Many people do not realize that cultured pearls are real pearls. Natural pearls grow in the wild without human intervention. A natural pearl is formed when the mantle tissue is injured by a parasite, an attack of a fish, or another event that damages the external fragile rim of the shell of a mollusk shell bivalve or gastropod. In response, the mantle tissue of the mollusk secretes nacre into the pearl sac, a cyst that forms during the healing process. As the nacre builds up in layers of minute aragonite tablets, it fills the growing pearl sac and eventually forms a pearl. They are very rare, and most natural pearls in the market today are antique.
Cultured pearls are grown in pearl farms, and are the direct result of human intervention. The production of nacre is triggered by the insertion of a piece of mantle tissue that contains epithelial cells from a donor mussel. The graft forms a pearl sac which in turn starts the nacre production. Nowadays, over 95% of the pearls available on the market are cultured pearls.
Akoya Pearls are beautiful cultured pearls. These pearls come from Akoya Oysters. This rare species is bred in hatcheries.
Cleaning Your Jewelry
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My jewelry is not waterproof. I recommend taking off your jewelry when showering, swimming, or washing dishes.
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Chemicals can affect the finish of the sterling silver and the pearls. I recommend taking off your jewelry when using cleaning supplies, putting on lotion, etc.
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Be sure to avoid having your jewelry come into contact with citrus, vinegar, or rubbing alcohol as it can cause tarnishing and damage to both your sterling silver and your pearls.
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To clean your pieces, I recommend using a polishing cloth as other material can scratch your pearls. Placing your jewelry that you do not wear daily in an air-tight bag will help prevent oxidation.
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Buff them occasionally with a silk cloth to bring back their shine.