Drawn illustration, not a photograph
Organic
Pearl
HindiMoti
✦One of the Navratna, traditionally associated with Moon (Chandra)
Grown inside a mollusc, layer by layer. Its glow, called lustre, comes from light moving through thin layers of nacre. Natural pearls are rare; most today are cultured.
- Material
- Nacre: aragonite and conchiolin
- Lustre from
- Overlapping nacre layers
- Hardness
- 2.5 to 4.5 on the Mohs scale
- Known sources
- The Gulf (historic), Australia, Tahiti, Japan, China
What to look for
- Sharp, bright lustre with clear reflections
- A clean surface and a regular shape for its type
- Natural or cultured must be stated; a laboratory can confirm
CareSoft. Put pearls on last, keep them away from perfume, and wipe after wearing.
General guidance about the stone. Each actual stone is described individually, with its own photographs and any laboratory report, when you enquire.
Pearl, to wear.
Ask whether a ring, pendant, stud earrings or a bracelet with pearl is available, in gold, platinum or silver.