Lustre legacy

Singapore

TO SAY that crafting jewellery from cultured pearls is a labour of love is almost an understatement.

A 14cm strand of Akoya pearls is five to six years in the making, from when the pearls start to form in baby oysters to when the necklace takes its place in the Pearl Falco showroom.

"No two real pearls are exactly alike. All pearls are unique as they are shaped in nature and perfected with the love and devotion of highly skilled artisans," says Maiko Makito, co-owner and managing director of Pearl Falco Corp.

"When making jewellery from cultured seawater pearls, there is no question of computers or AI ever replacing the experienced human eye."

She shares that every single pearl is individually cleaned, graded, evaluated, matched and crafted by hand. From the time an Akoya pearl is harvested until it reaches the Pearl Falco showroom, a pearl would have been touched no less than 3,000 times.

For the record, Akoya pearls are seawater pearls cultured in oysters from the waters of the Pacific Ocean surrounding Ise Shima on Honshu Island.

The pearls are cultured by inserting a piece of shell into an Akoya oyster; the oyster reacts to the discomfort of this irritant in its body by covering it in layers upon layers of nacre.

Up to a thousand nacre layers and many years later, a pearl is fully formed. One Akoya oyster only produces one pearl in its lifetime. When the pearl is harvested, the oyster dies and its flesh is used to produce fish feed.

In contrast, freshwater pearls are cultured in clams placed in rivers or lakes, with each clam producing from 30 to 100 pearls in its lifetime. Clams do not die when the pearls are harvested, allowing them to be used for several cycles of production. Freshwater pearls are in far greater supply, making up 97 per cent of the cultured pearl market against 3 per cent for seawater pearls.

To promote Pearl Falco's jewellery as well as a better understanding of pearls, Ms Makito conducts regular pearl appreciation workshops at her studio in Mohamed Sultan Road.

One of the first questions addressed in the workshop is how a pearl's value is derived.

The first thing to look out for in a pearl is its lustre, which refers to the intensity of light reflected in the pearl's surface. Lustre is one of the most important determinants of a pearl's quality. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky, may be of low quality, Ms Makito says,

As seawater cultured pearls go, South Sea pearls are known to shine like silk while the hallmark of an Akoya pearl is the way it shines like a mirror.

The lustre of a pearl is determined by the quality of its nacre. Nacre is the coating that the oyster forms around pearls and is composed of calcium carbonate crystals. The thickness of the layers of nacre on a pearl influences its appearance and determines its value.

Size and shape

Size matters, too. As large pearls are rare in nature, the larger the pearl the more valuable it is. The majority of cultured pearls, Akoyas included, are under 10mm in diameter. South Sea pearls are cultivated in warmer oceans and are the largest, and rarest, pearls in the world.

The shape of a pearl has a role in determining its value. Pearls come in various shapes, from ovals to tear drops to semi-sphericals. Whether natural or cultured, spherical or round pearls are the most difficult shapes to cultivate or to find and therefore are the most sought-after and highly prized. Maintaining cultured pearls at their pristine best is easier than most people realise, Ms Makito says.

Saltwater pearls like Akoya pearls and South Sea pearls have a very high density of nacre layers rendering them fairly impervious to damage from sweat or body oils.

After each outing, simply wipe the pearls down with a dry, soft cloth similar to what is used for cleaning spectacles.

If the pearls are worn in very hot weather or if the wearer has been sweating, wiping the pearls down with a hot, wet towel and airing them before putting them away is recommended.

The density of saltwater pearls means they last for decades, making them the perfect legacy jewellery to pass on to the next generation.

As pearls are made of calcium, any contact with chemicals such as cosmetics, hairsprays, perfumes and soaps should be avoided.

Experts recommend that pearl jewellery should only be worn after make up, hair products and fragrance has been applied. They also advise to remove the pearls before going into the shower.

Finally, while pearl necklaces have always epitomised elegance, Ms Makito suggests that combining pearls with other accessories such as another necklace or pendant lends a fashionable and spontaneous accent to all that timeless refinement.