Pearl jewellery is a beautiful, refined way to add a classic touch to any outfit. It is also the perfect gift for a 30th Wedding anniversary, as the 30th wedding anniversary is traditionally known as the Pearl Wedding Anniversary. Pearls can be expensive as they are very delicate and natural pearls are relatively uncommon and should always be treated with respect. They scratch very easily and are highly susceptible to even the weakest acidic solutions, so extreme care must always be taken when cleaning them.
Pearls are actually formed inside the shells of shellfish as a defence against potentially dangerous foreign bodies. The mollusc creates what is known as a pearl sac around the irritant, to isolate it. It will then deposit successive layers of calcium carbonate and conchiolin into the pearl sac, around the foreign body, to act as a form of protection. Although this foreign body or irritant can be something as big as a grain of sand, the mollusc can also create pearl sacs to defend themselves against parasites or other organic materials. Because this process is completely natural and the foreign bodies can be different shapes, it is very rare to find natural pearls that are perfectly round. This means that naturally round pearl jewellery items can be very expensive to buy!
It is possible to farm pearls, by artificially introducing foreign bodies into the shells of shellfish. The foreign body is often a special type of spherical bead, which will encourage the formation of a spherical pearl. These pearls are often traded under the name Akoya, Tahitian or South Sea Pearls. Cultured pearl jewellery is far less expansive to buy than jewellery made from natural pearls, but items are still very beautiful. If you are not sure whether your pearl jewellery is natural or cultured, you can get it examined by an expert, who should be able to identify it via a series of tests. X-rays of the jewellery will also reveal whether the pearl was created using a nucleus bead.
Natural pearls have iridescence similar to seashells and butterfly wings; the colours appear to change, depending on the angle which you view them from. The iridescence and lustre of pearls comes from the unique layered structure, and every natural pearl will be different; the thinner and more numerous the layers, the finer the shine of the pearl. Overlapping layers break up the light that falls onto the surface and reflect back different colours. This gives pearl jewellery a beautiful sheen.
