Zhan Weijian, president of Grace Pearls, named Edison pearls after Thomas Edison. Mr. Zhan chose the name out of admiration for Thomas Edison, and he is proud of their achievement after 20 years research in pearl farming industry.
What is special about Edison pearls?
This is what makes Edison pearls unique! The blue center is the implanted bead. In Edison pearls the bead is tiny while in regular cultured pearls the implanted bead is much larger. So the larger the implanted bead, the thinner the nacre.
Are Edison pearls real pearls?
Edison pearls are freshwater pearls produced inside mussels. They are cultivated primarily in China.
Are Edison pearls natural?
“Edison Pearls” are the latest in a LONG line of Freshwater pearl experiments are aimed taking on the legendary White and Golden South Sea pearls from Australia. These pearls are produced by a few radical pearl farms in China, and have only been available for 2-3 years now on the markets.
Who invented Edison pearls?
Weijian Zhan
Edison pearls are the brainchild of brother and sister Weijian Zhan and Weiyu Zhan. Their family has over 40 years’ experience in pearl farming.
What are Akoya pearls?
The akoya pearl is a saltwater cultured pearl from the akoya oyster (Pinctada fucata martensii). Because akoya are the most abundant type of saltwater pearl with the longest cultured history, information on akoyas is abundant!
Why are Tahitian pearls expensive?
These pearls have become some of the most sought-after, expensive pearls in the world. Because of their vast color range, matching these pearls into a finished strand is an enormous task requiring thousands of loose pearls to create a single strand.
How do you tell the difference between freshwater and South Sea pearls?
The main difference between Freshwater Pearls and Saltwater Pearls is: Freshwater pearls are nearly 100% nacre, whereas Saltwater pearls are of a thinner nacre coating from 0.5mm to 6mm. Freshwater pearls are cheaper, whereas Saltwater pearls are generally more expensive due to their scarcity.
What does nucleated mean in pearls?
Nucleation is the process which starts off the growth of a cultured or farmed pearl. It involves inserting something into a nacre-producing mollusc to trigger production of a pearl.
What type of oyster produces pearls?
Oysters Pinctada Fucata
Oysters Pinctada Fucata, also known as the Akoya pearl oysters, are a species of marine bivalve mollusk in the family Pteriidae, able to produce stunning pearls, including ultra lustrous gems and larger pearls.
What are South Sea pearls?
South Sea pearls are the rarest of all the types of pearls. They are cultivated in saltwater and have thicker nacre layers than any other pear, averaging around 2-4mm thick. Like most saltwater oysters, they are bead nucleated. Their growth period is 2-4 years, about double that of Akoya pearls.
What are baroque freshwater pearls?
Baroque pearls are pearls with an irregular, non-spherical shape. Shapes can range from minor aberrations to distinctly ovoid, curved, pinched, or lumpy shapes. Most cultured freshwater pearls are baroque because freshwater pearls are mantle-tissue nucleated instead of bead nucleated.
Where do Keshi pearls come from?
Keshi Pearls – How They Form
When a cultured pearl is developing inside an oyster, sometimes the mollusk secretes more nacre than necessary. Nacre is that precious, lustrous substance that makes up a pearl. The excess nacre deposits on the lip of the oyster and, over time, becomes a Keshi Pearl.
Where are freshwater pearls from?
Freshwater pearls are produced by Hyriopsis cumingi (triangle shell) and Hyriopsis schlegeli (Biwa shell) commercially in China, and other bivalve mussels that live in lakes, riverbeds and creek bottoms in Japan (Biwa pearls and Lake Kasumigaura pearls), as well the United States (Mississippi River Basin).
How are different shaped pearls made?
As the pearl begins to slowly form with each layer of nacre, micro-terraces form around it. Water molecules bounce off these terraces and create energy. As a result, causing the pearl to slowly begin to rotate and enhance the pearl’s spherical shape.
What is the rarest pearl?
Naturally colored blue pearls are the rarest pearl colors in the world (with one or two exceptions, which we will get to below). The color has existed in pearls for decades, but only recently have naturally colored blue pearls gained popularity in the modern pearl jewelry markets.
What is the highest quality pearl?
This grading system ranks pearls from AAA to A, with AAA being the highest.
- AAA: Nearly flawless pearls with a high luster and a surface that’s 95 percent free of defects.
- AA: High luster with a surface that’s 75 percent free of defects.
- A: Lower luster and defects on more than 25 percent of the surface.
Are South Sea or Akoya pearls better?
Fine South Sea Baroque Pearls are much more valuable and desirable than Baroque Akoya Pearls. Because of the large size difference in the two primary varieties, a South Sea Baroque Pearl is more likely to have a critical mass of lustrous surface.
What colour pearl is most valuable?
The 22K to 24K Golden tone is a “Very Deep” natural Golden color. Golden South Sea pearls featuring the 22K to 24K hues are the rarest and most valuable (all other factors being equal).
How can you tell if a pearl is Tahitian?
Determining Tahitian Pearl Value: Colors
Tahitian cultured pearls are typically dark gray, dark green or dark purple/blue. They have a high value compared to other pearls. This is due to their shimmering orient and a spectacular undertone.
Which is better Tahitian pearl or South Sea pearl?
Tahitians are very rare. South Sea pearls are much easier to find. Other differences between these two pearls are their sizes and nacre thickness. South Sea pearls are almost 15 mm in size, bigger than the usual 13 mm of those Tahitian pearls.