl" usually means a type of pearl found in some bivalve mollusks. This includes thegiant clam (Tridacna gigas) and the coconut oyster. People mainly find these pearls in areas around Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia.

 Scallop Pearls

Found in the waters of Baja California, they originate most commonly from the Argopecten purpuratus species of scallop. They are non-nacreous and the common colours are white, mauve, purple, brown.

These mollusks can reach impressive sizes, often exceeding several feet in length. As noted, coconut pearls can be quite large compared to traditional cultured pearls, sometimes rivalling the size of golf balls. However, they often lack the beauty and roundness of more popular pearl types. Because of this, they have no commercial value.