“Pearls don’t lie on the seashore. If you want one, you must dive for it”
This quote sounds familiar right? It says that if you want something, you need to fight for it. Long process is needed until that “trapped sand” inside the oysters turn into pearl.
But do you know that pearl can be processed by human creations? This article will answer on how do oyster produce the pearls.
Natural Pearl Formation
Natural pearl formation is thought to be due to irritant factors or due to the entry of solid objects into the shell of the oyster so that this solid object will be wrapped in nacre, nacre is a unique substance owned by the shell that serves as a protective body.
Other theories also say pearls are also formed because if there is damage to parts the mantle and shells then the shells will close and repair the hole using nacre. this process is the same as the process of bone formation in humans. This nacre is what is called mother of pearl.
Due to the presence of sand particles or foreign substances that enter the oyster shell to calm this irritation, the shells begin to deposit layer by layer.
This layer consists, of calcium carbonate. After some time the formation of pearls in the shell is complete. Pearls that are round, white and shining. This is called pure pearls. It’s all beautiful just like butterfly, check this article out to find out what makes butterflies have variable colors,
Artificial Pearl Formation
Not only the technology can be wrapped in animal cross-breeding process but artificial pearl formation is by inserting the nucleus along with a few slices of the mantle from other oysters or donor sheets of the mantle sheet is called ‘saibo’.
Saibo and the nucleus then inserted through a small incision into the gonad through the gonat slices of the wall. For biomineralisation, which is the closure and formation of pearl bags or pear sact.
This process is very complicated, more complicated than the ways to prevent your milk goat from catching diseases, many steps must be followed, including weakening the pearl for several weeks to facilitate the operation.
The choice of oysters for saibo donors must be considered, because this saibo will later become the core of pearl layers, and it is believed that the quality of pearls, sparkle and pearl color is very much determined by the selection of appropriate saibo
The Most Searched Pearl
1. Pinctada
Maxima
Pinctada maxima is a type of oyster that is able to produce pearls. This type of clam belongs to the Bivalvia group. The characteristic of this Bivalvia group is its bilateral symmetry. But they get food by filtering.
Pinctada maxima is also a type of oyster that has no tentacles. These oysters are organisms that carry high economic value because they can produce pearls. Other animal that also bring high economic value is iguana, you may check the advantages of keeping iguana as pet.
2. Pinctada
Margaritifera
In addition to pinctada maxima, oysters that can produce other pearls are pinctada margaritifera. This type of oyster is the belle of the southern Pacific countries. Even for pearls that are produced from many diverse kinds, ranging from cream colors, until black.
Maybe people think that oysters are identical to bright colors. But precisely the black color of pinctada margaritifera pearls is the most searched type of pearl. However, the majority of the diameter produced is relatively small when compared to the pinctada maxima pearls.
3. Pinctada
Fucata
The next type of oyster that can produce pearls is pinctada fucata. This species is a species of marine bivalve mollusk which is included in the family pteriidae.
As for its characteristics, this type of oyster has two valves that are connected by two fairly long straight hinges. As for the shell itself, it has a slightly larger length.
The right valve on this type of clam is flatter than the left, and there are hinge teeth on both valves. The anterior ear that is owned is larger than the other members of the genus. This type of oyster is the most widely cultivated in Japan and is quite familiar and popular there.
4. Pteria
Penguins
There are still several other types of oyster that can produce pearls other than those mentioned above. One of them is pteria penguin, which is one type of oysters that can produce pearls. Unlike the types of pinctada fucata oysters, for this type of penguin pteria the opposite.
It means that this type of oyster is not cultivated much because it is caused if a result is designated in certain circles given the shape of pearls produced is generally not round. Types of Pteria Penguin oysters are generally known by people with penguin wing oysters.
Pteria penguins are also a species of bivalve marine mollusks that are categorized in the pteriidae family as well. The naming for Pteria Penguin itself is taken from a plant in the western and central Indo-Pacific region.
As for the range itself, it has stretched from the coast of East Africa and the Red Sea to India, South China, the Philippines, Australia, South Japan and Indonesia.
5. Freshwater Pearl Oysters
In the freshwater habitat not only the types of freshwater lobster can be found, but also the freshwater pearl oysters. It also is capable producing beautiful pearl beads that are no less elegant than the other types.
And just like other oysters, freshwater oysters have two symmetrical-shaped shells and have hinges to open and close. The way of life that is attached to the subtract and it preys the types of plankton.
That is the article about the two ways how the oyster produce the pearls and types of oyster which are the most search pearl-producing oysters. Now, you already know how your pearl beads jewelry came from.