Buyer's Guide to Pearls

Beautiful, mysterious pearls…what makes each one different?

From the ocean depths, beautiful rivers, sparkling lakes, and dreamy ponds, pearls to the palm of your hand, explore our guide to one of nature's most majestic gems. 

We offer Hawaiʻi's most extensive line of pearls, specializing in the following:

All pearls are formed inside mollusks or oysters, and four categories determine the types of pearls: saltwater, freshwater, natural, and cultured.

Saltwater vs. Freshwater

Three species of mollusks, which are found in coastal waters of the Pacific, produce the majority of saltwater pearls. These include:

• Akoya oyster (Japan, China, Australia, and New Guinea)
• Black-lipped oyster (Tahiti/French Polynesia, and South Pacific)
• Silver-lipped or Gold-lipped oyster (South Pacific, Australia, Philippines)

The most common freshwater pearl-producing mollusks, which are found in the freshwater bodies of Asia and North America, include:

• Wrinkle Shell or River Shell (China, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea)
• Triangle Shell (China)
• Washboard (North America)

Natural vs. Cultured

A pearl is naturally formed in a mollusk when a foreign object enters its body and the mollusk coats it with layers of shell lining ("nacre") to prevent irritation. Cultured pearls are formed when humans place a foreign object in the mollusk.

The cultivation process differs slightly for saltwater and freshwater mollusks. For saltwater mollusks, a bead is inserted along with a piece of mantle tissue, a process called "bead nucleation." Freshwater mollusks are cultivated with "tissue nucleation," where only a piece of mantle tissue is used.

Pearl of Wisdom: Various mollusks can produce pearls, but most pearls come from a few select species.

Pearl Grading             

Maui Divers Jewelry utilizes its proprietary grading system, which was carefully adapted from the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) standard to ensure the proper grading of each pearl.

Several factors, including size, shape, surface quality, color, nacre, and matching, help determine a pearl's quality.

Size

• Millimeters measure the size of all pearls—the diameter of spherical pearls and the width of all other shapes.

Shape

(Baroque Pearl Shapes)

Pearls come in many different shapes, but most will fall into one of seven categories:

• • Round
    • Very rare and rolls smoothly across a flat surface
  • Semi-Round
    • Appears round to the naked eye, but will wobble when rolled on a flat surface
  • Button
    • Symmetrical with a flattened shape
  • Drop
    • Symmetrical teardrop shape
  • Pear
    • Symmetrical pear shape
  • Oval
    • Elongated, forming an oval or egg shape
  • Baroque
    •  No symmetry, and may be a very odd shape.
  • Circled
    • Contains singular or multiple rings around a pearl 

(Example of Baroque, Circle, Semi-Round, Drop, and Button Pearls)

Surface Quality

Pearls typically have minor surface imperfections, abnormalities, blemishes, or birthmarks. These birthmarks are what make each pearl unique. Blemish type, size, number, location, and visibility determine the surface quality of a pearl. Blemishes may not only affect how a pearl appears, but may also affect how durable it will be. The twelve types of blemishes that naturally occur on pearls include an abrasion, bump, chip, crack, flat areas, gap, pit, ridge, ring, scratch, spot, or wrinkle.

Four classifications of surface quality help determine the severity of the blemishes on a pearl:

• • Heavily blemished (severe natural birthmarks)
  • Moderately blemished
  • Lightly blemished
  • Clean (perfect or nearly perfect)
    

Pearl of wisdom: All pearls have some kind of "birthmark" which makes the pearl unique.

Color

Pearls are available in a wide array of colors. The most common include white, cream, silver, gold, gray, black, and brown. The color encompasses three characteristics:

• • Body color: The most prevalent color of the pearl
  • Overtone: The luminous color in a layer over the body color, and when concentrated on the edges of the pearl, is referred to as the "halo."
  • Orient: Just below the surface of the pearl is this prismatic layer of coloring.

Not all pearls will demonstrate all three color characteristics.

Nacre

Nacre, commonly referred to as mother-of-pearl, is the enchanting, iridescent inner layer of mollusk shells and the exquisite substance from which pearls are formed. This remarkable composite, composed of calcium carbonate and conchiolin, is celebrated for its exceptional strength, resilience, and captivating beauty.

Matching

"Matching" is all about the harmony and elegance of pearls in jewelry, especially in strands and earrings. It captures the essence of consistency and uniformity, ensuring that each pearl complements the others beautifully, creating a stunning and cohesive look that truly dazzles. The Pearl Experts at Maui Divers Jewelry pay close care and attention to creating the perfect match for all pearl keepsakes.

How to Care for Your Pearls

• Pearls are delicate and need to be cared for. These tips will help your pearls stay beautiful for years to come:
• Do not store pearls amongst other jewelry or in an airtight compartment. Their soft surface can be scratched easily. Store them in a separate cloth pouch.
• Human skin is naturally acidic, and this acid eats away at pearls over time. To remove the acid, wipe your pearls regularly with a soft, slightly moist cloth.
• Clean pearls occasionally with a mixture of warm water and non-detergent soap. Lay them flat to dry before you put them away.
• If you wear pearls frequently, restring your pearls as needed.
• Pearls should be removed when swimming, exercising, washing dishes, gardening, applying makeup, perfume, hairspray, or using any type of harsh detergent or chemical.
• Never wear your pearls while they are still wet.