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LUSTRE
 The
distinctive characteristic, or great beauty of a true pearl (natural
and cultivated) is its lustre (or orient). Lustre is a subdued
iridescence, as opposed to the glittering brilliance of the diamond,
and is the most important consideration when selecting a pearl.
Lustre should be bright - never dull.
Without lustre it does not rank
as a gem pearl, no matter how perfect its form or beautiful its
colour.
SIZE
Size is measured in millimetres with
larger pearls being more valuable.
SHAPE
Perfectly round pearls and perfect
teardrops are extremely rare and are therefore highly prized.
This does not mean however, that other shapes do not have their
own unique charm and value. Shapes include round, semi-round,
button, circled, oval, drop, semi-baroque and baroque.
COLOUR
Colours range from luminescent whites
to sparkling golds. Whilst colour is not normally an indicator
of quality, premium prices are fetched for pearls displaying unusually
beautiful orients of coloured overtones such as White Pink, Silver
Pink and Deep Gold.
SURFACE
It is rare to find a pearl free
from any surface blemishes - these are after all, gems created
by nature. However, when found, a flawless surface will increase
the value of a pearl significantly.
SOUTH SEA PEARLS
South Sea Pearls are the creation
of the giant silver and gold lip tropical Mother of Pearl Shell
- Pinctada maxima.
Whilst traditional cultivated pearls
rarely grow larger then 10mm in diameter, South Sea's range from
10 - 20mm in size due to the huge magnificent shell of the Pinctada
Maxima. They will yield pearls that are virtually pure nacre (skin
of the pearl) which give South Sea's the exquisite depth of lustre,
subtle coloured overtones and durability.
Pinctada Maxima thrives in the pollution
free waters from the Indonesian archipelago to Tahiti and down
to the north western Coast of Australia around Broome and Darwin.
The miracle of farming these pearls
has only been mastered in the past few decades.
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