Pearl Collection Home
When the late Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry was sold for many millions of dollars and included a number of pearls, it is easy to see why some people are fascinated by these natural wonders and why a pearl collection is something millions of people love to enjoy.
Some of the finest pearls in the world are grown in the pristine waters near Broome in Western Australia. The climate is excellent, the sea waters are sparkling clean and the location ideal for the creation of magnificent pearls. The hand of the jeweler then comes into play producing a variety of lustrous objects including necklaces and bracelets. The beauty of pearls being that a cluster can form a beautiful piece or simply one pearl can be fashioned to make a glorious item to be worn and admired.
The South Seas is where you’ll find them
Another ideal place for the cultivation of pearls is in the South Seas off the islands around the French Polynesian atolls. The sea here too is pristine and allows pearls of the most striking colour to be cultivated. Rings and pendants using pearls are greatly admired from the material in this region.
There are two main aspects to the pearls in any quality pearl collection
- The choice of pearl
- The skill of the manufacturer
Just because a pearl has been cultivated in perfect conditions doesn’t mean the actual pearl will be perfect in shape, thickness and colour. That’s why it takes an expert to assess the pearl and only those which are of the highest quality are kept. But then follows the skill, experience and expertise of the artisan who places the pearl or pearls into whatever item is being made – earrings, tie-bar, necklace, pendants, bracelet, rings, etc.
It is possible to have pearl necklaces which are white, all one colour or even a collection of pearls of different colours. The more unusual the mix and the higher the quality of the pearls, then the higher will be the price. And with the changes in fashion it is now common to have pearl jewelry items known as unisex. Single pearl bracelets for example are sold as much to men as to women.
Of course some people simply have a pearl collection just for the sake of it and it is possible to obtain single pearls simply for that purpose.
Freshwater pearls
Pearls cultivated in this situation look exquisite but generally speaking do not fetch as high a price as those cultivated in the oceans of the Pacific and elsewhere. The size of freshwater pearls ranges between 7 and 11mm and they are often used in such pieces as double and even triple strand necklaces.
Freshwater pearls are not new with the Chinese believed to have cultivated them in rivers and lakes for hundreds of years. The popularity of freshwater pearls has never been so high with significant quantities being cultivated in various countries around the world.
Freshwater pearls are not as shiny as sea water pearls or as rounded but they are cheaper making them particularly popular with young people.