The black pearls of the southern seas from the oyster known as Te Ufi (scientific name Pinctada margaritifera) that has a varied use.
Summary
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- 1 Location
- 2 Background
- 3 Features
- 4 Value
- 5 Beware
- 6 Uses
- 7 External link
- 8 Source
Location
The black pearls of the South Pacific is one of the rarest and most sought-after jewels in the world found in French Polynesia, in the South Pacific , halfway between Australia and South America .
Background
Among the first jewels used for the decoration of the human being are pearls , which receive praise even in ancient literature. They were especially prized in the Middle East, and in ancient Asia , apparently because they were considered symbols of purity and virtue. In Rome pearls were given such value that only people of a certain rank were allowed to wear them. The first-century philosopher and naturalist Pliny exalted them as the sovereign good of the entire world. The earliest written news about the value of the pearl is found in the Shu King, a Chinese book dating from the 23rd century BC, in which the scribe noted with contempt that a lower-ranking king had sent “pearl chains not very round. ”
characteristics
Black pearls
The colors of these cultured pearls range from light gray to black with greenish, purple or bluish hues that are highly appreciated, and their usual size is 8 to 14 mm, with larger gems not being rare. By its very nature it is very difficult to get a set of pearls with uniform characteristics, which is why they are most used to create jewelry with a single pearl, such as rings, pendants, brooches, tie pins, etc.
Value
Variety of black pearls
However, the color does not necessarily influence when setting the value of the pearl, because what really enhances its quality is the uniformity of the color, in addition to other factors such as size, shape, surface and color. brightness. When a jeweler talks about the size of a pearl, he refers to its diameter, from about 8 to 12 millimeters in general, although some very particular pieces reach or exceed 18 millimeters. Generally speaking, although the dimensions and weight of the jewel are not the deciding factor if they affect the price.
As with colors, pearls take various shapes, the most popular being the one that is totally spherical. With all the shapes of drops or tears, they become precious pendants or earrings. There are also rings, that is, with circular grooves. A piece whose surface is free of impurities and imperfections is very rare and expensive, it is normal that there are defects such as depressions, bulges, wrinkles, spots or stains and if they are not many or if they are concentrated in one place, it will be possible to hide them when narrowing the jewel.
Watch out
Pearls are not as hard as diamonds , rubies, or other gemstones, so they can scratch if they come in contact with other jewelry or hard objects. Acid can spoil them, just like detergents, perfumes and cosmetics in general. For washing, a renowned jeweler suggested preparing a container of water and some mild dishwashing liquid, shake with a soft toothbrush, rinse with clean water, and dry with a soft cloth.
Applications
The Chinese since ancient times used pearls for medicinal purposes to cure the diseases that affected the eye , heart problems , indigestion , fever and bleeding . Pearl powder is still popular in China as a skin whitener and cosmetic. In India , pearls were believed to provide spiritual peace of mind and strengthen the body and soul. The Europeans thought that swallowing a pearl whole or in powder would cure the matters of the mind and the heart, and would strengthen the nerves.
