FAQ
What makes Posh South Sea Pearls so unique?
Posh Pearls - South Sea pearls are unique primarily because these pearls possess an "inner fire" or an "inner glow" which radiate a certain felt presence. A quality that cannot be put in words but is nevertheless experienced by the person who comes in contact with these pearls.
This "inner fire" can be equated with strong Orient, a result of the thick nacre of these pearls.
Technically speaking, "Orient" is the refraction of light as it penetrates through layers of aragonite crystals from the core to the surface, giving Philippine South Sea pearls the best optical effect.
Why Purchase Posh South Sea Pearls?
It is wise to purchase directly from Posh Pearls as it is a direct source of high quality natural South Sea pearls. Our jeweler cultivates its own oysters that annually yield a consistent supply of freshly produced pearls.
What kind of oysters do you use to produce these high value / quality pearls?
Our supplier uses the biggest bivalve pearling seashell: the Pinctada Maxima. It is the biggest pearl-bearing oyster that grows from 13 cm to 30 cm in diameter. It is found naturally in the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia and Burma.
These oysters prefer warm weather conditions and pristine clean waters which these countries are gifted with. It can produce pearls ranging from 9mm to 37mm.
The Pinctada Maxima has two varieties: the Gold-Lipped which produces light to golden champagne colored pearls and the Silver-Lipped which produces white, creamy white to silver colored pearls.
It takes three years for this oyster to grow and mature; and another two to three more years more for it to nurture a pearl. Black-Lipped oysters are also endemic to the Philippines and can be cultured in our jewelers pearl farms. However, our jeweler has chosen to focus on cultivating the Gold-Lipped and the Silver-Lipped variety.
How can you distinguish real pearls from imitation pearls?
To the untrained eye, real and fake pearls may look the same. But if you take a closer look, you may observe that real pearls are not all perfectly round in shape, smooth and even in surface quality. The small blemishes and uneven surfaces sometimes is what make a real cultured pearl authentic.
A basic way that you can try yourself is to rub two pearls against each other. Real pearls generally have a gritty feel once they are rubbed against each other, whereas imitation pearls often slide off each other.
The same concept applies to the "tooth test": rub pearls against your teeth or consequently bite them. Our teeth are made up of a calcium substance similar to calcium carbonate, a substance that a pearl's nacre is composed of. Real pearls are also not damaged by this test.
Imitation pearls are glassy and slide on the tooth easily, whereas real cultured pearls have a grainy sensation.
However, in this day and age, there are very good imitation pearls in the market and it is getting more and more difficult to detect imitation pearls from real pearls. It is wise that you must buy your pearls from a reliable source. Like diamonds, you do not buy real diamonds in a shoe or fish market. Real pearls are precious and a high level of trust and expertise is needed.
The best option will be to buy pearls from a reputable jeweler that you can trust to ensure the authenticity of your purchase.
What is the difference between natural pearls and cultured pearls?
99% of pearls traded on the market today are cultured pearls. These are harvested in pearl farms. Cultivation of these pearls relies on human influence and science.
Natural pearls on the other hand are found in oysters caught in the wild. It takes an average of 20,000 Pinctada Maxima oysters to find one natural South Sea pearl.You are most likely to find natural pearls in antique jewellery pieces, as pearls were not cultured before the 1900's.
Size measurement for natural and cultured pearls is different. A natural pearl is measured in grain weight, while a cultured pearl is measured in millimeters. Any reputable jeweler must disclose if a pearl is natural or cultured. The pearl usually comes with a certificate of authenticity requiring a complex laboratory study that is costly to determine if a pearl is natural or cultured, since only two laboratories in the world have that expertise. Indeed, natural pearls are usually estate pieces sold in auctions and are of rare occurrence today.
Can I leave my pearls for extended periods of time in a safety deposit box or safe?
As precious as your pearls are, you'd like to keep them safe. However, pearls are made to be worn. Pearls are composed of biocrystals, thus it is not a good idea to keep them in an air-tight box for a long period of time. The lack of humidity will affect the luster and dehydrate the pearl.
Remember, pearls are living gems and must be worn frequently so that they can be moiturize by air or by body oils.
What makes Posh South Sea Pearls so unique?
Posh Pearls - South Sea pearls are unique primarily because these pearls possess an "inner fire" or an "inner glow" which radiate a certain felt presence. A quality that cannot be put in words but is nevertheless experienced by the person who comes in contact with these pearls.
This "inner fire" can be equated with strong Orient, a result of the thick nacre of these pearls.
Technically speaking, "Orient" is the refraction of light as it penetrates through layers of aragonite crystals from the core to the surface, giving Philippine South Sea pearls the best optical effect.
Why Purchase Posh South Sea Pearls?
It is wise to purchase directly from Posh Pearls as it is a direct source of high quality natural South Sea pearls. Our jeweler cultivates its own oysters that annually yield a consistent supply of freshly produced pearls.
What kind of oysters do you use to produce these high value / quality pearls?
Our supplier uses the biggest bivalve pearling seashell: the Pinctada Maxima. It is the biggest pearl-bearing oyster that grows from 13 cm to 30 cm in diameter. It is found naturally in the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia and Burma.
These oysters prefer warm weather conditions and pristine clean waters which these countries are gifted with. It can produce pearls ranging from 9mm to 37mm.
The Pinctada Maxima has two varieties: the Gold-Lipped which produces light to golden champagne colored pearls and the Silver-Lipped which produces white, creamy white to silver colored pearls.
It takes three years for this oyster to grow and mature; and another two to three more years more for it to nurture a pearl. Black-Lipped oysters are also endemic to the Philippines and can be cultured in our jewelers pearl farms. However, our jeweler has chosen to focus on cultivating the Gold-Lipped and the Silver-Lipped variety.
How can you distinguish real pearls from imitation pearls?
To the untrained eye, real and fake pearls may look the same. But if you take a closer look, you may observe that real pearls are not all perfectly round in shape, smooth and even in surface quality. The small blemishes and uneven surfaces sometimes is what make a real cultured pearl authentic.
A basic way that you can try yourself is to rub two pearls against each other. Real pearls generally have a gritty feel once they are rubbed against each other, whereas imitation pearls often slide off each other.
The same concept applies to the "tooth test": rub pearls against your teeth or consequently bite them. Our teeth are made up of a calcium substance similar to calcium carbonate, a substance that a pearl's nacre is composed of. Real pearls are also not damaged by this test.
Imitation pearls are glassy and slide on the tooth easily, whereas real cultured pearls have a grainy sensation.
However, in this day and age, there are very good imitation pearls in the market and it is getting more and more difficult to detect imitation pearls from real pearls. It is wise that you must buy your pearls from a reliable source. Like diamonds, you do not buy real diamonds in a shoe or fish market. Real pearls are precious and a high level of trust and expertise is needed.
The best option will be to buy pearls from a reputable jeweler that you can trust to ensure the authenticity of your purchase.
What is the difference between natural pearls and cultured pearls?
99% of pearls traded on the market today are cultured pearls. These are harvested in pearl farms. Cultivation of these pearls relies on human influence and science.
Natural pearls on the other hand are found in oysters caught in the wild. It takes an average of 20,000 Pinctada Maxima oysters to find one natural South Sea pearl.You are most likely to find natural pearls in antique jewellery pieces, as pearls were not cultured before the 1900's.
Size measurement for natural and cultured pearls is different. A natural pearl is measured in grain weight, while a cultured pearl is measured in millimeters. Any reputable jeweler must disclose if a pearl is natural or cultured. The pearl usually comes with a certificate of authenticity requiring a complex laboratory study that is costly to determine if a pearl is natural or cultured, since only two laboratories in the world have that expertise. Indeed, natural pearls are usually estate pieces sold in auctions and are of rare occurrence today.
Can I leave my pearls for extended periods of time in a safety deposit box or safe?
As precious as your pearls are, you'd like to keep them safe. However, pearls are made to be worn. Pearls are composed of biocrystals, thus it is not a good idea to keep them in an air-tight box for a long period of time. The lack of humidity will affect the luster and dehydrate the pearl.
Remember, pearls are living gems and must be worn frequently so that they can be moiturize by air or by body oils.
