By Michelle Yamamoto
 A Brief History of Cultured Pearls
Prior to 1910, ornamental pearls were natural pearls. Since then, the cultured pearl has come to be used in jewelry. Pearls are formed from the reaction to an irritant (usually a grain of sand) deep within the shell of an oyster. Once it is deep enough, a protective coating called nacre begins to form to naturally create a pearl. Natural pearls are rare, as only one pearl may be found in a million shellfish. The idea of forming pearls through scientific means was thus born. Pearls formed in this manner are known as cultured pearls.
Kokichi Mikimoto first gave the world cultured pearls in 1910. Today almost 95% of all pearls are cultured. A cultured pearl necklace is the perfect choice for those who want to own a necklace that has good nacre, plenty of luster, and clarity.
A cultured pearl necklace made by Kokichi Mikimoto can be three to six times the cost of an American cultured pearl necklace with negligible difference in quality. Whereas Mikimoto sells rose overtone pearl necklaces, companies such as |
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By Leonard Lee
 One interesting myth related to cobra-pearls is that these cobras employ the light of the pearl that they carry in their hoods to hunt at night, as a means of brightening their pathway--this would certainly indicate a property of the pearl itself or in accord with the argument above that a symbiotic relationship is being alluded to here between the cobra and the spirit-elemental of the pearl that the snake hosts. In cases where a pearl is said to have glowing properties it is difficult to validate and affirm its authenticity or to determine whether some form of a gimmick is employed to working its magic because owners of such pearls invariably refuse testers closer inspection. In regards to fakes, we know that there are synthetic "stones" selling in Indonesia with an electronic component, the Light-Emitting Diode embedded within them; this is coupled to a tiny battery and a switch that closes the circuit and gives off light whenever the stones are immersed in water or when pressure is applied to them--this novelty item could probably be found in various countries as well--this stone is often appropriated |
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