Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Cultured Pearl Bracelet

The good thing about pearl bracelets is that it never seems to go out of style. Pearl jewelry has been a big part of formal evening wear for centuries, and it’s probably here to stay. Just as you would with any precious jewelry, you’d want to choose quality pearls which you can pass down the line of women in your family, and not simply imitation or synthetic beads which fade and break after a few months. Before shopping for that pearl bracelet, then, you’d want to review your pearl basics first.

Natural vs. cultured

Pearls probably cost as much as diamonds before pearl farming was invented. Among the most precious and most expensive pearls are natural pearls. These gems take years to be processed because they occur without the intervention or aid of human efforts. They have a higher lever of calcium, and tend to feel gritty when rubbed against teeth. Because the oysters that produce these pearls sit deep in the sea, and it takes more than a lifetime to collect natural pearls of the same size for a single strand of bracelet, natural pearls cost an arm and a leg.

Cultured pearls, on the other hand, because they’re farmed by humans and are more abundant, are priced lower in the market. The most expensive type of cultured pearls are black Tahiti pearls because they’re the most difficult to harvest.

Cultured vs. synthetic

You must never mistake cultured pearls for synthetic pearls. Synthetic pearls are only painted over glass or plastic beads, and are therefore inexpensive. Cultured pearls are still real pearls, although they’re slightly cheaper compared to natural pearls.

To know whether or not a pearl bead is cultured or synthetic, the surface of each peace should be tested with a knife’s edge. Cultured authentic pearls would disintegrate slightly into powder when scraped, while the plastic or glass core of a synthetic pearl would easily show through against the edge of a knife.

It’s highly recommended for you to purchase cultured pearl bracelets instead of synthetic ones because synthetic pearls tend to break very easily.



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