What are the different types of pearls

Formerly called margarita or union, the pearl is a calcareous concretion made by certain bivalve molluscs in reaction to an irritant that seeps into their shells. They surround this foreign body with a layer of nacre (calcium carbonate), thus creating a pearl. The pearl has been around for a long time. Archaeological excavations have found some inside a 32,000-year-old grave. A symbol of purity, wealth and prestige, from ancient Rome to Victorian England, the pearl has always been the object of fascination and desire. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Japanese Kokichi Mikimoto opened the first pearl farm and developed pearl farming, a technique that has since spread to all the archipelagos of the Pacific Ocean.

Each pearl is unique even though they can sometimes be difficult to differentiate from one another. Its size, shape, symmetry, colour, transparency, lustre, texture, surface clarity and depth of light (the orient) are all defining characteristics that increase or decrease its value. The colour of the pearl, for example, depends on the type of mollusc in which it is formed, its nutrition, the chemical component of its minerals and the water in which it was born. There are a thousand and one other characteristics of pearls that we could dwell on, but let's focus on the types of pearls as the title suggests.

From the Japanese word akoya-gai meaning marine pearl oyster, its cultivation has earned Kokichi Mikimoto the title of "father of the pearl". Each oyster can contain up to five mother-of-pearl nuclei which take 8 months to 2 years to develop. They are small, round pearls in white, cream and yellow. These Japanese cultured pearls have a diameter of between 2 and 8 mm. The pearls must be sorted after harvesting as not all are of commercial quality. The production of Japanese akoyas has now moved to the less polluted waters of China, Vietnam and Tahiti.

The strands of beautiful white pearls used to make necklaces or bracelets are usually from freshwater cultured pearls. Through tissue nucleation, a valuable freshwater mollusc can produce up to 50 pearls of various shapes and colours up to 14 mm in diameter. Entirely formed from a layer of mother-of-pearl, these bright, clear pearls are formed within 8 months to 5 years. China produces more than 1,500 tonnes per year, including the highly prized pink freshwater pearl, making it the world's largest producer.

The name alone of the rare pearls makes one dream. From a beautiful island in French Polynesia, the Tahitian black pearl variety is undoubtedly the most coveted of all. But contrary to popular belief, black and grey Tahitian pearl are not the only ones harvested on this island paradise. They also come in white, blue, aubergine and a rainbow mix. They are distinguished by the marked contrast between the surface colour and the brightness in depth (orient), shades of blue, blue-green, violet and green-pink. This green-pink orient, called "peacock", is the rarest and most expensive. Tahitian pearls grow in sea water for 4 to 5 years. Their size can reach up to 18 mm in diameter. Each oyster can only contain one nucleus at a time but can be grown repeatedly.

Philippine cultured pearls also known as South Sea pearls are grown in the Philippines, Australia and Indonesia. Australia uses a variety of silver-lipped oysters that are known to produce white pearls with a silvery shine, while Indonesia, with its golden-lipped oysters, grows more golden white sea pearls with a more or less dark champagne yellow palette. Cultured pearls from the Philippines are distinguished by their intense golden hue, a diameter of up to 20 mm and a brilliant, satiny sheen. A string of quality pearls can take several years to obtain. The South Sea pearl oyster can only receive one implant at a time and can take 2-6 years to create its pearl.

The black Tahitian cultured pearl is attracting attention in the jewellery world these days. Is it due to its deep oriental and exotic origins? Flamme en rose is following this trend closely and is currently working on a new range of products with this pearl . For several years now, we have been offering jewellery made with freshwater cultured pearls. Take the time to discover our timeless collection. Follow us to find out more.