FAQ

Where do you import your jewellery from?
All of our jewellery is handmade in Beijing China although the pearls may be farmed as far away as Shanghai.

Are the pearls used in your jewellery real pearls?
Yes, all of our pearls are genuine cultured freshwater pearls.

Why cultured and not natural pearls?
Natural pearls are really accidents of nature. They are formed when an irritant (perhaps a parasite) becomes lodged in the tissue of a mollusc. It responds by secreting nacre to surround the irritant and protect itself, thus forming a natural pearl. Natural pearls are extremely rare and, thus, very expensive. In April of 2007 a double strand of 68 perfect natural pearls known as the "Baroda Pearls" was auctioned at Christie's Auction House for $7 million USD.
Cultured pearls now make up nearly 100 % of the pearls in today's market. Modern pearl farms can produce consistently high quality pearls in large quantities, making them much more affordable.

How are the pearls "farmed"?
Pearl farms vary depending on the type of pearl being produced. One feature all pearl farms share is creating the pearl nucleus and nucleating the pearl. Freshwater pearl farmers nucleate the mollusc with small pieces of mantle tissue from a donor mollusc- up to 32 pieces at one time. This means that a single mollusc could produce up to 32 pearls! Because the mantle tissue is dissolved into the pearl sac, freshwater pearls are solid nacre, making them very durable. Most freshwater pearls are grown for two to seven years.

I thought pearls were only round, what other types are there?
Not only do pearls come in various sizes, but they also come in many different shapes. Some examples are:

Baroque Pearls - are irregular or oddly shaped. Pearls do not always form in the soft tissue areas, where there is no resistance to their growth. They may become lodged in muscular or other tissue which provides greater resistance to their growth, prompting their irregular shapes.

Rice Pearls - are oval or somewhat egg shaped. They resemble an enlarged grain of rice- thus the name. They are drilled and strung through the long dimension of the pearl.

Potato Pearls - are actually shaped somewhat like a potato. They bear resemblance to small Baroque pearls although their features are not as fine. Small Potato Pearls are sometimes referred to as Nugget Pearls.

Coin Pearls - are round, somewhat flattened pearls. They are formed by putting a disc shaped nucleus in the mollusc rather than a round bead nucleus. This nucleus is typically Mother of Pearl. The pearl that is formed is then disc, or coin, shaped.

Keshi Pearls - are sometimes also called Cornflake Pearls. These are non-beaded pearls and are actually formed by accident. The mollusc (or oyster) may reject the implanted nucleus prior to the culturing process being completed leading to a pearl being produced without a nucleus. With no nucleus to guide their shaping, Keshi Pearl shapes tend to vary widely. They also tend to be quite small and have a high lustre due to their solid nacre composition.

Biwa Pearls - are long, narrow, and quite thin pearls. Their surface is very textured with a high lustre. The original Biwa Pearls were developed by Kokichi Mikimoto at Lake Biwa in Japan. Today, China produces most of the pearls that are promoted as "Biwa".

Button Pearls - there are actually two types of Button Pearls. Both types are quite uniformly shaped. The first type appears to be somewhat flattened on both sides and is sometimes referred to as Pumpkin Pearl. This one is typically drilled through the short centre dimension for stringing. The other type is flattened on only one side and is drilled through the long dimension for stringing.

Other Shapes - pearl farmers can produce many different shapes simply by inserting different shapes of nuclei into the mollusc.

Shell Bead "Pearls" - these are actually simulated pearls produced from the shells in which the pearls grow. The shells are ground into a fine powder and, under very high pressure, the perfectly spherical shell bead "pearls" are formed. They have an amazing lustre and are extremely durable.

Are all of the colors natural?
The natural colors of freshwater pearls include shades of pink, peach, mauve, cream, white and some grays. Other colors of the rainbow are produced using permanent dyes, chemical treatments and irradiation. The only naturally occurring black pearls are Tahitians.

How do I care for my pearls?
Pearls are the world's only organic gem and, because they are quite soft, they require some special attention. They are more easily scratched than other gems and may be damaged by perfume, hair spray, and even natural body oils and perspiration. Try applying hair spray and any cosmetics prior to putting on your pearls to minimize the amount of contact with these products. Wipe them with a soft damp cloth after wearing. They may also be washed periodically with a mild soap and soft cloth.
Try to store pearls away from other hard jewellery to prevent them from being accidentally scratched. It's also a good idea to have the strand restrung every 18 to 24 months to prevent strand breakage.

Do you guarantee your products?
All of our products come with a 30 day money back guarantee.

What about shipping?
We will make every effort to provide next day shipping. Please see our Shipping Info for further details.