2021.04.16
Luster of Pearl

Unlike diamonds, which obtain their unique sparkle through cutting and polishing, pearls shine naturally on their own, like shining babies born from mother oysters. We Pearl FALCO team have been learning about pearls daily to deepen our knowledge.

 The most important criteria to determine the value of a pearl is luster or brightness. Pearls are made of so many fine layers of calcium carbonate – nacre – which the mother oyster forms around a nucleus. The layers of nacre are of the same compound as the mother oyster’s shell. The gap among layers of calcium carbonate is filled of proteins. The protein contains a pigment that creates the color of the pearl itself, which is said to be the true color of the pearl.

 Luster has a close relationship with the “thickness of the pearl layers”, As the mother oyster arranges so many fine layers of nacre around the nucleus, the more translucent and brilliant a pearl becomes.  When the light passes through multiple pearl layers, it shows interference color, which is described as, ‘green color floating in pink,’ similar to the iridescence of a soap bubble and the high-quality pearls have a strong luster and the interference color which are clearly visible.

Even if the nacre is thick but uneven, a pearl will have a cloudy impression and the pearl’s value will be lower.

As the light repeatedly interferes through thousands of layers, a complex and rich shade of color appears. Well-tested determination method of good quality of pearls is to check to see how well you can see yourself reflected on the surface of your pearls, as if you are looking into a mirror. Akoya pearls have the highest luster among pearls. The beauty of Akoya pearls is the brilliant luster.

Please try to see pearls and find your favorite by your eyes.