PEARL EDUCATION
Use this guide to find the pearl that is right for you by educating yourself on the quality and value of the cultured pearls that TheArmak offers.
What Is A Cultured Pearl?
Natural pearls are so rare to find in nature that most pearls sold today are cultured. To create a cultured pearl, a tiny bead is implanted into the oyster and gradually over time the oyster coats the bead in many layers of natural minerals and proteins. These layers are referred to as nacre (Nay-Ker.) It is the nacre that gives pearls their beautiful luster and color.
Choosing The Right Pearl
At TheArmak we offer a variety of Freshwater, South Sea, and Tahitian cultured pearls. In addition, we offer two collections of Akoya cultured pearls. Ourpearl jewelry is available in a variety of different styles including studs, fashion earrings, strands, necklaces, pendants and bracelets. In addition, we offer our pearls in varying price ranges so that you can find the perfect pearl for your style and budget.
Quality
While industry wide there is no standardized grading for pearls, Armak ensures that each pearl meets our high quality standards. At TheArmak you will find education related to each pearl type we offer and encourage you to learn more about the differing qualities in each.
Color
The general color of a pearl is also called the body color. Typical pearl colors are white, cream, yellow, pink, silver, or black. A pearl can also have a hint of secondary color, or overtone, which is seen when light reflects off the pearl surface. For example, a pearl strand may appear white, but when examined more closely, a pink overtonemay become apparent.
Luster
Pearls produce an intense, deep shine called luster. This effect is created when light reflects off the many layers of tiny calcium carbonate crystals that compose the pearl. This substance is called nacre. When selecting a pearl, consider that the larger the pearl, the more nacre it has, so it will also exhibit even more luster. Compare a 5mm Freshwater cultured pearl with a 10mm South Sea cultured pearl and the difference in the amount of nacre is obvious. The difference in luster is as clearly visible as the difference in the pearl sizes.
Shape
At Armak , we offer the highest quality, rarest pearl shape – round. Shapes that are not spherical or even symmetrical are considered lower quality. Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearls found in jewelry have a tendency to be the roundest, while Freshwater pearls can be oval or slightly off-round.
Surface Markings
As a mollusk creates a pearl, the layers of nacre do not always adhere smoothly. Sometimes spots and bubbles can appear in the layering process. Pearls with the smoothest surfaces are the highest-quality, most sought-after pearls. At TheArmak , to offer you a range of prices, we offer pearls with a range of surface qualities.
Size
The size of the pearl greatly depends on the type of pearl. Freshwater pearls range in size from about 3.0-7.0mm, Akoya pearls range from about 6.0-8.5mm, and South Sea and Tahitian pearls can reach sizes as large as 13mm.
Care
When cared for properly, pearls can last a lifetime. The best way to care for pearls is to wear them often as the body’s natural oils keep pearls lustrous. However, it’s important to keep them away from household chemicals including perfume, makeup and hairspray. Chemicals found in these common products can dull the luster of your pearls. It is recommended that you put your pearls on last when getting ready and make them the first thing you take off when you come home. Before putting your pearls away, wipe them with a soft cloth and store them separate from other jewelry to avoid scratching their tender surfaces.
AKOYA PEARLS
If you’re looking for the classic set of pearls, look to Akoya cultured pearls. The Akoya is the most popular pearl, commonly seen in pearl strands and in earrings.
At TheArmak we offer two collections of Akoya cultured pearls, Premier and Classic. In addition, we also offer Golden Akoya cultured pearls.
While industry wide there is no standardized grading for Akoya pearls, Armak ensures that each pearl meets our high quality standards.
Akoya pearls are the specialty of Japanese pearl farms. The first pearls to be cultured early in the 1920s, their white color and rosé overtone complement a fair complexion. Because Akoya pearls are a high-quality pearl, you’ll find them set with gold posts and clasps, and you’ll find they are well matched for size, shape, and color. You’ll also find few blemishes and a deep, beautiful luster.
You may notice that the Akoya looks very similar to the Freshwater pearl. When compared side-by-side, the difference is clear. Akoya pearls are on average larger, smoother, rounder, and more lustrous than Freshwater pearls. If you’re looking for a remarkable gift, choose a gift of Akoya cultured pearl jewelry.
Our beautiful Akoya pearls are available as stud earrings, fashion earrings, strands, necklaces, pendants, and bracelets.
TheArmak Premier Akoya Cultured Pearls
The Armak Premier pearl collection is in the top 1% of pearls. At Armak we ensure that each pearl meets our high quality standards.
TheArmak Premier Akoya Cultured Pearls
LUSTER
Very High – Extremely high reflections
SURFACE
Flawless to Very Slightly Spotted – Very, very few natural blemishes visible to the unaided eye
NACRE
Very Thick – Very deep nacre coating
SHAPE
Round – all pearls are round and symmetrical to the unaided eye
COLOR
White – With rose’ or silver overtones
Armak Classic Akoya Cultured Pearls
The Armak Classic pearl collection is in the top 5% of pearls. At Armak we ensure that each pearl meets our high quality standards.
TheArmak Classic Akoya Cultured Pearls
LUSTER
High to Medium – Good, clear reflections
SURFACE
Very Slightly Spotted – Few visible blemishes on some pearls
NACRE
Medium – Medium nacre coating
SHAPE
Very Slightly Off Round – Some pearls may be slightly less round and symmetrical
COLOR
White or Slightly Cream – With rose’ overtones
Armak Classic Golden Cultured Pearls
Our golden pearls share the same qualities of our Classic collection with the exception of color. These beautiful pearls have a light gold color with silver overtones.
FRESHWATER PEARLS
Our round Freshwater cultured pearls make an excellent, affordable gift of good quality pearls.
As opposed to rice-shaped Freshwater pearls, these pearls are mostly round, and look very similar to Akoya pearls when worn, but are available for a much lower price.
Most Freshwater pearls come from China, and are the product of an elaborate process in which a single resilient mussel can be harvested many times, yielding several pearls at a time. To provide these pearls at an exceptional value, we offer them with good levels of quality, and set with 14k gold posts and clasps.
The Freshwater pearl looks remarkably similar to the Akoya pearl, but Freshwater pearls are available for almost 1/5 the price of Akoya pearls. The only tradeoff is that Freshwater pearls are generally smaller, less symmetrical, and not as well matched when strung on a strand. But if you’re looking for pearls at an outstanding value, Freshwater pearls are the perfect gift.
Colored Freshwater Cultured Pearls
Freshwater cultured pearls can be created in a spectrum of colors. Many popular Colors – white, pink, orange, and other pastels – can be achieved through natural means, including the pearl mollusk’s genetics, what they eat, and the amount and type of trace metals in the cultivating environment.
It is a widely-accepted practice to treat or irradiate Freshwater pearls in order to achieve a particular or unusual color, and equally common to treat Freshwater pearls to create a more evenly-colored strand. Pearl colors should always be chosen to complement the wearer’s complexion and wardrobe preferences.
From a value standpoint, when selecting colored pearls it is important to understand if the color is natural or the result of some post-harvesting treatment. For example, Tahitian pearls, cultivated in black lipped oysters, are the only naturally occurring charcoal to black pearls. It should be made clear to you that other pearls exhibiting these colors have been treated, and that fact reflected in a lower cost.
Our beautiful Freshwater cultured pearls are available as stud earrings, fashion earrings, strands, necklaces, and bracelets.
Armak Freshwater Cultured Pearls
LUSTER
Very High – High, bright reflections
SURFACE
Very Slightly Spotted – Few visible blemishes on some pearls
NACRE
Medium – Medium nacre coating
SHAPE
Slightly Off Round – Some pearls may be slightly less round and symmetrical
COLOR
White – Or slightly cream with rose overtones
Armak Pink Freshwater Cultured Pearls
LUSTER
Very High – High, bright reflections
SURFACE
Very Slightly Spotted – Few visible blemishes on some pearls
NACRE
Medium – Medium nacre coating
SHAPE
Slightly Off Round – Some pearls may be slightly less round and symmetrical
COLOR
Light to Medium Pink – With Silver overtones
SOUTH SEA PEARLS
South Sea cultured pearls are exceptional quality pearls with a whitish, almost silver color.
Much larger than the average pearl, the smoothness and roundness of these pearls are exceptional. These are the most rare and extraordinary pearls you’ll find in jewelry.
South Sea pearls come from the white-lipped variety of the pinctada maxima oyster. This oyster is much larger than the oysters that produce Akoya and Freshwater pearls, so the pearl that it produces is much larger as well. Because of the rarity and sensitivity of this type of oyster, cultivation of these pearls is much more difficult, making them more expensive.
Our beautiful South Sea cultured pearls are available as stud earrings, strands, pendants, and bracelets.
Armak South Sea Cultured Pearls
LUSTER
Very High – High, bright reflections
SURFACE
Very Slightly Spotted – Few visible blemishes on some pearls
NACRE
Medium – Medium nacre coating
SHAPE
Slightly Off Round – Some pearls may be slightly less round and symmetrical
COLOR
White – With with rose and/or silver overtones
TAHITIAN PEARLS
Tahitian Cultured Pearl
Pendant and Earings
Tahitian cultured pearls offer a dramatic touch. The natural black color of these pearls comes from the color of the oyster’s black lips.
These pearls are traditionally called “black,” but their color can range from a metallic silver, to the color of graphite. And within this range of colors they can have bluish, purplish, or greenish overtones.
Tahitian cultured pearls are cultivated from the black-lipped variety of thepinctada maxima oyster which reaches a foot or more in diameter, and produces very large pearls. This oyster is very sensitive to the pearl culturing process, which makes the pearls very costly to produce. A gift of Tahitian cultured pearls makes an extraordinary, unique gift.
Our beautiful Tahitian cultured pearls are available as stud earrings, fashion earrings, strands, necklaces, pendants, andbracelets.
Armak Tahitian Cultured Pearls
LUSTER
Very High – High, bright reflections
SURFACE
Very Slightly Spotted – Few visible blemishes on some pearls
NACRE
Medium – Medium nacre coating
SHAPE
Slightly Off Round – Some pearls may be slightly less round and symmetrical
COLOR
Black to Dark Grey – With some green and/or purple overtone