Pearl is symbolism for Moon. It is one of the stone in
nine stones call as navaratna symbolism for nine planets
call as nava graha. Moon is the Atmakaraka.It is symbolism
for Peace. This pearl wearing is very good to reduce the
mental stress. Best to wearing those people who born in
Karkataka(Cancer)Rasi and who born in Stars
Rohini , Hasta , Sravana. Better to take a suggestion from
Astrologer.
Pearl is one of the most valuable gems. Large, perfectly
shaped pearls rank in value with the most precious stones.
But pearls are different from other gems. Most gems are
minerals that are mined from beneath the earth. But pearls
are formed inside the shells of oysters. Mineral gems are
hard and usually reflect light. However, pearls are rather
soft, and they absorb, as well as reflect, light. How pearls
are formed - Oysters and other shell-forming molluscs make
a special substance, called nacre, that lines the insides
of their shells. This smooth lining is called the nacreous
layer, or pearly layer, and is often lustrous. It is formed
by cells from a fleshy body organ called the mantle. When
a foreign substance, such as a bit of shell or a tiny parasite,
enters the body of the mollusc, the mantle cells begin to
work. They cover the invading substance with thin sheets
of nacre. They build successive circular layers of nacre
until the foreign body is enclosed in the shell-like substance,
forming the pearl. The pearl has the same lustre and colour
as the lining of the shell of the mollusc. But few pearl-forming
molluscs produce the beautifully coloured nacre that is
essential for valuable pearls. Valuable pearls come from
some species of oysters and other molluscs that live in
tropical seas. Some species of mussels found in rivers also
produce precious pearls. Edible clams and oysters have dull
shells, so their pearls are without lustre. As a result,
they have no value as gems. Characteristics of pearls When
a pearl is cut in two and examined under a microscope, the
layers can be seen. Because the layers are concentric (formed
in a complete circle around the central substance), the
cut pearl looks like a sliced onion. The layers are made
up of little crystals of a mineral substance called aragonite,
a form of calcium carbonate. They are held in position by
a cartilagelike material known as conchiolin. The tiny mineral
crystals overlap, and break up any light that falls on them
into little rainbows of colour. This gives pearls their
iridescence, which jewellers call orient. Conchs, clams,
and most edible oysters usually do not make pretty pearls
because their aragonite crystals are too large. Even though
the pearls may be of beautiful pink, white, or purple colour,
they lack iridescence. Colour. Oriental pearls, so called
not because they come from the Far East but because they
are iridescent, may also have colour. These pearls may be
"black," pink, orange, gold, cream, or white. "Black" pearls
are really a dark grey. They are among the most valuable
of all pearls. Shape of a pearl is as important as its colour.
Round pearls, suitable for necklaces, are the most valuable.
Next in value are the button-shaped and drop-shaped pearls.
These are often used for earrings. Matched pairs of these
pearls are even more valuable than pairs of unmatched single
ones. Pearls with irregular shapes are called baroques.
They are less valuable than the others. Pearls made by a
kind of snail called an abalone have wonderful colour and
lustre but are almost never symmetrical. Blemishes. Perfect
pearls and pearls with only one blemish are the most valuable.
Sometimes pearl blemishes can be removed if the flaw is
not too deep. Specially trained workers, called peelers,
carefully scrape away the blemished layers. When they have
removed the flaw, the pearl is smaller, but perfect. Such
a pearl is worth more than the original large, but blemished,
pearl. Matching pearls. The matching of pearls to make a
pair or a string makes the finished piece more expensive
than the total cost of the individual pearls. Each added
pearl must be like all the others in colour and orient.
Often it must be of the same size as the others. It must
have no more than one tiny blemish. One blemish is acceptable
because the pearl can be drilled for mounting at the blemish.
Before people began to produce cultured pearls, it could
take many years to fill a necklace of matched pearls. Value.
The cost of pearls sold in large quantities is determined
by their weight. In a piece of jewellery, the value of a
pearl is determined by its size, colour, and lustre. For
example, matched pearls in a necklace cost more than the
total of their individual values. Kinds of pearls Natural
pearls. Until the 1940's, the chief pearl-oyster beds were
found in the Persian Gulf, near the island country of Bahrain.
Other natural pearl-oyster beds were located in the South
Pacific Ocean. Thousands of oysters had to be collected
to produce even a small handful of pearls. For this reason,
natural pearls were extraordinarily expensive. Today, few
natural pearls are harvested for jewellery because the farming
of cultured pearls produces pearls more cheaply. Cultured
pearls are real pearls made by oysters. They usually can
be distinguished from natural ones only by tests made in
laboratories. The cultured pearl has a larger central body
around which the layers of nacre form. The cultured pearl
also has fewer and thicker layers of nacre. Thicker layers
of nacre increase the value of the pearl. Cultured pearls
were first produced by inserting in an oyster a bead made
of mother-of-pearl, the nacre secreted by certain inedible
clams and oysters. A small amount of mantle tissue from
another oyster also was inserted. The process was developed
by Kokichi Mikimoto of Japan in the early 1900's. So successful
was this process that the cultured-pearl business became
much larger than the trade in natural pearls. Today, most
cultured pearls are produced in Japan. To produce cultured
pearls, young oysters are planted in carefully selected
oyster beds. When the oysters are 3 years old, they are
taken from the beds to special production plants. There,
trained people open the oysters' shells and insert tiny
pellets made of nacre or made from mussel shells. The workers
then place the oysters in wire cages that will protect them
from enemies. The cages are suspended from rafts and lowered
into calm, protected waters near the shore. Twice a year
attendants raise the cages and remove seaweed and barnacles
from the oysters. Progress of the oysters and the care given
them are recorded on small metal tags attached to the cage.
From one to three years after the pellets and tissue are
inserted, the oyster is removed from the cage and its shell
is opened. There is a valuable pearl in about 1 out of every
20 oysters opened. The pearl is washed, graded, and polished
before it is sent to market. Imitation pearls are manufactured.
Usually, manufacturers coat glass beads with a substance
known as pearl essence. This substance, sometimes known
by its French name essence d'orient, is a creamy liquid
extracted from fish scales. Herring scales usually furnish
the main ingredient. Imitation pearls can be recognized
by the little loose flaps of dried pearl essence surrounding
the hole. Often a little of the glass bead that the pearl
essence has failed to cover can be seen at this place on
the pearl. Care of pearls Because pearls are soft, they
are easily scratched by such hard gems as diamonds. Pearls
should always be put away carefully, out of contact with
other jewellery. Pearls contain an organic material, conchiolin.
This material dries out in time, or it can be destroyed
by high temperatures. The aragonite crystals that make up
the layers of nacre dissolve very quickly in acid. Perspiration
sometimes contains acid. Therefore, jewellery made of pearls
should be washed and dried gently after it is worn.