Pearls

Pearl Jewellery in Murcia

With a pearl, what determines quality is not the size but the lustre: that almost metallic depth with which it reflects light. A small pearl with excellent lustre is visibly superior to a large, dull one, and you do not need to be an expert to see the difference: simply look at whether the window is reflected in it sharply or diffusely.

The other criteria are the surface (the fewer blemishes the better), the roundness and the thickness of the nacre, which determines how long it will last. A pearl with thin nacre can chip over the years; one with thick nacre reaches the next generation.

It is the most versatile jewel there is in terms of age and occasion, and the one that least tolerates neglect. Nacre is an organic material, porous and soft: perfume, hairspray, creams and perspiration attack it directly. The rule in the trade is that a pearl should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off.

Well cared for, it is the only jewel in the collection that improves with wear, because contact with the skin keeps it hydrated. And a practical point almost nobody asks about: on a classic necklace, the silk thread should be renewed every two or three years if it is worn often, before it gives way.