All throughout the history, some cultures have rejected and placed no value to pearls. They have been focused on the mother of pearl produced in mollusks’ shells. After the 18th century, shell divers of Japan who can found pearls did not pay attention to them. It is also believed that Polynesian children play with them as their marbles. The people then harvested and uses mother of pearls as their decoration. People eat mollusks’ flesh and recycled the abalone shells as additional ornaments to wood, bone or ivory.
Mother pearl also known as nacre is an organic or inorganic compound which is naturally occurring. Nacre is a mineral mixture secreted by mollusks and other oysters. These deposited minerals coats and protects the natural bodies of nacre from foreign objects and other parasites.
Layers of calcium carbonate which is crystal in form and conchiolin, a protein substance providing gluing of elements make up nacre. The colors and luster of most nacre depends on thickness of the layers produced and on the number of layers it carries.
Nacre can be sourced out from pearl oysters living in tropical and warm seas. The oysters generally live in numerous rivers of Europe, United States and Asia. They also exist in certain abalones of Japan, California and other regions in the Pacific.
The term mother of pearl has been cited way back 1500s. Even though pearls are admired nowadays, cultures from the past looked upon the colorful bits of mother of pearl as one of their collectible items of jewelry.
This beautiful substance with its luxurious glow and luster can be made into several types of jewelry that can be used in many occasions. Jewelry produced from mother of pearl belongs to the group organic jewelry and includes all jewelry coming from plants and other living creature.
Designers mix and match mother of pearl to different jewelry especially those which are silver-based, because two colored jewelry is complimenting each other. Mother of pearl are usually found in addition to pink and other traditionally creamy colored pearls.
Although mother of pearl is not a fully grown pearl, it presents aesthetic look which are not offered by most round pearls. These gems are popular for any time of the year. The colors vary from slight pastels to bolder brighter shades. All mother of pearls have deep radiant luster which they are famous for.
The mother of pearl can be used among the following:
1.Tiles. Mother of pearls can be laminated to ceramic or marble base tiles. They are closely put together and placed using bare hands so much similar in doing an irregular mosaic. Typically, the laminated material is 1/16 inch thick.
2.Architectural purposes. White and black mother of pearl can be tinted artificially to many colors and can be use in many structures.
3.Sheets. Instead of tiles, mother of pearl can be glued to fiber glass. A lightweight material on sheet sizes can then be produced. The sheets can be used both in interior and exterior of the floors, walls, doors, ceilings or countertops. The sheets can also be inserted on furniture and other architectural designs.
4.Sinks. The pearls can be used in porcelain sinks. It can be cut and laminated and installed in ceramic tiles to create artistically colored designs. The pearls can be polished at any time to create glossy and durable hard surface.
5.Buttons for shirts are traditionally made from mother of pearls but recent developments replaced the pearls with plastic materials. There are those high end products still using mother of pearls for buttons like Lacoste.
6.In the watch dial of watches, specifically Rolex mother of pearl can be seen.
7.The pearls can also be decorative ornaments on musical instruments. Examples are the key touches of saxophones, guitars and trumpets.
There is much jewelry available consisting of mother of pearls. Manufacturers have innovated certain designs and color to satisfy the needs of consumers. There are those sterling silver and blue topaz necklaces and pendants, bracelet with links, watches and brooch all with elemental surprise of mother of pearl.
Mother of pearls have been developed throughout the centuries and have grown to be worthy of innovation. They are as useful as pearls may be; although less expensive. They can still be classy and stylish hand can be made use in several occasions.
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