How are pearls formed and where can they be found?

Pearls are solid mineral formation of round or irregular shape. It appears inside the shell of a marine mollusk as a result of biogenic processes. It is a precious material from which jewelry is made.

The formation of pearls in natural conditions is an extremely complex process, marked by a wide range of physical and chemical reactions taking place in the body of the shell.

Pearl formation is a defense reaction of the mollusk organism. It is activated when a foreign body enters through the open shells of the shell. It can be a grain of sand, a small pebble, algae, or something else. In order to feed, as well as move along the seabed, the oyster is forced to open the valves of its shell. It is at the moment of opening, under the action of water pressure and buoyancy force, that foreign bodies penetrate into the house.

The body of the mollusk is extremely delicate, equipped with many sensitive receptors. The presence of such features forces him to use a protective mechanism that prevents a foreign body from harming him.

• The foreign body settles on one of the parts of the mollusc's surface. After which it begins to gradually sink into the tissues. The result is a small depression on the surface of the body. The so-called pearl sac is formed.
• Foreign inclusions can have sharp edges and corners that irritate and even injure the delicate body of the mussel. The irritation factor causes the launch of biological processes that lead to the production of special cells by the body.
• These cells are sent to the place where the foreign object is located. A special enzyme contained in cells makes them envelop a grain of sand with mineral-organic layers. Enveloping occurs gradually, layer by layer. After curing, a hard surface is formed. This is how a pearl is born.

The shape of the pearl depends on the configuration of the grain of sand that has entered the internal environment of the mollusk. If it has a fairly even shape, the pearl will turn out in the form of a regular ball. In other cases, an object of irregular or oblong shape falls into the shell. The future pearl will be coated with a mineral-organic layer in accordance with the shape of the foreign body. The end result is a pearl with a curved surface.

The degree of symmetry of the pearl shape is influenced by the location of the foreign body. In some cases, it can settle on the inner side of one of the shell valves, which leads to fusion of pearls with the surface of the valve. Such pearls become one with the shell of the mollusc and are not a valuable material.

Depending on the type of mollusk and its habitat, the quality characteristics of the pearls that it grows may differ. Differences can be observed in the color, shape, texture of the pearls, as well as in the presence or absence of other individual characteristics.

The extraction of naturally grown pearls inside an oyster is an extremely labor-intensive process. Usually the shell of a mollusk lies on the surface of the seabed. For its extraction, it is necessary to go down to the very bottom, which can be dangerous for an unprepared miner.

In addition, pearls grow in mussels for a very long time. The formation of a mineral layer around a foreign body occurs at the cellular level. It may be necessary for the pearl to reach an acceptable size some years. To facilitate the process of extracting the precious mineral, modern technologies are used. The technique allows you to dive to great depths and stay there longer than usual.

There are oyster farms. The purpose of their activity may be to obtain food or artificial pearls.

Mussel breeding technology implies use of an artificial or natural reservoir... In the second version, a certain section of the water space is fenced off from the main one. In the case of the breeding of marine mollusks, part of the coastal space is used, since it is almost impossible to create similar conditions in isolation from the sea.

The size of each individual pearl depends on the size of the shell of the clam that grows it. In addition, the size is influenced by the physical condition of the oyster. If it is healthy and strong, the process of pearl stone formation will proceed faster, with a better quality result.

Some representatives of molluscs are incapable of a long process of enveloping foreign inclusions. They do not have enough resources necessary for this, which becomes the reason for their death. In conditions of farm breeding, such cases are unprofitable, since the mussel can die without having time to form a full-fledged pearl.

In the list of physical properties of pearls, the main ones can be distinguished:

• Colour;
• the form;
• shell composition.

The most common color combination for pearls is white with a shiny mother-of-pearl sheen. However, there are also colored pearls of pink, blue, purple, brown, orange shades.The color characteristic is the defining indicator on which the price of the product depends. The rarest and most expensive pearls are blue and blue. They are grown by the mollusk Heliotis.

The shape of each individual pearl is a factor that directly influences its value. A more correct form costs much more than an incorrect one. In addition, there are pearl formations, the shape of which does not allow them to be used in any way. In this case, they are recognized as defective material and disposed of.

The main characteristic of a pearl is the composition of its shell. A distinctive feature of this material is its special chemical composition, its main constituents are calcium carbonate and conchiolin. Thanks to the combination of these elements, pearls are half mineral, half organic, which emphasizes their uniqueness.

Mussels that grow pearls inside their shells live in warm sea and ocean waters. They can be found near the coasts of South America, Australia, Japan, India and others.

The average depth of their permanent residence is 30-35 m, however, representatives of this species of marine life are also found at a much greater depth. During its life, an oyster can travel long distances, despite its limited mobility. In most cases, the mollusk attaches its house to some kind of solid surface: rock or coral reef. In this position, he can be for quite a long time.

The search and extraction of pearl-bearing mussels is carried out at an average depth of up to 20 m. In most cases, they are lifted from the bottom by professional divers who dive into the water without special equipment.... This work is associated with high physical exertion and a high probability of causing harm to health, which is one of the factors that determine the value of pearls. The outer surface of the shell of some mollusks has a specific color that merges with the environment. This makes it much more difficult to find them.

The extraction of wild oysters is a factor that negatively affects the ecosystem of the underwater world. Good quality pearl formations are quite rare. Of ten oysters, only one can contain a pearl.

Basically, pearls are used to make various jewelry. Make of it:

• beads;
• necklace;
• bracelets;
• earrings;
• rings;
• pendants;
• brooches;
• customized products.

Jewelry with a certain amount of pearls is considered the most expensive. For example, for the manufacture of beads or necklaces, stones are selected that are similar in size, shape and shade. The production of such a collection is a labor-intensive process, since in nature there are no two absolutely identical pearls.

Products containing 1 or 2 pearls are slightly cheaper, but the final cost is also influenced by the material from which the frame is made. Platinum or gold frames, framing a pearl, are much higher.

It is believed that pearls have magical properties and can affect the physical or psychological state of a person. However, real facts supporting such conclusions have not been identified.

The wearer of such jewelry may feel special, standing out from other people. Based on this, we can conclude that a pearl product is able to influence the inner self-awareness of a person. This influence is due to its emotional background, but not the magical properties of the natural mineral-organic compound.

To learn how to distinguish natural pearls from fake, see the video below.