South Sea Cultured Pearl
South Sea Pearls are the rarest type of all pearl types. Cultured along the northwest coast of Australia, these luminous beauties can be found in sizes ranging from 8 to 20mm (extremely rare) and colors from optic white to soft white with silvery overtones. While truly spherical orbs are rarest, these pearls also occur in baroque shapes including teardrop, oval, button, ringed and freeform. Culturing a south pearl requires skilled technicians inserting mantle tissue from a sacrificed mollusk along with a shell bead into the gonad of a Pinctada Maxima mollusk. The mollusks are carefully tended for 2-4 years and then the resulting pearls are harvested. Special care is required for pearls due to their porous nature as they can absorb anything that comes in contact with their surface. Always wipe off pearls with a soft cloth after wearing or handling. Pearls are designated as a June birthstone and for the third and thirtieth anniversaries.
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