What are the different types of pearls in Hyderabad?
Black pearls that have a green sheen and baroque (irregularly shaped) pearls that reflect a rainbow of colours are also amongst the more valuable varieties. While black and pink pearls are also rare and beautiful, most traditional Hyderabad jewellery is made with white pearls.
Akoya Pearls: These pearls represent some of the best-cultured pearls available today. Known for their metallic lustre and perfectly round shape, they are regarded as the classic white pearl. While most Akoya pearls are farmed in Japan, China and Vietnam both produce Akoya pearls as well.
Most traditional Hyderabad jewellery is made from white pearls followed by pink pearls. But today, most of the processing is done by pearl farmers in China, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and other places in and around Asia. Finally, they come as the finest quality pearls in Hyderabad.
The combination of surface brilliance and a deep-seated glow, the lustre of a good-quality cultured pearl should be bright, not dull. You should be able to see your reflection clearly on the surface of a cultured pearl. Any pearl that looks too chalky or dull indicates low quality.
FOUR MAIN TYPES OF PEARLS
Gemstones
Pearls, romantically referred to as teardrops from the moon, have long been revered for their beauty and unique entrance into the world. They are formed by molluscs when an irritant gets stuck in their shells. Layer upon layer of a fluid called nacre is then formed around the irritant as a defence mechanism by the creature. The layers of nacre are what the beautiful lustrous pearls are made of. They are the oldest known gems and, for a time, were considered among the most valuable before they could be cultured or farmed. There are four main types of pearls that come in a variety of shapes, colours, and sizes.
FRESHWATER PEARLS
Freshwater pearls are the most common and least expensive. They are cultured in freshwater lakes and ponds, hence the name, and are generally easy to find. Freshwater pearls come in the widest range of shapes and colours of all the pearl types.
While perfectly round freshwater pearls do exist, off-round shapes are more common and look beautiful and unique in jewellery. Pink, white, and other pastel colours are the most common occurring naturally, but they can be dyed any colour for optimal jewellery making.
AKOYA PEARLS
Deemed the classic pearl, these come to mind when you think about the perfect pearl. They are considered an upgrade from freshwater pearls in quality and roundness. Akoya pearls also come in a variety of neutral colours but tend to be white.
They are small and round, typically ranging from 5-9mm, and take one to two years to develop. Akoya pearls are the most common among jewellery buyers and make beautiful necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
TAHITIAN BLACK PEARLS
Although called black, Tahitian black pearls actually come in a range of dark, natural colours. The most common are greens, blues, browns, and greys. No colour is considered better than another; they are all equal in value. The most popular colour amongst buyers is known as green peacock.
Tahitian black pearls are much bigger and more expensive than Akoya pearls. The price is partly due to the difficulty in creating a perfect strand because of the colour range.
SOUTH SEA PEARLS
There are really two types of South Sea pearls: white and golden. They are the biggest and most valuable of all pearl types. It is typical for a South Sea pearl to be up to 17mm, but much bigger white South Sea pearls have been found.
These pearls take two to four years to develop and are usually not perfectly round. Perfectly matched strands are rare and can cost up to £24,500 ($300,000 US).
Golden South Sea pearls are considered the most valuable among all pearls. The value increases with the natural golden colour; the deeper the gold, the more valuable.