South Sea Pearls are the rarest and most marvelous of all pearls used in the world of jewelry. Much larger than the average pearl, they easily dwarf their other saltwater pearl counterparts. The smoothness & roundness of these pearls are exceptional. These pearls come in an array of colors ranging from optic white to a deep-honey-gold . Both (white and golden) varieties sport soft and luxurious luster. The tantalizing beauty of these pearls is coveted by designers & connoisseurs alike.
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| Single Cultured Golden South Sea Loose Pearl, AAA Quality, 11.0-12.0mm, Un-Drilled | Single Cultured White South Sea Loose Pearl, AAA Quality, 13.0-14.0mm, Un-Drilled |
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South sea pearls are typically larger than other types of pearls. Mother nature connives to wrap these lovely gems with thick and solid layers of nacre. Also, the nacre is made up of large aragonite platelets that generate a unique satiny luster. Such superior attributes make the south sea pearls distinguished & valuable. In fact, they command the highest prices among all varieties of pearls.
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| 18K Gold White South Sea Cultured Pearl Britney Earrings | 18K Gold Golden South Sea Cultured Pearl Aria Earrings – AAA Quality |
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The pinctada maxima oyster makes its habitat in the calm, warm and pure blue waters of the South-seas. The South Seas lie between the northern-coast of Australia and the southern-coast of China. The region includes areas over the Pacific & Indian oceans primarily in Australia, Indonesia, Philippines & Myanmar. The said oyster plays host to the coveted south sea pearls.
10-11mm White South Sea Cultured Pearl Bracelet in 14K Gold
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The white South Sea pearls are mostly cultured along the north western Australian coast. The golden variety are mainly produced in the Philippines and Indonesia and these two countries are fast developing into the leading producers of finest golden South Sea pearls.
The pinctada maxima oyster is much larger than the oysters that produce Akoya and Freshwater pearls. It can grow up to twelve inches in diameter. As such, it can be nucleated with much larger beads in comparison to other oysters. Consequently, South Sea pearls are among the largest cultured pearls in the world. Most harvests produce pearls in the size range of nine mm to twenty mm. The average size of a South Sea pearl is thirteen mm.
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| Golden South Sea Cultured Pearl Pendant AAA Quality 14K Yellow Gold with Diamond | White South Sea Cultured Pearl Pendant AAA Quality 14K White Gold |
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The pearl itself is made up of a natural secretion oozed by the oyster. It is known as the nacre or the mother of pearl. Layer upon layer of nacre envelop a small nucleus deliberately inserted into the vital parts of the oyster for creating the pearl. The marine environment should be uncontaminated and rich in plankton for quality nacre to be secreted. In favorable ambience, the oysters accept larger nuclei and the same oyster can be inseminated even thrice over the course of time.
Natural Color South Sea Pearl Ring
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The Pinctada Maxima oyster not only endows the south sea pearls with a substantial size but also with a very thick coat of nacre. Luster and color being a property of nacre, these pearls are bestowed with a velvety opalescence and hard-to-define range of colors. The pearls grow to reach a diameter of ten to eighteen mm in around twenty-four months.
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| 14K Gold 11-12mm Cultured White South Sea Pearls Stud Earrings – AAAA Quality | Golden Cultured South Sea Pearls Stud Earrings AA+ Quality 14k Yellow Gold |
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The Pinctada Maxima oysters themselves are of two types: the silver-lipped ones and the gold-lipped ones. You can tell between them by the distinct coloration of the outer edge of their interiors. The silver lipped oyster produces silver white pearls with pink, grey or green hues. On the other hand, the gold lipped variety yields golden and champagne color gems.
Reason for Rarity
Attempts to breed the Pinctada Maxima oysters in regions other than south-seas have been unsuccessful. The oysters do not thrive outside their naturally-native environment. As a consequence, the area where these pearls can be cultured is restricted and limited. Also, the pearls have to be left inside the oyster for a longer time to achieve larger sizes. The oysters are sensitive to any kind of pollution and need an uncontaminated environment. Such environments are becoming increasingly rare because of polluting habits of human beings. Their restricted culturing area, large size, and extended growth period are influencing factors that combine to make South Sea pearls the rarest among all pearl types. It pushes up their prices causing them to be outstandingly precious gems.
Available Colors, Shapes, And Sizes.
South Sea pearls occur in the range of eight millimeter to twenty millimeter, with the average size being around thirteen millimeter. A pearl growing to the size of twenty millimeter is certainly a rare occurrence.
The oyster keeps fighting the mother-of-pearl bead implant that is a foreign body to the organism. Also, the oyster’s environment is disrupted by inclement weather. Because of this, there is a reduced likelihood of producing a perfectly round, blemish free pearl. As a result, only ten to thirty percent of pearls yielded in each harvest are round or near-round spherical gems. A perfectly round South Sea pearl is considered to be a paragon. The baroque and drop shaped pearls are individually used in high end designer-jewelry to put the focus on their distinctive shape & luster as also to make them available at lower prices. Consequently, south-sea pearls are available at different price levels.
South Sea Pearl Necklaces
The individual pearls in necklaces composed of South Sea pearls are destined to have a size variation of a few millimeters in every necklace. Enough pearls to create necklaces of uniformly matched pearls are just not harvested. There are bound to be miniscule differences in shape, size, luster, body color and overtone. Full strands of matched pearls are rare. If you manage to assemble a necklace of perfectly round South Sea pearls you have a safe asset that will always appreciate in value.
The necklaces can be crafted from white or gold pearls. They can even be multicolor pearl strands. The necklace can be set in sterling silver or made from gold or platinum. Prices will vary according to the number & size of pearls used to create the necklace as well as the metal used for setting the same.
South Sea Pearl Earrings
Studs created from single South Sea pearls are trendy earring choices. The linear drops style are also a popular choice. Moreover, baroque pearls with their inimitable shapes make stunning drop earrings.
South Sea Pearl Rings
Rings are usually set with a single South Sea pearl. But they can also be studded with other gemstones encircling the pearl to create a halo or set alongside the pearl on the band. Yellow gold, white gold, platinum and sterling silver are all well liked metals for crafting pearl rings. However, the color of the pearl should go with the color of the chosen metal.
South Sea Pearls Bracelets
Bracelets are mostly crafted from a single strand of South Sea pearls. Though, bracelets of up to four strands of pearls are occasionally crafted. These can be expensively unaffordable. Again, the pearls in a bracelet can be of similar or of graduated sizes. You can also come across station-type bracelets and a few mix pearls with other gemstones or diamonds. Quartz beads are also used to make affordable bracelets with a single pearl placed in the center of the strand.
South Sea pearls are considered to be the rarest and most valuable pearls in the world. They have their own allure and exotic beauty unlike any other type of pearl.
See Also:
Pearls
| Pearls | Baroque Pearls |
| Akoya Pearls | South Sea Pearls |
| Tahitian Pearls |
