Baroque pearls: description and origin

Few know that a perfectly round pearl is rather an exception to the rule. Bizarre, irregular shapes are more characteristic of natural pearls, which are called baroque, from the word "baroque". We will tell you more about this pearl, about its properties and types, about caring for it in our article.

Pearl lovers and connoisseurs know that, in addition to spherical beads, natural mother-of-pearl can take various forms - drop-shaped, asymmetrical, oval, with various irregularities, pear-shaped, elliptical, and others. Just like that pearls of original, bizarre shapes are usually called baroque... The name is derived from the style in art - baroque, literally translated from Italian as "strange", "bizarre", "inclined towards excesses." However, the translation of the word “baroque” from Portuguese, which means “unpolished”, “not processed”, is more suitable for this type of pearl.

By type of origin, baroque pearls are:

• natural marine;
• natural river, freshwater;
• natural, cultivated on a special farm;
• artificial.

Natural pearl formation is a unique natural process in which a speck or grain of sand gets into the shell of a mollusk. Trying to get rid of a foreign object, the mollusk covers it with nacreous layers, and in 12 months a pearl grows only 2-2.5 millimeters in size. It has been noticed that the growth rate depends on the age of the oyster - in the shell of a young mollusk, the process of pearl growth occurs faster than in old ones.But also for the growth rate, sea water is more favorable than fresh water. Most often, Baroque pearls are found in warm, southern seas.

The correct shape of a rounded pearl indicates that its formation took place in the central part of the shell. Baroque pearls are formed at the walls of the shell, in contact with the mollusk itself. The size of natural baroque mother-of-pearl is usually small, but there can be also large pieces that are appreciated by jewelers and can cost more than perfectly spherical pearls. Skilled jewelers see flowers, petals, figurines of animals and birds in the silhouettes of baroque pearls, their imagination is limitless and helps to create unique creations from them.

The color scheme of baroque mother-of-pearl is wide and varied. These are all milky shades, boiling white and light beige tones, pearls of the color of coffee with milk, pink, yellow, blue, golden, grayish blue and even black.

Precious stones and historical figures are inextricably linked with each other, expensive jewelry emphasize the status of its owner. Among the famous jewelry of the mighty of this world, there are several jewelry made from baroque pearls. They are given their own names and, in the end, the stones and pearls themselves become more famous than their owners. So, the legend about the love of the Roman politician Mark Anthony and the Queen of Egypt Cleopatra says that to prove her feelings, she took off her precious pearl earrings made of Baroque pearls and dissolved them in the wine that the Roman drank. Later, according to legend, these pearls shone on the statue of Venus, decorating the goddess of love.

Large teardrop-shaped baroque pearl "Peregrina", found off the coast of Panama in the middle of the 16th century, first granted freedom to the slave who found her. Then it was presented to Philip II, the autocrat of Spain, who presented "Peregrina" to the august Englishwoman Mary Tudor as a wedding tribute. It is not for nothing that "Peregrina" in translation means "pilgrim", because after that the pearl visited Bonaparte, was captured in the portrait of the Spanish queen, and the French family of marquis also possessed it, having bought it from Napoleon III, who needed money. The wife of the Marquis suffered from absent-mindedness, which led to the creation of a necklace from a pearl.

In the XX century (1969) a necklace with "Peregrina" was exhibited at a British auction, at which her husband acquired it for his wife, the Queen of Hollywood, E. Taylor. She wore the jewelry as a brooch and one day her dog almost ate a pearl. After that, the decoration with the "pilgrim" turned into the decoration of Cartier. After the death of the great actress, the pearl jewelry was auctioned for almost $ 12 million.

Another rare Baroque pearl in the shape of an egg named "Regent" weighing about 80 carats belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte. Having bought it for a huge amount, Napoleon presented it to his wife, and until 1887 she was in their possession. Then the famous Faberge bought the pearl and transported the jewel to Russia. However, the financial difficulties of the young Soviet country prevented the pearl from staying with us, and along with other jewelry it ends up in the West. The largest to date is the Baroque Hope Pearl (named after its owner), with a diameter of 5.1 cm and a pear-shaped shape. Now every visitor to the Natural History Museum in London can admire it.

Being a mineral of natural origin, pearls are fraught with many medicinal and mystical properties. The purpose for wearing pearls is exclusively for women, men hardly wear mother-of-pearl.

Baroque pearls have a positive effect on the nervous system of their owner. His psycho-emotional state stabilizes, fears and doubts go away. Many people believe that pearls are able to protect their owner from nervous breakdowns.

The mind and memory of those wearing Baroque mother-of-pearl become brighter. Specialists in medicinal stones assure that pearls are able to heal from sclerosis, to improve the functioning of internal organs, especially the kidneys and liver. It is recommended to wear baroque pearl jewelry for those who have problems with both high and low blood pressure. When wearing pearls, you should pay close attention - darkened pearls appear from a negative mood or illness of its owner.

Pearls, including baroque ones, are associated with maiden beauty and chastity; they were often used to decorate the bride on her wedding day. But in each country, pearls are ascribed their own special properties. In India they are worn to attract wealth, in China pearls give kindness and mercy to the owner, the Greeks use it to guard the family hearth. It is believed that sparkling mother-of-pearl relieves loneliness, protects the house from thieves, and gives good luck to businessmen.

Since mother-of-pearl is formed in the water element, it is recommended to wear it for representatives of this group of zodiac signs. This mineral is more suitable for people with a strong character; for a person with a weak unstable character, pearls bring absent-mindedness.

It is generally accepted that baroque pearls are the ideal material for newcomer jewelers who are just acquiring the skills of fine craftsmanship. This is partly true, but if a good master sees a large Baroque pearl of a successful form, he will certainly embody his artistic intention in it. Jewelry with such unique pearls will definitely become exclusive, because two Baroque pearls of the same shape and color do not exist in nature.

Usually, baroque pearls in jewelry are complemented with other precious stones and metals, they are complemented by jewelry made from traditional round pearls. Elongated, in the form of a drop or pear, Baroque pearls are in demand for the creation of pendants, earrings, brooches. It is customary to make rings, pendants, brooches, tiaras or necklaces from pearls that resemble silhouettes of plants, animals, birds or profiles of faces.

The high popularity of baroque pearl products encourages dishonest manufacturers to create artificial imitation of it. You should carefully consider the jewelry in detail and from all sides, not succumbing to the seller's persuasion about its naturalness. It is possible to distinguish fake baroque pearls from natural by some nuances.

• Seam or glue line on the bead. Often the irregular shape is achieved by careless sellers by gluing several pieces of mother-of-pearl.
• Coating layer. Mother of pearl can be imitated with special paints. However, fake paint looks dull, dark and lacks luster when compared to natural mother-of-pearl.
• The surface of each pearl should be rough and uneven. And also some people test the naturalness of pearls "by the tooth" - they are quite soft and leave dents.
• Scattering on glass. A handful of pearls are scattered on the glass surface, artificial peas will roll, and natural ones will slightly bounce.
• Show it to an experienced independent jeweler who is sure to identify the authenticity of the pearls.

Like any jewelry, Baroque pearls require careful and careful maintenance.In this case, it will delight its owner for a long time with a beautiful appearance. Here are some tips for caring for baroque pearls.

• You should not apply perfumery, eau de toilette directly to the pearl jewelry. After pausing for 12-15 minutes after applying a cosmetic, perfume or deodorant to your skin, you can put on pearls.
• Avoid contact of natural mother-of-pearl with various chemicals.
• Protect from direct sunlight and overheating. In summer, pearls should only be worn in the evening.
• Store in a box lined with soft natural fabric or in a pouch, separate from hard precious stones and jewelry with sharp edges.
• Occasionally clean emerging dirt with a soft natural cloth.
• Do not wear it in too humid and hot places - swimming pool or sauna.

Human skin has an ideal PH level for pearls, so you need to wear it on the body as often as possible, observing all precautions. Then the pearl jewelry will become an object of admiration for others and will be passed on to more than one future generation.

For information on how to distinguish cultured pearls from natural pearls, see the next video.