Education pearls, oddly enough, just a defensive reaction to released to the mantle of a foreign body shell. Sam pearls is composed of crystals of aragonite (calcium carbonate) held together by organic matter - konhialinom. The color of pearl is rarely pure white, often with a pinkish tinge. Depending on the chemical composition of water and get state mollusk pearl yellow, golden, green and even black. The very name of pearls obtained from the Chinese "Zhen-chu, transformed through the Old Russian" zenichug ».

best pearls are extracted off the coast of India, the Persian Gulf and the Bay of Bengal and near the island of Margarita in the West Indies. The largest pearl was found in 1934 in the Philippine Islands. It weighs about 6.4 kg, length 24 cm and 16 cm in diameter. However, the value of this pearl jewelry is not. As with all gems found in tridaknah (bivalves), it is devoid of pearly luster.

first mention of pearls in Russia date back to the X century. In the XIII - XVIII centuries it has been a favorite ornament of garments, women's hats, church plate. Especially prized pearls produced in the rivers of Arkhangelsk, Olonets and Novgorod Province. Emblem of the city of Kem on the White Sea is a garland of pearls on a blue field.

In XIII century China began cultivating freshwater pearls, shell pearls putting in sand. At the end of XIX century, the Japanese moved the Chinese experience in the marine mollusc shells. In 1907, Japanese Mikimoto received a patent for the artificial cultivation of pearls, and from 1915 the first marine and freshwater pearls are cultivated on an industrial scale. Today, only Japan has annually produces more than 90 tons of artificial pearls. And let distinguish cultured pearls from natural only through X-ray, natural valued remains high.

04.09.2006