South Sea Pearls: Basic Information and Importance

South Sea Pearls: Basic Information and Importance

Posted: March 15, 2011 

The South Sea pearls have an interesting history. They are produced by a large conch that was initially hunted for its shell after it was discovered back in the 19th century. Decades later, the citizens of the small Australian city Broome, began to use the large conch for its pearls. Since this is where all the madness started at the middle of the 20th century, the South Sea pearls were first known to the world as Broome pearls. Later on, other countries started to harvest the conchs for the high quality pearls, such as the Philippines and Indonesia. However, Australia is still the main provider for these pearls with over 60 percent of the world production.

The South Sea pearls come in two main colors – silver and gold. They may also have small nuances you can only see in the light. The sizes vary, but they range around 12 mm in diameter. There are also cases of larger pearls, but they are very rare and obviously the products are extremely expensive. The price and the quality are influenced by certain characteristics such as the shape, size, luster, color, surface and nacre quality and thickness.

There are more reasons to help you understand why the South Sea Pearls are oversized compared to other types of pearls. First of all, they are produced by a large conch, so obviously the size matters here. Then, the implanted core has an effect too. A large core will lead to a large pearl. They are also left to grow for a longer time due to the nacre thickness.

The South Sea pearls are so highly appreciated over the world due to this unusual nacre thickness and the satiny look. You can't find warm waters everywhere, so their environment is important too. Therefore, there is special maintenance care and you have to stick to a lot of rules.

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