Pearl History

A natural pearl formation secreted in the interior of mollusks without human intervention. They are composed of a complex scleroprotein named conchiolin and of calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite and or calcite arranged in concentric layers. Natural pearls may be nacreous or non-nacreous.

The oldest discoveries of shells from pearl-producing mollusks in Egypt date back to the 4th millennium BC. Pearls are rarely found in early Egyptian jewelry and looking back, from a very early time in mankind’s history, pearls became treasure, a symbol of wealth, power and prestige and at the same time they were met with devotion and respect. Up to the present time the pearl is distinctly more than a tribute of fashion. And they are called “intransient beauties within a transient world”.

Natural pearls continued to have a regular market until the nineteen fifties. In 1893, a talented young man from Japan, harvested his first cultured blister pearl, soon afterwards, the cultured pearls appeared on the European and American markets.

At the beginning of the 21th century cultured pearls became available to women on all levels of society, and able to satisfy almost all needs and ideals. Cultured pearls are no longer come exclusively from Japan anymore, as other producing countries as China, Australia, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Thailand, etc.

As the modern improvements in the production of cultured pearls extend the price range further, the pearl jewelry plays a more and more important role in the jewelry kingdom.