Pearl is a unique stone. Pearls: can an unmarried girl wear them or not?

Pearls are the only mineral distinguished by their animal origin. A grain of sand falls into the shell, grows for about 12 years, becomes overgrown with mother-of-pearl and turns into a pearl pea. The gem is unique in origin and unique in properties.

History and origin of pearls

The history of the stone dates back centuries. Many sources describe the appearance and use of the mineral many centuries before our chronology. In legends you can find references to jewelry of representatives of Indian tribes.

Ancient manuscripts from many countries talk about objects made of pearls:

• Near East;
• Indian Seas;
• South America;
• Northern Russia.

Precious peas were used to decorate clothes, weapon armor, amulets, and headdresses. Its attractiveness lies in the fact that the stone does not require special finishing or processing. It is beautiful with its natural appearance.

River pearls differ from sea formations. Their surface is somewhat uneven. Sea pearls have regular, geometrically perfect shapes. If they grow into large formations, the shape moves away from the ball. The name comes from the translation from Latin of sea shell.

Physical properties

The composition of the stone has been studied based on microelements:

• Potassium carbonate – 86%;
• Komhiolion – 12%;
• Water – 2%.
• Transparency varies - from translucent to dense opaque;
• Hardness – 3.4;
• There are no adhesions;
• Density – 2.6 g/cu. cm.

Consists of three layers: outer, middle, inner. The pearl is the third layer.

Place of Birth

Pearl fishing and extraction have been practiced for many centuries. The first data on this date back to the 2nd century AD. Mining places produce stones of different colors.

• Coasts of India, Gulf of California, Bahamas - pink tones. In the photo of the stone you can see a special pink tone.
• Panama Basin - gold examples. Some of them have brown and red inclusions.
• Mexico - red stones.
• The shores of Japan, the seas of Australia - white minerals.
• The island of Tahiti is a gray pearl.
• Mine red, Persian Gulf, Sri Lanka - yellow samples.
• Australia is a silver mineral.
• The shores of the Persian Gulf are cream peas.

River mineral formations are also numerous in color. Almost any shade can be found on Russian reservoirs. The freshwater mineral is mined in America, China, and Germany.

The healing properties of pearls

Pearls have healing properties. Healing stone warns the owner about the disease. It loses its shine, as if it is dimming from grief. Such a hint gives the attentive owner a chance to quickly begin treatment and not miss the symptoms of unpleasant ailments.

Healing abilities of pearls:

1. Restoring the properties and quality of memory;
2. Normalization of the central nervous system;
3. Strengthening the psyche;
4. Treatment of liver diseases;
5. Restoring kidney function;
6. Elimination of signs and causes of high and low blood pressure (hypertension).

The stone helps in the treatment of eye infections and pathologies. Healing powder and tinctures are prepared from the natural mineral. The compounds are considered excellent blood-stopping agents. Pearl water is used to cleanse the body. To obtain it, pearls are left in water for 12 hours. Then during the day they use its healing properties.

The magical properties of pearls

IN different countries ah stone represents various symbols and magical properties.

• India. Well-being, material independence, prosperity;
• Europe. Longevity, eternal youth, perfection, incorruptibility;
• China. Fertility, humanity, support of magical powers;
• Greece. The power of marriage.

In most countries, people believe that the stone gives long life and protects against infections and inflammation. You can simply admire pearls. It is not necessary to perform special magical rituals. Simply looking at it will calm you down, relax you, and add peace and harmony to your feelings.

Gems will perform the following magical actions:

1. Will relieve you from love suffering;
2. Protect the house from attacks by thieves;
3. Will protect you from bad looks and dark thoughts;
4. It will help you avoid lying partners and dishonest deals.

It will teach you to calmly perceive surrounding events (no mood swings).

Interesting video: Mother of pearl and pearls

Talismans and amulets

Amulets made from the mineral can provide great help to a person. Talismans were prepared back in the Roman Empire. They strengthened the power given from God and added wisdom.

Amulets consisting of pearls are described in religious records. The crowns symbolized the connection with God.

They advise you to buy amulets, and they will help:

1. Establish relationships with people;
2. Get rid of excessive pride, arrogance, vanity.

Pearl colors

The main color of the mineral is white. Pearl colors are a fairly general concept. Pearls have shades, they depend on impurities and inclusions:

1. Pigment is the main stone of the pea. The property conveys the quality of the water where it is formed, depending on the type of mollusk.
2. Overtone is the reflection of a surface when illuminated. The rays of the sun or artificial lamps change the glow, add new facets of radiance or reveal hidden ones. top layer glitter.
3. Reflection is a deep shade. It comes from the very center of the pearl, from the core of the stone. Reaching the surface, it creates new scales and tones. The saturation of shine is activated by the play and transition of the main color to the surface.

The color depends on the ripening period of the stone. The longer the ripening period lasts, the thicker the pearlescent layer, the development of the interlayer, and the clearer the pattern.

White mineral is the usual understanding of pearls. It adds elegance and purity. White precious peas are considered a symbol of wisdom, faith, and dignity. The necklace is considered a wedding attribute, emphasizing the purity of thoughts, the sanctity of marriage, and the clarity of relationships. The tradition of giving pearls to the bride goes back thousands of years. Jewelry from white stone most frequently purchased.

The mineral has various shades: from soft pink tones to purple rich color. Pink will help convey feelings of love and tenderness. The decoration will emphasize femininity, modesty, and grace. Natural tones do not lose their shine, splendor and special shine. Pink jewelry is given to little princesses; the color emphasizes freshness and youth.

It decorates summer outfits, adds brightness and attractiveness. Purple colour may be pale and dark. Jewelry adds mystery and intrigue to the image. The owner will have attractiveness, the power of the magic of beauty and grace. Ladies of the Victorian era loved lilac pearls. Luxury items were created for them from a combination of several colors.

Gold-colored pearls are royal luxury. The cost of products is available only to very rich people. Pearls are the height of luxury, a symbol of dignity and high status in society.

This is a special mineral, its discovery frightened and delighted. Many legends have been created about black pearls of sea shells. This is not to say that the stone has an exact black tone. Pearls vary in shades. It could be a blue tint, a gray sheen. There are almost black samples that are not translucent. There are as many comparisons of shades used in the sources of mineralogists, scientists, and poets as there are flowers - emerald dark green and eggplant.

Black natural minerals are mined on the island of Tahiti. Exotic tones attract fashionistas from all countries and continents. They adorned ordinary women and became the preference of famous ladies:

• queens;
• empresses;
• socialites;
• actresses.

Black jewelry adds courage, sexuality, and individuality to a woman's image. Stone from Tahiti meets the quality standards established by the documents. Its price is the highest. Artists and jewelry makers By receiving black samples for work, they gain wide scope for creativity. The color is so mysterious that jewelers create not only ordinary objects, but also unusual ones.

A cultivated mineral is created by man. The growing process remains the same, the same as in natural conditions. Foreign bodies of any origin enter the body of the mollusk. A person inserts a specially prepared implant. Cultured samples have a programmed size, color and shape.

The difference between pearls:

• Natural stone consists entirely of mother-of-pearl;
• The cultured one has a ball (core) inside, which is covered with a layer of mother-of-pearl. Its thickness depends on the time of creation.

Artificial pearl

An artificial mineral is completely created by man. This is an achievement of science and industry. The desire to create pearls appeared in the last century. The method of creation is that the core is coated with multi-layer varnish. Another stone obtained artificially is called Roman pearl. These are glass beads. They are filled with paraffin inside and coated with pearl essence on the outside. It is prepared from scales. A special type of artificial formation is Mallorca pearls. The method of its formation came from the island, which was named pearls. The imitation creation, developed by Mallorcan craftsmen, can hardly be considered a fake.

Professional high level will be able to distinguish it from a natural natural gem. Jewelers in Spain offered the world a technology consisting of 25 stages. Only after passing through numerous stages of control do pearls become full-fledged jewelry. Physical indicators artificial species much better than natural ones. Stones are more resistant to external influences and more durable. Mallorca imitates the organic components of the sea. Shine and radiance can only be compared with real minerals.

Caring for pearl jewelry

A mineral of organic origin requires special care. Time affects the stone. This is manifested in a deterioration in its quality:

1. Loses shine;
2. Dries out;
3. Delaminates.
4. Reasons for damage to appearance:
5. Increased moisture;
6. Dry stale air;
7. Contact with sweat;
8. Contact with acidic compounds on the surface.

The mineral deteriorates when it gets in contact with fat, cosmetics, household chemicals. If you treat pearls carefully, take care of their cleanliness, and store them correctly, then their beauty and shine will delight you for a long time. At proper care its life can last more than 150 years. Jewelry will serve more than one generation of the family. They will become a tradition, a sacred relic.

Cost of natural stones

Pearls are one of the most expensive jewelry stones. It is recommended to buy it for personal use. The best purchase for pure jewelry. That is, one that no one wore. It is not recommended to purchase pearl jewelry by hand. The stone absorbs the energy of a person, his illnesses and habits. A change of owner can be a harmful acquisition, even dangerous.

The price of jewelry consists of several characteristics:

1. Pea size;
2. Smooth glossy surface;
3. Ideal spherical shape;
4. Brightness and radiance of shine;
5. Origin.

Marine specimens are more expensive than river specimens. Moreover, the price prevails several times. Natural pearls are expensive, but the item will become a stylish decoration that emphasizes the wealth and status of the owner. It will confirm the refinement of taste, intelligence and individuality.

Interesting video: How to distinguish real from fake?

Pearls and zodiac signs

Astrology has studied the compatibility of zodiac signs with pearls. You can find recommendations for who is suitable according to the horoscope, what will bring jewelry with pearls to the owner. Cancers will become calmer and more balanced. Will help normalize blood pressure. Women of this sign will be able to reveal their feelings to loved ones and will no longer be afraid of being funny and misunderstood.

Taurus will cope with depression more easily, stop lashing out at loved ones and friends, and look for those to blame for life events. The black stripe will gradually go away. Libra will become less vain and take away pride. People will become more disposed towards them. Women will be able to get married, find family happiness and home comfort. Sagittarians are advised to wear black pearls; they will become a balancer of strength and energy.

Aquarians will gain the ability to get out of conflicts. The stone will be able to direct the sign to create good relations with others. Pearls will become an amulet for family values, fortresses of friendship. Gem jewelry will make women tender, caring, with reverent and real feelings. Capricorns will begin to objectively assess situations, calm down, and find peace.

Astrologers do not advise Leos to wear and use pearls. This sign is ruled by the sun. Pearls will disrupt peace of mind and psychological comfort in communicating with people.

Pearls - properties of the stone, meaning and who is suitable according to the horoscope

Mother-of-pearl balls inside mollusks have long attracted residents of coastal countries. For a long time, pearls were used as a bargaining chip, decoration and served as an expensive gift. To get it, stone catchers dived to great depths and, at the risk of their lives, lifted beautiful pearls from the bottom of the sea.

Mother of pearl stone is formed in bivalves of sea and river mollusks. This is a product of abnormal growth of the internal layer of the mollusk. Foreign body A grain of sand, a piece of algae, or the smallest living inhabitants of the bottom that ends up in the shell provokes the formation of pearls. The body of the mollusk cannot expel foreign object and envelops it with the substance aragonite. A pearl consists of thousands of layers, which ultimately give the pearl its mother-of-pearl sheen.

The body of the mollusk cannot push out a foreign object and envelops it with the substance aragonite. A pearl consists of thousands of layers, which ultimately give the pearl its mother-of-pearl sheen. Experts distinguish about 120 shades of pearls. The most common is silver, the rarest is greenish-blue.

Magical properties of Pearls

Pearl stone has different properties. Throughout the centuries, it was believed that stone prolongs life and preserves beauty. In the Middle Ages, the groom's parents gave the bride a string of pearls on her wedding night, which was supposed to magically protect the woman from infidelity. The owner herself was allowed to wear it only on major holidays; such pearls were not passed on to descendants, since the grafted properties of the necklace could bring major troubles to the owner.

A stone in jewelry has the ability to give the owner the ability to come into contact with any person and benefit from it. Pearl does not like smug, proud and vain people and does not help them. Moreover, being owned by such a person, it combats such qualities and improves the character of the owner.

The healing properties of Pearls

The Chinese believed that pearls increased sexual energy, enhanced visual acuity and treated ear diseases. Indian healers used pearls to treat diabetes, heart disease, painful urination and insanity. In Japan, pearl powder is widely used to make drugs that treat nervous diseases. It is recommended for pregnant women to wear pearls, as they protect the fetus in the mother's womb. The stone has a healing effect on internal organs, treats kidney and liver diseases, restores normal functioning of the intestines and stomach.

Talismans and amulets

According to legend, the magic of pearls lies in their ability to bring wealth and happiness. Some cultures, however, associate the stone with tears and loss of hope, but this is most likely due to its fragility. In most descriptions, the magical properties of pearls include protection from the evil eye, thieves and dishonest people, the ability to balance the rhythm of life and measure it with the lunar cycle. They say that pearls can appreciate a strong-willed and spiritually rich person, helping to attract good luck to him. Pearls are best worn by people with a strong character, stubborn, moving towards their chosen goal, and even fanatical in some way. It can plunge people with a weak character or those who are lonely into an even greater pool of bitterness and sadness, especially black pearls. However, widows, widowers and divorcees may be advised to wear dark pearls as they help in finding a better half. In general, pearls are a mineral of the sea element and are patronized by the Moon.

Pearls in astrology

It is most suitable for the zodiac signs, and. For other signs, wearing a stone is allowed, but it will be useless. And he will protect the indicated signs from rash actions and rash actions. It is best for women to wear pearls at mid and ring finger right hand, and for men - on the middle fingers of both hands.

Compatibility of pearls with zodiac signs

Pearls for

Pearls have many properties, but specifically for Aries, they will become a door into the soul of a loved one; they will become more attentive, patient, and insightful. Pearls will eliminate jealousy, which sometimes drives these representatives of the sign to fury, at such moments they are ready to sweep away everything in their path. Pearls will not let you sink into the river headlong when a new relationship arises; in general, pearls will calm down the negative qualities of Aries and will keep him peaceful. This stone will make Aries a homebody, but astrologers do not recommend wearing it at work; in this case, the unfavorable influence of the Moon is more often revealed and the representative of this sign becomes nervous.

Pearls for

Taurus can also wear jewelry with pearls; such people live down-to-earth lives, and pearls only support their balance, in harmony with their practical character. With a talisman, girls become more attentive to relatives and friends; pearls help them overcome a bad mood, which is no less important, because they like to take it out on their loved ones. Of course, no one wants to forever deprive themselves of the pleasure of wearing pearl jewelry, but for Taurus, interaction with the mineral should be minimal. It is advisable that they have less contact with it, and that the pearl itself is not on their skin. After interacting with him, representatives of this sign become anxious, unsure of themselves, achieving goals becomes impossible, which causes Taurus to become depressed.

Pearls for

During periods of stress, Geminis cannot cope with them on their own and restore their own health; on the contrary, they fall into complete powerlessness in front of the world and lock the doors. The reason for this is their instability, which, with the right direction, can turn into a positive character trait. Pearls help representatives of this sign to correctly direct their own emotions and receive only good things from them. Astrologers remember that Geminis are quite creative personalities; pearls help them finish what they start and prevent mood swings from affecting the material side of life. He drives away bad and envious people from representatives of this sign and prevents revenge from taking place against them. Specifically for women, it will help you choose a direction professional activity, choose correct solution on a controversial issue.

Pearls for

Pearls have a special relationship with Cancers; they make it clear when a malfunction occurs in the body. Wearing jewelry with it helps restore blood pressure, reduce fatigue and gain peace of mind. For women, this is a good talisman that can enhance feminine and strengthen love. Astrologers advise wearing a pearl talisman when you need to make the right decision. Overly emotional representatives of this sign become more sociable and restrained, this cannot but have a positive impact on relationships with others. This rule applies not only family life, but also friendship. Among other things, pearls will protect their wearer from lies, gossip and attacks from ill-wishers.

Pearls for

Leos belong to the category of signs that astrologers advise to wear pearl jewelry. They should pay special attention to the black stone, which can have a calming effect on an aggressive Leo. This fire sign with such a patron will become more reasonable, peaceful, reasonable, which will only have a positive impact on his life. If you wear the stone correctly, Leos can develop quite good partnerships with it; pearls will slightly pacify their temper and pride, and drown out outbursts of anger. Representatives of this sign always achieve success, this is one of the reasons why they need a protector who can establish a dense energy wall from ill-wishers. Pearls can be such an assistant, but astrologers advise not to over-gift jewelry if there is a problem. strong connection between the talisman and the wearer.

Pearls for

Pearls also favor Virgos who belong to the air element. Pearls help ward off danger, especially if the work involves danger. But for representatives of the sign who cannot boast of strong characters, pearls may not be suitable; they can only aggravate this character trait. Representatives of this sign love to wear pearl jewelry; they need the energy that the stone possesses, but it can be difficult to distribute the energy. This stone of organic origin has two sides, like the planets whose energy it absorbs. Virgos need to be careful with pearls and not wear them all the time; if the life of a representative of this sign is monotonous, then the stone will not be of any use. A good helper it will be for businessmen or those who constantly take risks.

Pearls for

Pearls endow Libra with their healing properties, preventing Libra from succumbing to any disease. Pearls heal from the inside, subsequently influencing Libra’s body as a whole. For Libra, pearls become an assistant in the fight against heart disease; it pacifies their pride and makes them feel good about other people. If the girl is not yet married, pearls will help find her other half. Astrologers especially advise girls of this sign to buy pearl jewelry. The mineral will carefully reveal their femininity, help demonstrate their talents to others, increase resistance to adverse circumstances, and help them find new strong feelings. Another plus of pearls and their “magic” in favor of Libra is independence.

Pearls for

Scorpios are known for their difficult character, just like pearls, which any woman wants to wear without thinking about the consequences. Representatives of this sign receive from a pearl talisman everything they need in everyday life, they cease to be so closed, suspiciousness goes away, and self-sufficiency and a sharp mind take leading positions. Scorpios can only wear black pearls, despite the fact that these representatives of the zodiac signs belong to the water sign, stones light shade they are not suitable. Thanks to black pearls, women of this sign can find their other half, receive joy and a charge of good mood.

Pearls for

Sagittarius belongs to the element of fire, so wearing pearls is contraindicated for them, but this rule does not apply to black, which is able to maintain balance in the life of representatives of the sign when they begin to have a bright streak in life. If we talk about Sagittarius, then pearls will be an excellent assistant for them in matters of the heart; it will help them find new relationships or take old ones to another level. In family life, you simply cannot do without such a talisman; the stone will remind its wearer of home and will help create coziness and a comfortable environment in the house for everyone living there. Astrologers do not advise buying pearls of any type; Sagittarius must personally choose which piece of jewelry is his, and he will feel it when he picks it up on an intuitive level.

Pearls for

The stubborn Capricorn finds peace when wearing pearls, he is able to look at the situation objectively, but the one that is mined from the sea is best for him. Astrologers advise representatives of this sign to wear pearls, especially if they are black. Such a mineral will help accumulate the necessary energy to move forward and relieve its wearer from indecision. Capricorn will become confident, his calmness will bring benefits in the material sphere, and stressful situations will cease to arise. Spiritual balance, loyalty, mutual understanding are not all that pearls can offer to their wearer.

Pearls for

Aquarians are very sociable people by nature, which is why pearls will be an ideal talisman for them. Pearls will be a good protection against betrayal and anger; they help to pacify such negative qualities in a person as pride and vanity. An Aquarius with such decoration will begin to make profitable and informed decisions for himself. The mineral has always been associated with the innocence of birth, so it was customary to give it to young girls whose chastity was protected by the stone, and at the same time it gave them high-quality protection from troubles and wrong decisions. Pearls help protect oneself from deceitful friends, friendship with whom could only bring harm to the wearer of the jewelry. Black Pearl in the form of decoration for women of this sign, it helps them fulfill the most incredible desires.

Pearls for

With pearls, everything will work out for Pisces in the best possible way. Representatives of this sign belong to the element of water and it would be strange that pearls had an effect on them Negative influence. The mineral shares the same energy with Pisces, so astrologers say that pearls are the happiest talisman for them and should definitely be in their arsenal. All desires and merits of Pisces have clear boundaries and a “drawn” plan. Pisces are in harmony with themselves and all their qualities are strictly balanced with each other. Pearls make the life of Pisces calm and balanced, which is what a water sign needs - an easy, carefree flow. Pearls are especially suitable for Pisces; it manages to protect them from unhappy relationships, develop intuition, and teach them to use their rich imagination in a productive way.

Pearls - magical properties of the stone

Pearl is a favorite stone in the East. Among the Japanese, pearls and jasper are considered means of restoring youth. Pearl, like opal, is considered an unlucky jewel, since it contains the negative power of the Moon and brings the owner loss of illusions and hopes, although through changes in color it can also bring health. In “Svyatoslav’s Collection” you can read that pearl promotes prosperity and longevity. It was stated that in order to protect yourself from the evil eye and have the ability to foresee the future, you need to drink crushed pearls with buffalo milk.

According to Indian doctors, pearls contain important primary elements: Water, Air and Earth, which explains its cooling and calming effect. Pearls, in addition, have restorative properties and increase vitality and strength.

Pearls should be worn in a silver frame, preferably on the right ring finger. In Tibetan medicine, pearl powder is added to a potion to cleanse the body and stimulate its protective properties. In ancient times, it was claimed that pearls had a beneficial effect on blood composition and soothed heart pain if kept in the mouth. Pearls, like turquoise, die from the fumes of a diseased body. Just like turquoise, it is spoiled by acids and fats, it is sensitive to heat, and can fade from dampness. Pearls give a person the opportunity to objectively evaluate a person, reconsider his positions, and eliminate mistakes.

Pearls are a guarantee of fidelity in love, protection of this fidelity, it strengthens marriage bonds and home. There is a belief that pearls fade on a person who makes a deal with his conscience and betrays his principles. Therefore, pearls can be made a “barometer” of human behavior.

The name comes from the Latin word "pernula" - sea shell. The word "pearl" comes from the Chinese "zhenju", Arabic "zechuk", Tatar "zenju". Other names for the mineral and its varieties: skatenie, pearls, oriental, magarite, pearl grain, beads.

Pearls are plates of aragonite, consisting of calcium carbonate. Pearls come in white, yellow, blue, red, and black. There are sea and river pearls.

Pearls are mined in warm seas off the coasts of Japan, Australia, Venezuela, etc.

In Rus', the word “pearl” first appeared in 1161. The British, Germans, and French call the gem pearl.

Compound. On average, pearls contain approximately 86% potassium carbonate, 12% comchiolin and 2% water.

Features of education. Origin: sedimentary-organic, product of molluscs. The shells of mollusks consist of three words: the outer, composed of organic matter - conchin, or conchiline, the middle, prismatic, composed of microcrystals of arogonite and the inner, mother-of-pearl - the pearl itself.

Place of Birth. In previous centuries, they were obtained only from the sea or river depths of warm seas, and the profession of pearl diver was considered very dangerous. Now pearls are grown on special plantations. Natural pearls are mined in Iran, India, and Tahiti.

Physical properties

a) color. Known for more than 6,000 years, highly valued in Ancient Egypt, white with shades (the most valuable ones have blue and pink tints), gold, silver, green, black, rainbow,
b) hardness is 31.5-4 on the Mohs scale,
c) the density of black pearls is lower than the density of ordinary natural pearls from 2.61 to 2.69. The normal density of Gulf pearls is 2.175 and 9%,
d) opaque.

Medicinal properties

Pearls are credited with the ability to alleviate hypertensive crises, cure diseases of the kidneys, liver, stomach and intestines. It also stabilizes the activity of the nervous system. Lithotherapists say that the stone can be used as an indicator for identifying neoplasms (various tumors), since it reacts to changes in the acid balance of the body - it becomes dull and loses its shine.

Magic properties

In Ancient Egypt, pearls were considered a stone that brought longevity and beauty to the owner. It is known from history that the famous Queen Cleopatra not only wore pearl necklaces and bracelets, but also daily drank a drink made from pearls dissolved in vinegar, mixed with pomegranate juice (sometimes written with donkey milk). Contemporaries of the famous heartbreaker claimed that it was thanks to this drink that the queen managed to maintain her youth and attractiveness for a long time.

In the Middle Ages, there was a custom to give the bride a string of pearls on her wedding day, as it was believed that it strengthens the love of the chosen one and guarantees her fidelity. This should have been done either by the young spouse or his parents. She never wore the pearls inherited by the bride, as it was believed that they would bring bad luck. She wore the jewelry given by her husband only on special occasions.

Astrologers say that this stone can only be worn in the form of bracelets or beads. This jewelry must be handled very carefully. Pearls are harmless only for strong-willed, self-confident people. Pearls completely disorganize a weak, weak-willed person. People who work with children, actors and travelers should not wear this stone. Pearls bring good luck, happiness and love to Aquarius and Pisces. The rest of the zodiac signs can wear it, taking into account the specified warnings.

Talismans and amulets

As a talisman, pearls help its owner to establish close relationships with other people, pacify his pride, knock down arrogance, and relieve him of vanity. He helps business people do right choice, makes it possible to achieve maximum benefit in any transaction, provides a path to retreat.

There are many beliefs associated with pearls. In the Roman Empire, pearls were considered a symbol of power and wisdom, and for women it was a stone of happiness and sweet dreams.

According to the revelation of John the Theologian, the gates of heavenly Jerusalem consist of pearls; pearl crowns symbolize divine powers.

The structure of pearls. A pearl consists of a core, a main part and a shell. The core makes up at least a fifth of the pearl. Sometimes it is absent, then its location is guessed by the whitening in the center of the pearl caused by the appearance of pelitomorphic aragonite. There is rarely a void in place of the core. The core does not affect the quality of the pearl; its role is purely genetic: the growth of the pearl begins from it. Foreign bodies can be detected in the nucleus. These are minerals that accidentally fell into the sink, and clumps of organic matter deposited as a result pathological changes in the body of a mollusk.

Minerals are represented by grains of plagioclase, quartz, particles of kaolinite and mica plates. Accumulations of organic matter are round or irregular in shape. Sometimes such a cluster occupies about half of the cross section of the pearl. It is lighter in the center, dirty brown at the edges, and soft. Round clusters usually do not contain any impurities; irregular ones often contain flake-like particles of aragonite.

The core of the pearl is often surrounded by a thin layer of organic matter, which stands out well with its dark color against the gray background of aragonite crystals. The bulk of the pearl grows directly on it. It consists of prismatic (columnar) aragonite crystals, which are separated by thin organic layers. The organic matter gives a brownish tint to the entire pearl.

Prismatic aragonite crystals have four-, five-, six-, seven- and octagonal cross-sections. The study of the cross section made it possible to identify three types of crystals and intergrowths. Crystals of the first type are few in number; their cross-section is quadrangular and hexagonal. The planes of prisms (010) (the first type of crystals), (010) and pinacoid (100) (the second type) take part in cutting. Crystals of the second type predominate. The main (habitus) on all crystals is the prism (HO), the pinacoid (100) always has a subordinate value. Apparently, crystals of the first type formed earlier than others. Compared to subsequent aragonite deposits, their edges are the smoothest. Crystals of the second type have an irregular cross-section, their edges are usually slightly concave or curved. These are essentially curved crystalline formations. The crystalline formations of aragonite of the third type are even more curved. For this reason, determining the edges in them is very difficult. Each aragonite crystal grows on a conchiolin (organic) base and in a conchiolin sheath.

Examination of sections of prismatic crystals in their root part suggests the existence of two varieties of conchiolin: one to some extent predetermines the shape of the future aragonite crystal, the other, surrounding the crystal with a kind of cover, ensures its growth. It also protects the crystals from sticking together.

In aragonite freshwater pearls in areas where there is a lot of conchiolin, another type of crystals can sometimes be traced. By analogy with the formations known in mineralogy, this aragonite should be called skeletal. In cross sections, it is revealed due to narrow, two- and three-edged stripes that repeat the outlines of the aragonite crystal located nearby. The framework of skeletal formations is usually torn.

Prismatic crystals determine the radiant-shell structure of the pearl. It is the result of seasonal deposition of calcium carbonate by a mollusk that is sensitive to the slightest changes in the external environment. The described layering is close to the layering of “cave” pearls, in which the age can be determined by the number of layers and their width. However, this is hardly acceptable in relation to pearls; the mollusk in which pearls are formed reacts not only to seasonal, but also to other changes in the environment.

Prismatic aragonite crystals grow on a thin layer of organic matter and, as it were, serve as a natural continuation of the previous prismatic layer. Toward the periphery of the pearl, the amount of organic matter in it usually decreases. Such pearls are slightly translucent. In pearls where the organic layers are very thin, the prismatic crystal of aragonite can be traced along its entire length. When the layers of organic matter are noticeably thick, the aragonite prisms are clearly separated from one another, and their orientation becomes different.

The color intensity of many pearls depends on the amount of organic matter covering the ends of the prismatic crystals. Its significant areal distribution determines Brown color pearls There is no shell as such in such pearls. The tops of aragonite crystals are clearly visible on the surface, many of them are rounded. This suggests the presence of small faces at the tops of the crystals, which, unfortunately, have not been studied at all. The nature of the irregular white spots visible in the depths of brown pearls has also not been studied.

Lamellar layers of aragonite grow on the prismatic layers, causing the pearlescent luster of pearls. Sometimes they form not only the shell, but also the whole pearl. Such pearls are slightly translucent. The plates (they can be called crystals) more often have a hexagonal appearance, less often they are quadrangular and pentagonal, irregular. Their size is from 3 to 30 microns in diameter, thickness up to 2.2 microns. The thickness of the mother-of-pearl shell is 0.5 mm. As in the nacre layer of a shell, the aragonite plates in pearls are oriented with their main axis perpendicular to the growth surface, i.e., the picanoid (001) face of the plates is parallel to the plane of the layers.

Like the crystals of the prismatic layer, lamellar aragonite crystals are enclosed in conchiolin capsules. Through them and thin layers of organic matter, the plates are separated from each other. The same substance holds aragonite plates together into a compact mineral-organic aggregate.

Lamellar layers often occupy only part of the surface of the pearl, while prismatic layers are exposed in other areas. It should be added that sometimes we are talking not so much about layers, but about sagging and even films of mother-of-pearl, which can be easily cleaned from the surface of the pearl with a steel needle.

A study of the structure of lamellar layers of white (jewelry) and gray pearls conducted by geologist A. A. Korago showed that the first is characterized by high degree homogeneity. It manifests itself in the uniform size and thickness of the aragonite plates secreted by the mollusk and the films of organic matter that glue them together. The shell of gray pearls is composed of aragonite plates, the size and thickness of which vary widely. The thickness of the layers of organic matter is extremely variable. Both pearls also differ significantly in surface (simple in the jewelry pearl and complex in the gray pearl), the nature of which depends on the location of the lamellar crystals in the shells.

River pearls are composed mainly of layers of prismatic aragonite crystals. The lamellar (pearl) layer on them has a small thickness. Apparently, this is why such pearls shimmer with pale moonlight.

Sea and freshwater pearls differ somewhat in structure. Precious sea pearls are composed of layers of plate-like aragonite crystals; they do not have prismatic crystals. However, the structure of pearls made from mussel shells does not follow this rule. Pearls caught in Feodosia Bay consist mainly not of lamellar layers, but of prismatic aragonite crystals, gray in the center and white on the periphery. The layers are separated by thin pads of organic matter. The width of the concentrations is hundredths - thousandths of a millimeter.

A detailed study of Black Sea pearls was carried out by E. F. Shnyukov and D. P. Demenko. Using electron microscopy studies, they identified crystals of calcite and hydromica in the core of pearls and for the first time recorded a layer of loose collomorphic aragonite in the structure of pearls. This layer is penetrated by numerous pores directed from the periphery to the center. The pores branch and, according to researchers, are important channels in the pearl. In individual pearls, not one, but two collomorphic layers are developed, which are well separated from each other. However, in this case there are no pores in both layers.

The surface of the colloform layer is covered with lamellar aragonite crystals. Where there is no colloform layer, the pearl is entirely composed of aragonite plates with a cross-section of 3-4 microns. The surface of the plates is dotted with numerous tubercles, spherical formations and occasionally penetrated by pores. The chipping of the plates is conchoidal. Shnyukov and Demenko discovered elongated prismatic fibers with a length of 0.2-2.0 and a thickness of 0.04-0.1 microns on a transverse chip after etching with a weak alkali solution NaOH. The fibers are oriented mainly perpendicular to the surface of the plates. Transverse growth streaks are noticeable on the prismatic edges of the fibers.

The quality of pearls is determined by four characteristics: luster, color, shape and size. The main sign is shine, and then color.

Shine. Pearls must have a play of color, light (sparkle) and shine, without which they are of no value. The beauty of pearls is not only in color, but also in the shimmer, which depends on the degree of transparency of the aragonite layers and the reflection of light from them. This phenomenon, called orientation, is a consequence of two optical effects: the interference of light reflected from successively overlapping transparent plates of aragonite, and the diffraction of light as it passes through the crystal lattice of aragonite layers at the points where the latter meet the uneven surface of the pearl. The first effect is more constant and varies from a subtle flicker to flashes similar to the northern lights. Jewelers compare this effect to the “fire” of a diamond and, when describing the brilliance of a pearl, as when describing a diamond, they talk about the “water” of pearls. Pearls with a strong play of color are called fire pearls; they are extremely rare and very highly valued.

Pearls of “pure (or first) water” are required, first of all, to play: they must be colorless or pure white, have a strong shine with a “weak blue tint, turning into iridescent.” An impeccable pearl of “pure water” has a delicate milky-white, light-silver luster that shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow when it rotates. These are the most expensive pearls. White pearls with a yellowish or bluish tint do not shine through to the full depth of the nacre layer. Therefore, their shine is not as strong as colorless pearls - very soft, slightly velvety. This is the main charm of most commercial pearls. The greatest shine with a beautiful mother-of-pearl tint is characteristic of pearls caught in the waters of the Persian and Manara Gulfs.

Pearls that lack an orientation are unattractive. They are formed in the shells of mollusks lacking the mother-of-pearl layer. A classic example of such a pearl is the famous “Pearl of Allah” weighing 6.35 kg, extracted from a huge tridacna. The famous pinna pearl weighs 16 grains (1 grain = 50 mg) has a dull, dark brown color. The inner surface of the sink in which it was placed also has the same color. Many other pearls are also devoid of orientation. They are, as a rule, of no value, although from time to time there is a demand for them. There is no orientation in black pearls, but they attract with an extraordinary glare - a light speck of reflected light. These pearls are very valuable. Their shine is close to metallic. As already noted, pearls with a beautiful shine are formed in shells with a developed nacre layer. However, this rule is not always followed: the intensity of a pearl’s shine often depends on which part of the mollusk the embryo of the future pearl falls into. If the embryo is located in that place of the mantle where a beautiful pearlescent layer stands out, then High Quality nacre is also formed on the pearl. This is how pearls of “beautiful water” are formed, according to the terminology of the English jeweler G. Smith. In the middle of the muscular edge of the mantle, the pearls are brownish, without shine, often with whitish streaks that spoil their appearance. Pearls formed in the outer (dark) edge of the mollusk's mantle have no shine. The farther the pearls are from this edge, the lighter they are and the higher their jewelry quality. Directly above the locking part, both brown pearls, which have almost no shine, and white, shiny ones, are formed.

Color. It is believed that the best pearls do not have their own color. Thanks to their transparency, they acquire a soft silvery sheen, barely shimmering with the colors of the rainbow, and become pearls of the purest water. However, pearls can be white, pink, blue, bluish, violet, golden, yellow, bronze, gray, brown, reddish, brown, black, rarely greenish, but more often yellowish or grayish with a bluish tint and a characteristic pearlescent sheen. All colors except black are weak. The color of pearls is determined by the degree of translucency of the nacre shell and the color of the underlying organic layer. Pearl aragonite is colorless or white, while conchiolin is yellowish and, in relatively thick layers, brown to black. Impurities of chemical elements in the water where pearl-bearing mollusks live significantly affect the color of pearls.) Therefore, pearls from different bodies of water sometimes differ noticeably in color. Caught in the waters of the Persian Gulf they have a creamy color. Pale pink color is characteristic of pearls from Sri Lanka. Australian pearls are white and silver-white, Mexican pearls are reddish-brown and black, Indian pearls are bright pink with wavy lines, and Japanese pearls have a greenish tint. An unusually beautiful golden color is characteristic of Australian pearls extracted from mollusks. In some cases, the color of a pearl also depends on its position in the body of the mollusk.

Black pearls are unique. It has been known for a long time as a precious decoration. In Homer's Odyssey, Penelope receives a pair of pearls, "as if woven from mulberries." Absolutely round black (without smudges) pearls are very rare. Compared to light-colored pearls, they contain more conchiolin. For a long time, the Bahia region in the eastern part of the Gulf of California enjoyed worldwide fame. Black pearls with a characteristic metallic sheen were caught here. The pearls had a special name “La Paz”, or “Panama”. The most expensive ones weighed 372 grains.

Freshwater pearls are no less varied in color. Thus, in the reservoirs of the North-West of the USSR they find white, gray, greenish, brown, black and combined. White pearls are rich in shades: pinkish, golden, bluish, silvery, grayish, lilac. Such pearls have a mother-of-pearl luster and sparkle and are of jewelry quality. White pearls make up about a quarter of all pearls found, gray pearls about a third. Gray pearls do not have shine or sparkle and do not shine through. In addition, they often have a greenish, beige or brownish tint. Greenish pearls are few in number and, as a rule, small (3-4 mm). Black pearls are very rare. Like gray, it is not translucent, lacks shine and sparkle, and this differs significantly from the famous black pearls of the southern seas. However, previously black pearls with a characteristic bluish tint were found in the rivers of the Kola Peninsula. Norwegian queens wore necklaces made from such “Hyperborean” pearls.

A large group consists of pearls of combined colors: white with gray stripes, brown with a gray belt, or gray with a white (and brown) “crown.” Many pearls consist of two halves, one of which is characterized by jewelry properties, and the other, gray or brown, does not.

Karelian pearls are mostly silver-white, sometimes with a bluish tint, pink, less often black with a steel-blue tint. In the rivers of the Arkhangelsk region, along with silver-white pearls, red-white, red with blue and gray pearls the size of a pea were caught.

The color of a pearl is affected by its degree of maturity. M.V. Lomonosov wrote about this after examining pearls collected by S.P. Krasheninnikov in Kamchatka. Immature pearls are greenish, brown, yellowish, blue. One side of the pearl is white, the other blue or yellow. Often, when removed from the shell, pearls have a greenish tint and only turn white as they dry.

The nature of the color of pearls (and shells) is not well understood. It was noted above that the color of pearls depends mainly on the color of the organic matter found in it and on the admixture of various chemical elements in sea water. Very expensive, pink pearls grow in seawater containing elevated amounts of manganese. By enriching sea water on pearl plantations with various chemical elements, blue, green, orange and even purple pearls are obtained. The reason for the color of black pearls is unclear. Apparently, it is related to the characteristics of the water in the Gulf of California and other areas.

The color is affected by the porosity and specific surface area of ​​the pearls, the structure of the seabed, the speed of underwater currents, water temperature, the genus of the pearl mussel and the color of its shell, and the place where the pearl is located in the body of the mollusk. But the main color factors are the type of mollusk and the admixture of chemical elements in the water. It is from their interaction that the rich colors of pearls are born. Cultured white pearls have no less than 26 shades - from dazzling white to pink and greenish. Japanese and French specialists have achieved significant success in growing multi-colored pearls.

It is believed that the color of pearls should be close to the skin color of the person wearing them, which is why people from different countries wear pearls of different colors. In Europe, preference is given to snow-white or white with a slight bluish tint, in the East and southern countries - yellowish or brownish pearls.

Form. Pearl, as already mentioned, is a kind of mineral-organic aggregate. Its emergence and growth are subject not to the laws of interaction of atoms, but to the biochemical laws of development of a living cell in the body of a mollusk. Therefore, pearls can have a wide variety of shapes. Even medieval authors identified up to 12 varieties of it. The shape of the pearl depends mainly on where the foreign body - the embryo of the future pearl - gets under the shell flaps. Pearls are round, oval (ovoid), oblong (cylindrical), pear-shaped, drop-shaped, hemispherical (button), irregular (baroque).

The most perfect, round pearls are formed in those parts of the mollusk where the mantle is sufficiently thick. In river pearl mussels best quality pearls are born in the mantle near the castle; they are almost colorless and small in size. They are usually referred to as the “dew drop” type. If a pearl appears near the shell wall or adjoins (grows) to it, then a so-called shell pearl is formed. It comes in two types: “bubbly” or “bud”, sometimes containing a foreign substance - water or silt, and solid - blister-pearls. When a grain of sand is introduced into the adductor muscle, the resulting pearl takes on a pear-shaped and teardrop shape or has a rather bizarre outline. Near the hinge edge of the shell, often above the hinge, narrow pearls with pointed ends are formed, often fused together.

The dependence of the shape, color and luster of a pearl on its position in the shell has not yet been sufficiently studied. Until now, science cannot satisfactorily answer the question: why do pearls of different qualities form in the same mollusk tissues? Meanwhile, such knowledge is extremely necessary when carrying out work related to the cultivation of pearls.

In Rus', separating pearls by shape became a practice back in the 16th century. Regular spherical pearls with a thick mother-of-pearl layer of white and silver color, which “rolls on a silver platter and does not stand still,” were called “sloping” or “rounded.” The further the pearl rolls and spins, the more ideal its shape and the higher its value. In ancient Russian epics and fairy tales, such pearls are mentioned very often. Ilya Muromets, in order to appease the evil Tsar Kalin, brings him “the first bowl of pure silver and the other of red gold, the third of stingray pearls.” Residents of the Russian North called round freshwater pearls “skaten”. Clothes were embroidered with ray pearls. It was given to the rulers of foreign states.

Round pearls the size of a pea or dragee were called “cargopolochki”, and those weighing less than 0.25 grains were called “family”. Their surface is smooth, shiny or slightly rough. Round unrounded pearls in Rus' were called saffron milk cap.

Oval pearls are rounded at the ends. Its surface is uneven, rough, with protrusions of different sizes. Large (over 6 mm) oval pearls in Rus' were called pearl cucumbers. They were valued quite highly.

Oblong pearls sometimes look like a small cylinder, which is why they are called cylindrical. Pear-shaped and teardrop-shaped pearls are rare in rivers of the European North. More often you come across hemispherical (button) pearls with a rounded top and a flat base, reminiscent of miniature loaves of bread; they are also called dies. Hemispherical pearls are smooth, shiny, sometimes with dark and light specks.

Irregular pearls have the most varied, sometimes very bizarre shapes. In Rus' such pearls were nicknamed “ugly”, “coal-shaped”, “horned”. From the 16th century it has a special name - “Baroque”.

Along with the best examples of river pearls, sea pearls were also famous, especially round, pear-shaped and teardrop-shaped pearls. Thus, the famous “Pilgrim” pearl is perfectly round. The famous “Peregrine” pearl has a regular pear-shaped shape, and the “Pearl of Hope” has a drop-shaped shape. These shapes are exceptionally good in pendants and earrings and are therefore highly valued. Remarkable examples of pear-shaped and round pearls are in the Diamond Fund of the USSR.

A fairly large group consists of sea pearls, shaped like the silhouettes of various animals or objects: the back of a frog, the head of a horse, the wings of a bird, a dog’s tooth, or even the body of a person and even his facial features. Such pearls are called paragons; miraculous properties have long been attributed to them. Paragons are set in gold and decorated precious stones. Beautiful paragons are kept in the State Hermitage.

In addition to individual pearls, intergrowths of pearls are occasionally found. A classic example of this phenomenon is the “Southern Cross” - nine round, cross-shaped pearls 4 cm long. It was discovered in an oyster caught in 1874 off the east coast of Australia. River hemispherical pearls grow together with their flat bases. At the site of fusion, a belt of pearls of later formation is often found.

Size. Pearls have different sizes. Tiny pearls, tenths of a millimeter in size, are called pearl dust. They have very limited use. Large pearls are rarely found. According to size - the weight of one grain - pearls are divided into three groups: no more than 50 mg; from 51 to 200 mg; from 201 mg or more. Pearls of the second group are more common, and among them - with a diameter of 0.3-0.6 cm.

The division of pearls into “large”, “medium” and “small” was known in Russia back in the 17th century. In official documents and literature they wrote mainly about great pearls. Thus, in the “Mineralogical Dictionary,” published in 1790, large pearls, which “are as big as cherries,” were called “cherry.” The “Olonets statistical collection” for 1902 reported that in 1871, 11 unusually large blue and pink pearls were sent from the Olonets province to the royal court. The wife of the Ural breeder T.N. Demidov wore a four-row necklace of pearls the size of a hazelnut.

At one time, the best pearls in color, shape and size were mined near the city of Kem on the White Sea. Even the city's coat of arms depicted a wreath of pearls against a background of blue water.

Like famous gems, pearls of rare beauty are called by their own names. As a rule, they are kept in state treasuries. The history of some of them, dating back hundreds of years, is full of amazing adventures and dramatic events. The history of the “Pearl of Allah” - the largest in the world - is interesting. It was caught in 1934 in the South China Sea off the island of Palawan (Philippines). The weight of the pearl is 6.35 kg, length 24 cm, diameter almost 14 cm. In appearance, it resembled the head of a Mohammedan in a turban and therefore was called the “Pearl of Allah.”

They say that the son of a Filipino leader loved to get corals and mollusks with beautiful shells from the bottom of the sea. But one day the boy disappeared under water and did not rise to the surface for a long time. Divers who descended to the bottom of the sea found him dead. The young man's left hand was tightly grasped by the wings of a huge tridacna. The corpse of the young man and the tridacna holding him were taken to the shore. Using a crowbar, the tridacna was opened. Imagine the surprise of those present when they saw in the middle of the mollusk a giant, wrinkled, lobed, dimly shining pearl. The deceased's fellow tribesmen attributed magical powers to this pearl. Over time, it was presented to the doctor who saved the life of the second son of the Philippine leader, then New York jewelers became its owners. However, the “Pearl of Allah” is of no value, since it is devoid of mother-of-pearl luster.

In the 16th century The pearls from the dowry of the French queen Catherine de Medici were considered the best in Europe. After her marriage, she gave them to the Scottish Queen, Mary Stuart. Subsequently, the pearls became the property of the English Queen Elizabeth I.

In 1579, the Spanish King Philip II became the owner of the wonderful white pearl “Perigrine”, brought from the island of Margarita in the Caribbean. The island was named so because of the abundance of pearl shells on it (“Margarita” means pearl in Latin). The pearl has a perfect pear-shaped shape and a very beautiful mother-of-pearl luster. It is the size of a pigeon egg (length 3 cm, width about 2 cm, weight 252 grains). For “Peregrine” the king paid 100 thousand francs. The writer S. Zweig says that “Peregrine” was found off the coast of Panama by a black slave, who received freedom for it from the Spanish conquistador Nunez Bilbao. Having ended up in the treasury of the Spanish king Philip II, “Perigrine” was then given as a gift to the English queen Mary Tudor. After the death of the queen, the pearl returned to Spain, from where it was taken out by King Joseph Bonaparte in 1813. At one time, Perigrine was owned by the King of Holland, Louis Bonaparte. Later the pearl was sold to the English Lord Hamilton, in whose family it was kept for a long time. Currently, Perigrina is located in Spain.

In 1886, the mentioned “Southern Cross” was demonstrated at the Indian Exhibition in London. In 1889, at an exhibition in Paris, this unique pearl ensemble was awarded a gold medal. One of the rare black pearls was found in 1904 off the coast of Mexico by the Indian Buenaventura Hilles. The pearl was named “Requia Aztec” - “Queen of the Aztecs”. The following story is told about her and the fate of the Indian who found her. Buenaventura sold the pearl and immediately became rich. With the money he acquired, he could live peacefully for the rest of his life. But the Indian dreamed of finding a mate for the “Queen”; he even came up with the name “El Rey Montezuma” - “King Montezuma” (named after the Aztec king). For days the Indian searched for a beautiful pearl, which, alas, existed only in his imagination. He worked alone, without a partner. Great physical stress did not pass without a trace: one day Buenaventura plunged into the water and did not surface. After several days, the waves washed his empty boat ashore.

In 1917, a pearl the size of a sparrow egg, weighing 200 grains, was found off the coast of Australia. It was valued at 14 thousand pounds. Art. and was called the "Star of the West".

Large pearls are in the vaults of various states. In England there is a teardrop-shaped pearl weighing 2454 grains called the “Pearl of Hope”. Two pearls weighing 1800 and 320 grains are on display in the Geological and British National Museums in London.

In 1781, the treasury of the French crown contained more than a million francs worth of pearls; among them was one in the shape of a pear weighing 228 grains valued at 300 thousand francs. The royal house also owned the Regent pearl, of “excellent water and game” and the size of a pigeon’s egg, weighing 345 grains. Four hundred pearls of the highest grade, weighing at least 320 grains each, were in the possession of the French Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III.

Judging by the description made in 1818, the “Pilgrimka” or “Wanderer” pearl from the treasury of the Russian state, found off the coast of India, had unheard-of beauty. Its weight is 112 grains, its color is white, and its shape is perfectly spherical. The pearl was completely round.

There are several other large pearls known in the world: “Khone”, “Shah-Safi”, “Queen of Pearls”. Their weight in grains is 1888, 513, 113, respectively.

Pearls have long been highly valued. In ancient Russian poetry, the very word “pearl” meant “precious”, “beyond all praise.” The best at all times was considered to be sloping pearls, with a thick nacreous layer, completely spherical, white or silver-white in color, with light iridescent tints. It is followed in value by black, mauve, cream and gold. Less valuable are blue, greenish, brown, brown, orange and yellow pearls. Thus, in the Novgorod Trade Book, when buying pearls in other countries, the following recommendations were contained: “Buy pearls that are all white, pure, but don’t buy yellow ones, no one will buy them in Russia.” Gray pearls generally have no price, although from time to time there is a demand for them. The most valuable pearls are oriental, which can be white or pink.

The price of a pearl is greatly influenced by its shape: the most expensive are regular spherical pearls, then pear-shaped and oval. The larger the pearl and the more perfect its shape, the higher its price. Under Peter I, a large pearl cost 100 rubles. per spool (4.26 g). The sale of two or three pea-sized pearls could support a family of pearlheads for a year. Two large pear-shaped pearls of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra were valued at 5.5 million rubles. A large pearl in New York still costs about 500 thousand dollars. Large pearls are sold individually, the weight is determined in grains or carats (1 carat = 4 grains). Small pearls are sold by weight, taking into account the quality of the pearls and how much is per ounce (about 30 g).

Expensive natural pearls is explained not only by its rarity, but also by the danger and difficulty associated with extracting this gem from the depths of the sea. The price of cultured pearls was initially 0.2 times the cost of natural saltwater pearls, and later dropped to 0.1. Currently, all cultured pearls are sold for 90 rubles. for 1 year

Pearls are graded according to three classes. The first class includes perfectly round white pearls with a strong shine and a faint pinkish or bluish tint. Immaculate teardrop-shaped pearls have the same price as round ones. The second class includes not quite large pear-shaped or flattened pearls, white with a strong shine, as well as completely round white pearls with a weak shine. The third class includes all pearls with a low shine, which can at least partially be used for making jewelry.

The price of pearls increases in proportion to the square of its mass. Therefore, a pearl with a mass of 2 grains, other things being equal, costs 4 times more than a pearl of 1 grain.

Few pearls can withstand the meticulous test of class. But if they endure and are rated with the highest score, then their cost becomes fabulous. It is not surprising, therefore, that large and beautiful pearls, along with diamonds, emeralds and rubies, are included in the register of currency values ​​of the state; they are subject to a currency monopoly regime.

Hardness. Pearl quite hard and durable, but scratches easily. The hardness of river jewelry and sea pearls was studied. The data obtained were compared with the hardness of ordinary aragonite.

The jewelry pearl is slightly oval. At its largest cross-section it is 2.9 mm. It consists of two zones: a wider inner one, composed of prismatic radial-fibrous aggregates of aragonite crystals, and a narrow outer one (0.5 mm), formed by lamellar layers of this mineral. The core in the pearl is not expressed. Prismatic aragonite is brown, lamellar - light gray, white. The surface of the pearl is pale pink with a good pearlescent luster. Translucent to depth.

The sea pearl is elliptical, with a slightly uneven, wavy surface. Its dimensions are 4X3.5 mm. It is characterized by an unclearly expressed radial-fibrous and concentrically layered structure. Composed of prismatic aragonite crystals. Width - hundredths to thousandths of a millimeter.

Aragonite is represented by short- and long-prismatic (from 2 to 18 mm) crystals and their twins (tees) with habit faces of a prism (110) and pinacoid (001) and a slightly developed prism (010). The edges of most individuals and joints are smooth and shiny, making it possible to determine hardness without preliminary grinding and polishing

The hardness of pearl aragonite and “terrestrial” aragonite was determined by geologist V.B. Stepanov under a load of 20 g, the load was maintained for 10 s. In a river pearl, the hardness of the inner (prismatic) zones and the outer shell, consisting of thin aragonite plates, was measured; in a sea pearl, the hardness was measured on the entire cross section of the sample. Aragonite hardness was measured on the faces of the prism (110) (along the axis With) and pinacoid (001). Each pearl and aragonite crystal face had 50 diamond pyramid impressions.

The spread of hardness values ​​and the average hardness of pearls is greatest in the inner (prismatic) zone of a river pearl. The average hardness of aragonite prisms (206.56 kg/mm2) is almost 2 times greater than that of the nacreous layer plates (115.36 kg/mm2). The pinacoidal face of Shorsu aragonite is 2 times harder (266.5 kg/mm ​​2) than the same face of freshwater pearl aragonite (115.36 kg/mm ​​2), while the hardness of the prismatic faces of both substances is almost the same (203.4 and 206.56 kg/mm ​​2). Sea pearl aragonite (170.06 kg/mm ​​2) is characterized by the lowest hardness (on the verge of a prism). The latter circumstance, apparently, can explain the shorter durability of sea pearls compared to river pearls.

The mechanical properties of pearls (like mother-of-pearl) are determined by the spatial arrangement of prismatic and lamellar aragonite crystals, connected into a compact mineral-organic aggregate through organic matter. In a direction parallel to the arrangement of aragonite crystals, such properties (including hardness) will be different than in a direction perpendicular to this direction. The elastic properties of freshwater pearls are higher than those of sea pearls.

Density. Pearls are aggregates of variable composition, so their density varies greatly. It consists of the density of aragonite (2.94 g/cm3), conchiolin (1.34 g/cm3) and water (1 g/cm3). Depending on the predominance of one or another component, the density of the pearl increases or decreases.

The results of studies of pearl density by various authors are given in table. 1.

Freshwater and saltwater pearls are characterized by similar density values. The upper limit of freshwater and sea pearls is the same and equal to 2.78 g/cm 3 , the lower limit is different: for freshwater pearls 1.35 g/cm 3 , for sea pearls 2.43 g/cm 3 . Thus, the spread of density values ​​for freshwater pearls is wider. The lowest density was observed in the black freshwater pearl (1.35-1.37 g/cm3). It is almost the same as conchiolin (1.34 g/cm3). Apparently, these pearls, according to Corago, consist mainly of organic matter. The highest density was determined for white silver-white jewelry pearls. It is somewhat unexpected that the density of yellow pearls increases to such an extent or limit, just like whites. Black sea pearls have a higher density (2.75 g/cm3) compared to the density of black freshwater pearls (1.35-1.37 g/cm3).

The density of cultured pearls is significant (2.70-2.80 g/cm3). It should be noted that the upper limit of the density of black cultured pearls (2.80 g/cm3) is higher than the same limit of sea and freshwater pearls. Obviously, this difference is due to the different composition of conchiolin. It is possible that the density of pearls also depends on the composition of impurity elements in it, but this issue has not been studied.

Component composition of pearls. In terms of component composition, pearls are similar to the inner layer of the shell - mother of pearl. It consists mainly of aragonite (10-95%), organic matter (4.5-85%), water (0.5-4%). On average, pearls contain approximately 86% calcium carbonate, 12% organic matter and 2% water.

The component composition of four pearls is given in table. 2.

The composition of aragonite, from which white pearls are almost entirely composed, has not yet been studied. As the aragonite in the pearl decreases, its color becomes more intense. Brown pearls contain 80% calcium oxide. The rest comes from organic matter that pigments the pearls in various shades of brown.

As already mentioned, the organic substance - cochiolin - that holds aragonite together in pearls is yellow, from light to dark brown. In lamellar layers, organic matter is yellowish or light brown, and in prismatic layers it is much darker. Obviously, this depends on the different ability of the mineral-organic aggregate to absorb certain coloring pigments from the interstitial fluid in the mollusk’s body. The thermograms of pearls reveal a series of endothermic effects that record the temperatures at which organic matter burns out and its various connections with the mineral component. In black pearls, the organic matter contains a small admixture of sooty pyrite (FeS 2), which is recorded on the thermogram by a sharp exothermic effect at 350 ° C.

Water in pearls is part of both organic and inorganic components, occupying various pores and cavities in them. This is hygroscopic water. It is recorded by a decrease in the thermal curve at a temperature of the order of 100° C. There is no doubt that the pearls also contain bound water, which is included in the amino acids that make up organic matter. The total amount of water in pearls can reach 23%.

Pearls decompose when heated and dissolve slowly in acids.

Amino acid composition of the organic matter of pearls. There are 18 amino acids found in pearls. For comparison, we note that proteins synthesized by living organisms contain 21 amino acids in different combinations. The basis of the organic matter of freshwater pearls from water bodies in the North-West of the USSR, as Corago found out, is glycine and tyrosine, followed by alanine, valine, series and aspartic acid (Table 3).

Japanese researcher K. Wada, who studied the composition of organic matter in various layers of the shell of the mollusk Pinctada fucata and cultured pearls, showed that the amino acid composition of individual parts of the pearl and the shell are somewhat different from each other. Different amino acid composition of the organic matter of prismatic and lamellar pearls. In the prismatic layers, glycine predominates; in the lamellar layers, alanine predominates. Tyrosine, which ranks second after glycine in the freshwater and prismatic layers of cultured pearls, is present in the lamellar layers of cultured pearls small quantities. It is hardly possible to talk about a sharp predominance of any one amino acid in the composition of pearls. This question is very interesting and requires further research.

Composition of chemical impurity elements in pearls. It has been most fully studied in pearls from reservoirs in the North-West of the USSR. According to Corago, it contains the following elements (in%): aluminum (0.008-0.034), barium (0.031-0.083), iron (traces - 0.005), silicon (0.003-0.120), magnesium (0.016-0.120), manganese (0.004-0.400), copper (0.001-0.003), silver (0.0001-0.0029), molybdenum (0.002-0.014), lead (traces - 0.008), strontium (0.1-0.3), antimony (0.01), titanium (0.001-0.003), sodium (0.1-0.3), tin (0.001).

The most stable contents are strontium, titanium, and sodium. Their number in brown, gray and white pearls is the same. Antimony and tin were found in only one brown pearl. The amounts of other elements, especially manganese, magnesium and silicon, are variable. Manganese is most abundant in white pearls, in gray pearls there is little of it, and in brown pearls there is even less. On the contrary, there is more silicon in brown pearls, less in gray and white ones. Magnesium is approximately equal in white and brown pearls, and somewhat less in gray ones. Almost the same amount of aluminum, barium, iron, copper and molybdenum in all studied pearls. The significant content of manganese in white pearls is noteworthy, 8 times higher than the amount in gray and 30 times higher in brown pearls. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that manganese is predominantly sorbed by the lamellar (nacreous) layers that make up white pearls, while the prismatic layers preferentially absorb silver.

Analyzing the content of chemical elements in pearls of various colors, we note the following. Brown pearls are enriched with lithophile elements, as well as silver and lead. Most gray pearls are closer in chemical element content to white pearls than to brown ones. Gray pearls (compared to white ones) contain more barium, silicon, copper, silver and molybdenum, white pearls contain less molybdenum, silver and silicon.

Saltwater pearls extracted from Black Sea mussel shells contain half as many chemical elements as freshwater pearls. E.F. Shnyukov and D.P. Demenko discovered in two pearls mined in the Black Sea the following elements (in%): magnesium (1.8-3.8), manganese (<0,0001), медь (0,0001), серебро (0,00001-0,00005), стронций (0,1-0,2), титан (0,0002-0,0005), цирконий (0,001), лантан (0,001-0,002). Последние два элемента найдены только в морских жем­чужинах.

Most of the chemical elements found in pearls are associated with the life processes of mollusks, in particular with their selective ability to absorb these elements from water. Most of the microelements are found in the amino acid group of humic acids, which are part of organic matter. A significant role in the accumulation of chemical elements in pearls is played by metabolic processes taking place in the cells of the “pearl” sac.

Carbon isotope composition of pearls. The carbon isotope composition of pearl aragonite carries information about the nature of the solutions from which it was deposited in the body of the mollusk. The quantitative ratio of stable carbon isotopes 12 C and 13 C in carbonates is expressed by the coefficient 6 13 C, meaning in ppm the deviation of the 13 C / 12 C ratio of the substance relative to the same ratio in the standard. In table 4. Information is provided on the distribution of the 6 13 C value in pearls from water bodies in the North-West of the USSR.

The isotopic composition of carbon in pearls ranges from -8.7 to -12.0°/oo. It falls within the limits characteristic of 6 13 C carbon in freshwater carbonates (6 13 C = -5/-15.0°/oo). From the data obtained, we can conclude that the formation of pearls occurs with the participation of bicarbonate solutions with different carbon isotope compositions. Gray and light brown pearls, consisting mainly of prismatic layers and a thin shell composed of lamellar layers of aragonite crystals, were formed from solutions whose isotopic composition changed towards lighter. At the same time, the isotopic composition of carbon in pearls changed accordingly in the following sequence: -10.2 and -10.8°/oo (prismatic zone) and -12.0°/oo (lamellar zone); - 8.7%o (prismatic zone) and -10.2%o (lamellar zone). The formation of a brown pearl composed of prismatic aragonite crystals initially occurred from a solution with 6 13 C = - 10.5%o, and at the last stages of crystal deposition - from a solution with 6 13 C = - 9.6°/oo. That is, the isotopic composition of the carbon of brown pearls during deposition changed not towards lightness, as in light and light brown pearls, but towards heavierness. The reasons for this phenomenon need to be investigated. In this regard, the study of the isotopic composition of pearls cannot be considered complete. There is no doubt that the 6 13 C value of pearl aragonite carbon is influenced by many factors. It is not possible to take them into account now.

Isotopic composition of oxygen in pearls. The conditions for the formation of pearls and the peculiarities of the development of mollusks are indicated by the ratio of the stable isotopes of oxygen 16 O and 18 O in them. It is expressed by the coefficient 6 18 O, which, as in the case of carbon, means a deviation in the value of the ratio 18 O / 16 O relative to the same relations in the standard. The distribution of the 6 18 O value in pearls from water bodies in the North-West of the USSR is evidenced by the following data:

The oxygen isotopic composition of pearls ranges from -8.2 to -20.8% O 6 18 O and falls within the limits characteristic of 6 18 O oxygen in freshwater carbonates. The average value of 6 18 O of oxygen in the studied pearls is 15.8% O and is slightly higher than the average 6 18 O of fresh water (-9.11 % O). It is very close to 6 18 O of the waters of the Northern Dvina (-15.5% o), while 6 18 O of the main pearl-bearing rivers of the North-West of the USSR (Kemi, Varzuga, Umba, Onega), from where the pearls were most likely obtained, is equal to - 9.1/-9.7%o [S. D. Nikolaev, V. I. Nikolaev, 1976]. That is, there is no direct inheritance of the oxygen isotopic composition of river water by the oxygen isotopic composition of pearls. In this case, one should assume the possibility of biological fractionation of oxygen isotopes, leading to the depletion of pearl aragonite in the “heavy” oxygen isotope 18 O. It is important to emphasize that of the solutions the most enriched in this isotope (6 18 O = -8.2%o). A mother-of-pearl layer is formed, which gives the pearl value. The outer layer of a prismatic-layered pearl, on the contrary, crystallizes from a solution with a minimum content of 18 O (6 18 O = -19.4 and -20.8 °/oo) In the same mollusk, the nacreous layer of a pearl contains more of the “heavy” isotope (6 18 O = -8.2%o) than the mother-of-pearl layer of the shell (6 i 8 O = -14.5°/oo). The transition of aragonite to calcite almost does not change the oxygen isotopic composition of the original carbonate.

Porosity. Pearls from reservoirs in the North-West of the USSR have low porosity. Moreover, the porosity of brown pearls is much higher than that of white and gray ones. It is believed that only brown pearls have a certain number of pores, concentrated mainly in the range of equivalent radii of 3-5 nm. The total porosity does not exceed 1% of the sample volume. If we take into account the small size of the pearls (a few millimeters), then their specific surface area can be considered quite significant for all samples, especially for brown pearls. This is confirmed by the presence of small pores, some of which, as Corago emphasizes, are located in the region of equivalent radii less than 3 nm, which is not measured on a mercury porosometer.

Luminescence (cold glow under the influence of radiation) is one of the important characteristics of a substance. The essence of luminescence is that many minerals placed in the path of x-rays, cathode or ultraviolet rays themselves begin to emit light. Different minerals have different luminescence, both in strength and color. It is also known that chemically pure substances usually do not glow. Impurities of other substances in the mineral are required in amounts from thousandths of a percent to several percent to cause its glow. Therefore, depending on the impurities, the same mineral in different deposits glows with different light.

Research into the luminescence of pearls has been going on for a long time. Particular interest in it arose in connection with the need to distinguish a grown pearl from a natural one, and a colored (blackened) one from an artificially grown one. It turned out that under the influence of X-ray radiation, grown pearls fluoresce more than natural ones. The nacre core of grown pearls fluoresces especially strongly. The English researcher B. Anderson explains this by saying that the core is almost always made from mother-of-pearl of a freshwater shell and therefore usually contains a small admixture of manganese salts. When irradiated with X-rays, the core produces green luminescence and, if the shell is not too thick, transmits the glow to the entire pearl. After the X-rays cease, the grown pearls exhibit a short phosphorescence. According to Anderson, cultured freshwater pearls grown in Japan on Lake Biwa (biwa - pearls) fluoresce most intensely in X-rays.

Japanese researchers G. Komatsu and Sh. Akamatsu found that dyed (blackened) pearls do not fluoresce in ultraviolet rays, while grown pearls in the same rays clearly fluoresce in yellow-red tones.

Freshwater pearls luminesce in much the same way as cultured pearls. A detailed study of the luminescence of freshwater pearls from water bodies in the North-West of the USSR was carried out by Corago. He found that the luminescence spectrum of freshwater pearls has a wide band, covering the entire visible spectral range from 360 to 700 nm. The maximum spectrum depends on the nature of the pearl. Thus, in white (jewelry) and gray pearls it is in the region of 485-495 nm, in brown pearls - in the region of 525 nm. The luminescence spectrum of Japanese cultured pearls is close to the spectrum of domestic freshwater pearls, but is more intense.

The results of the studies allowed Corago to conclude that the luminescence of pearls is due only to organic matter, which differs in composition in the prismatic and lamellar layers. The intensity of luminescence depends on the size of the pearl studied - the surface of its luminescence and the thickness of the pads of organic matter separating the crystals and layers of aragonite. The thinner these spacers are, the fewer obstacles the ultraviolet rays will encounter as they pass deep into the pearl and the deeper they will penetrate into it, causing luminescence of the layers of organic matter encountered along the way. In pearls with significant layers of this substance, the luminescence intensity is low. In brown pearls, only the surface layers luminesce; Sea pearls luminesce in ultraviolet rays with a bluish, white, greenish color.

X-ray examination. X-ray studies of modern freshwater and saltwater pearls have confirmed that aragonite predominates in them. All diffraction patterns clearly reveal intense reflections (3.36-3.38; 3.26-3.28; 2.71-2.72; 2.67-2.68; 2.46-2.47; 2. 36; 2.31-2.33; 1.965-1.967; 1.805-1.806, 1.735-1.720 A) The difference between the diffraction pattern of pearls and that of synthetic aragonite lies in the presence of additional reflections on it (3.54-3.55; 2.05; 1.847; 1.627-1.637; 1.610-1.614 A), indicating the presence of some other compounds in the pearl composition .

Pearls from 200 and 300 years ago also have an aragonite composition. The weathering processes that led to the change in some areas of the pearls to a powdery state did not affect their mineral composition.

The results of an X-ray study of freshwater pearls from a gold bracelet (1st century BC - 1st century AD) found in the Simferopol area are different. It turned out that freshwater pearls from 20 centuries ago are represented mainly by calcite with a very small amount of aragonite. The interplanar distances of sea pearls from mussels caught in Feodosia Bay indicate that they are composed of aragonite. According to the X-ray study of Black Sea pearls carried out by Shnyukov and Demenko, it consists of aragonite with a small admixture of clayey substance of montmorillonite composition. An admixture of calcite was found in the mother-of-pearl layer of the shells; Calcite predominates in the outer layer of shells.

Mother-of-pearl balls inside mollusks have long attracted residents of coastal countries. For a long time, pearls were used as a bargaining chip, decoration and served as an expensive gift. To get it, stone catchers dived to great depths and, at the risk of their lives, lifted beautiful pearls from the bottom of the sea.

Mother of pearl stone is formed in bivalves of sea and river mollusks. This abnormal growth product the inner layer of the mollusk. A foreign body in the shell, a grain of sand, a piece of algae, or tiny living inhabitants of the bottom provokes the formation of pearls.

These particles are deposited on a thin internal network of conchiolin, a substance that forms the skeleton network of the shell. The body of the mollusk cannot push out a foreign object and envelops it with the substance aragonite. A pearl consists of thousands of layers, which ultimately give the pearl its mother-of-pearl sheen.

There are cases when the formation of a pearl does not occur in the mantle of a mollusk, but directly on the shell valve. In this case, there will be no mother-of-pearl shine on the pearl at the place of attachment, and such stones are valued much cheaper.

Mineral shape can be round, drop-shaped, pear-shaped. Sometimes the shape of a pearl can be bizarre. The stone is rarely large; more often they catch the “Variety” type with a size of over 3 mm, and “Pearl dust”, the formations of which are less than 2 mm. Everything that is between these limits is classified as the “Beads” group.

General information about pearls

Main areas of mother-of-pearl stone mining

The color of the bead directly depends on the color of the inner layer of the mantle, near which it grows. The appearance of color is influenced by the composition and temperature of the water in the reservoir, the health of the mollusk and even what it eats. Pearls are divided into marine and freshwater, the second one is a little cheaper.

• The river species was previously found in Britain; Roman jewelers brought it from the shores of England and Ireland. Nowadays, fishing is carried out only in the rivers of Germany and America.
• In Russia, pearls were actively mined in rivers in the north and west of the European part.
• The most valuable stone is mined in Tahiti. Black pearls are more expensive than white pearls. Brown-chocolate colored pearls are also mined and produced in these places.
• The coasts of India are famous for the extraction of soft pink stone.
• With a yellowish tint, the stone is found in the sea of ​​the Sri Lankan peninsula.
• Off the coast of Panama, fishermen pick up pearls with a golden glow.
• The sparkling white stone is sourced from Japan and the Australian coast.

Unfortunately, the life of pearls is short, only up to 200 years. After such a period of life, it becomes dull, cracks due to the drying of the active substances and loses its shine.

• Beads were first used to decorate clothing in the 2nd century BC, mention of which is found in ancient writings.
• The bronze figurine of Aphrodite wore gold earrings with small pearls sparkling inside.
• The oldest find of pearl jewelry is a necklace found at the beginning of the 20th century from Suaz.
• Despite the stone's short age, actress Elizabeth Taylor still has the oldest pearl.
• The largest is considered to be the “Pearl of Allah,” which was taken from a huge three-hundred-kilogram mollusk. It is oblong, measuring 24 by 16 cm and weighs six and a half kilograms.

Market demand

Black is considered the most expensive, then the pink mineral, and yellow stones are the least valuable. Natural pearls do not always have a flawless surface. An increase in the number of defects is reflected in the cost of the stone. If there are slight irregularities on the surface, then this implies a natural origin.

Beads are measured in millimeters; the larger the size, the more expensive the piece. Absolutely round pearls are the most valuable, but these are rare. Beads of regular oval and pear-shaped shapes are also accepted for perfection.

The cost of a grain of pearls depends on the quality, which is determined by the strength of the shine. The price is also affected by the mother-of-pearl layer. Reduces the cost of dull shine, and increases the color tint in the glow.

Cultured pearls

Natural places for growing stones are falling into disrepair, and demand for jewelry exceeds supply. Based on the theory that its formation in the shell begins with the entry of a foreign body, attempts have been made to artificially push this process.

The first experiments began to be carried out by the Chinese in the middle of the 18th century. Carefully opening the shell, they pushed small pieces into it, providing the basis for future pearls. Then the shell lived in water until the pearl grew completely. This is how the Chinese grew cultured pearls.

Japanese discovered a way to obtain pearls at the end of the 19th century. What distinguishes it from the Chinese one is that a mother-of-pearl piece from another mollusk was inserted into the shell as a foreign body. Such pearls do not contain artificial additives and are called nuclear-free pearls.

At the beginning of pearl production, one of the sides of the bead was obtained without nacre, the one with which it was attached to the base. But modern scientific methods have made it possible to grow pearls without defects. Only an experienced specialist with extensive experience can distinguish modern cultured pearls from natural ones.

In words everything happens quickly, but in reality it takes many years to obtain. It takes about five years to grow the desired type of pearl mussels from eggs. Only then are the pearl components of the future bead introduced into the shell. They are selected strictly according to size so as not to kill the valuable mollusk. It takes seven years for pearls to grow to the required size.

Cultured pearls are divided into types:

• The Akoya variety produces round white pearls with perfect luster, up to 10 mm in size;
• Cultured pearls from the seas of the Southern Hemisphere, not always perfect in shape, up to 15 mm in size, with a poorer surface;
• Black pearls from the South Pacific coast. Beads up to 10 mm in size vary in color from black to gray. A very expensive and rare type of pearl.

Pearl stone: magical properties

Pearl stone has different properties. In all centuries it was believed that stone prolongs life and preserves beauty. In the Middle Ages, the groom's parents gave the bride a string of pearls on her wedding night, which was supposed to magically protect the woman from infidelity. The owner herself was allowed to wear it only on major holidays; such pearls were not passed on to descendants, since the grafted properties of the necklace could bring major troubles to the owner.

A stone in jewelry has the ability to give the owner the ability to come into contact with any person and benefit from it. Pearl does not like smug, proud and vain people and does not help them. Moreover, being owned by such a person, it combats such qualities and improves the character of the owner.

To improve the health of the body, pearls are worn. Its healing properties have long been known to people. The stone renders healing effect on internal organs, treats kidney and liver diseases, restores normal functioning of the intestines and stomach.

After a hard day, it allows the owner to relax and unwind to the fullest. Anyone who wants to know about future diseases needs to look at the stone. Black pearls are especially suitable for this procedure. If it darkens and fades, it means that the person is at risk of a tumor, or there has been a disturbance in the acid-base balance of the body. After such changes, it is better for a person to consult a doctor.

Tibetan healers advise keeping the stone in your mouth for about 15 minutes every day to cleanse the body and the entire circulatory system. The properties of the mineral will help boost immunity and calm heart arrhythmia.

Who should wear the stone and with what?

It is most suitable for zodiac signs Pisces, Aquarius, Gemini and Cancer. For other signs, wearing a stone is allowed, but it will be useless. And he will protect the indicated signs from rash actions and rash actions.

The stone is an ideal decoration that matches any type of clothing. You can use mother-of-pearl beads to decorate dresses or wear pearl jewelry as a separate element. Earrings with a stone can complement an elegant dress, jeans, sundresses, blouses.

A long necklace that folds in half or three is very popular. Worn around the neck, this decoration will add freshness to the face and sophistication to the whole image.

Pearls are one of the oldest jewelry, the traditions of mining and growing stone are rooted in the deep past. Today, they not only make the appearance attractive, but also help the owner cope with illnesses and protect him from harm.