Pearls are symbols of purity and perfection. They are created inside living animals – freshwater and marine molluscs. Pearls are found in different shapes, sizes and colours. Cultured pearls are popular for their beauty and splendour.
***
Natural pearls are formed when an irritant such as a tiny stone or a particle of sand gets inside the mollusc’s shell by chance. Slowly a shiny substance called nacre is secreted around the object to protected around the object to protect the soft internal surface of the mollusc. When many layers of nacre coat the irritant, a pearl is formed. The shiny texture of the pearl is due to the reflection of light from this overlapping layers. The process of pearl formation may take up to seven or eight years.
***
Cultured pearls appeared first in 1930s. Pearl-culturing is known as periculture. By pearl-culturing, pearls can be produced in different forms. In order to make cultured pearls, foreign particles are deliberately inserted into a living oyster through a surgery.
****
The most valuable pearls are symmetrical, large, naturally produced and have a shiny surface. The size and shape of a pearl depends on the species of mollusc, how long it took to form and other factors.
***
Major oyster beds are found in the Persian Gulf, along the coasts of India, Sri Lanka, and the Red Sea. Chinese pearls come mainly from freshwater rivers and ponds, where as Japanese pearls are found near the coast in salt water.
***
Natural pearls are formed when an irritant such as a tiny stone or a particle of sand gets inside the mollusc’s shell by chance. Slowly a shiny substance called nacre is secreted around the object to protected around the object to protect the soft internal surface of the mollusc. When many layers of nacre coat the irritant, a pearl is formed. The shiny texture of the pearl is due to the reflection of light from this overlapping layers. The process of pearl formation may take up to seven or eight years.
***
Cultured pearls appeared first in 1930s. Pearl-culturing is known as periculture. By pearl-culturing, pearls can be produced in different forms. In order to make cultured pearls, foreign particles are deliberately inserted into a living oyster through a surgery.
****
The most valuable pearls are symmetrical, large, naturally produced and have a shiny surface. The size and shape of a pearl depends on the species of mollusc, how long it took to form and other factors.
***
Major oyster beds are found in the Persian Gulf, along the coasts of India, Sri Lanka, and the Red Sea. Chinese pearls come mainly from freshwater rivers and ponds, where as Japanese pearls are found near the coast in salt water.
***
The best-known sources of pearls are marine molluscs especially the pearl oysters, conchs and abalone found worldwide.
No comments:
Post a Comment