There are so many different varieties of pearls out there in the world and it’s sometimes difficult to tell them apart. It starts with the basics; pearls are either freshwater or saltwater, obviously depending on where they are grown and harvested. The various types of pearls get broken down from there. Among the known types of pearls are Tahitian Pearls and Akoya Pearls.  Among the lesser known types of pearls are the South Sea, Cortez and Keshi pearls. They are all different and unique in their own ways.

When you look into the history books, whenever early man discovered a new plant or mineral it was typically used for medicinal purposes. The discovery and use of the pearl was no different. When pearls were first discovered over 4000 years ago, they were not only for decorative purposes but could be ground into powder and used to cure illnesses.

Several ancient cultures believed that pearls had amazing curative properties. These properties could be channeled by simply wearing pearls or by using the powder of a ground up pearl. The powder was an ingredient in potions, balms, and salves that were used to treat a wide range of ailments. Ancient China is the country with the most documented use of pearls medicinally. Typically, pearl powder was taken internally or applied topically. Pearl powder is still used today in medicines by pharmaceutical companies.

Pearls are just really lovely, aren't they?  They are like these small things wound to become something bigger and greater. A s simple as a single pearl, it becomes a rather great jewelry when woven with a number of others.

Most people when they imagine a pearl are picturing perfect large round spherical gems, with an iridescent creamy white appearance. The reality is that pearls are usually irregular in shape, each one is different and to find one that is completely round is almost unheard of, let alone a whole string that are all identical. Natural pearls are the rarest and most highly valued variety, but nowadays most pearl jewellery is made from cultured or farmed pearls, which are grown on pearl farms across the world by inserting a bead nucleus inside an oyster or mussel shell to encourage the formation of a pearl. Apart from whether a pearl is cultured or natural the main difference is between saltwater and freshwater pearls, which both have their own different properties.

Pearls come in many shapes and sizes whether they are real or not, and it’s not always easy to tell the difference between the genuine article or a fake. Even amongst genuine pearls there are many different classes of both natural and cultured varieties, all with their own different properties and all valued very differently as pearl jewellery. You don't want to be fooled when buying pearls, so here are a few ways to help differentiate between real pearls, whether they are natural or cultured, and fakes