What are Mallorca pearls: features, production technology, price

17.10.2016

The production of artificial pearls makes life much easier for fashionistas. For a long time, pearl earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings were only available to members of the elite. Along with the invention of technologies for making synthetic pearls, representatives of different social circles became owners of exquisite jewelry.

However, man-made pearls are not necessarily cheap. An example of luxury jewelry is Major pearls. The high price due to its non-natural origin is easily explained.

Firstly, Spanish majorica pearls belong to the organic class due to the materials from which they are made.

Types of pearls

There are natural pearls, their artificial copies, and imitation using cheap plastic beads. What are the features and differences of each variety?

Natural pearls

Natural pearls are a solid mineral formation extracted from the shells of sea and river mollusks. It is not a mineral in the traditional sense, but it does contain aragonite, a mineral formed from calcium carbonate. The source of the jewel is bivalves:

mussels;
Venerids;
scallops;
pearl barley;
toothless.

Natural formations are not only white: there are black, pink, blue, green, and cream beads. All of them have a pearlescent luster, hardness on the Mohs scale of 3–4 points, and shell-like fracture.

Natural sea pearls are mined in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, on the coast of Sri Lanka, and Japan. Freshwater specimens are caught by divers in German, Chinese, Russian, and American reservoirs.

How long does it take for natural pearls to grow and mature?

The growth of the bead begins with the entry of a foreign body into the shell. The mollusk begins to envelop it with nacre - the substance produces the outer layer of the mantle. When grains of sand, shell fragments, and parasitic organisms penetrate into the mantle, the process of calcification also begins. It is noted that the mollusk is able to create a pearl without invading a foreign body. A prerequisite for this is the accumulation of epithelial cells inside the connective tissue of the mantle. They begin to produce mother-of-pearl, thereby forming a round, irregular-shaped bead.

Young mollusks are capable of forming the largest pearls. With age, the mantle becomes depleted and mother-of-pearl production stops. The size of pearls is also affected by the salinity of the water, the environmental situation, and the type of shellfish. It is noted that the largest specimens grow in salt water bodies. The peak of pearl growth is reached in the first year, during which time the bead increases to a size of 2.3 mm, in subsequent years the growth is only 0.3 mm.

Cultured pearls

These are pearls that are of natural origin, but bred with the help of man. The process takes quite a long time - to grow one bead it will take from 3 to 12 years, depending on the type of mollusk and the conditions of detention.

To form pearls, a small fragment of previously prepared nacre is placed in the mantle of the mollusk. Marine and freshwater organisms are secured with special nets and lowered into the water until the beads mature. Today, the largest “factory” for the production of cultured pearls is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan.

Artificial pearls

Synthetic pearls are beads produced without the participation of marine or freshwater mollusks. These can be cheap plastic, glass, alabaster elements that imitate natural ones. Artificial pearls made from mollusk shells ground into dust are distinguished by a naturalistic appearance and higher cost.

Which pearl is better

Due to the high cost, it is difficult to find natural pearls of natural origin in jewelry. In 80% of cases it is replaced with cultivated specimens that do not differ in characteristics. The cost of such beads is affordable for the vast majority of people. To make jewelry, artificially created beads that imitate natural ones are used. “Wild” pearls can be purchased at jewelry auctions; they have a high cost, since searching for beads is difficult.
Interesting! On average, to find one calcified formation inside a mollusk, you have to destroy about 100 shells.

Decorations

As is the case with natural stones, Mallorca pearls are most often decorated with the following jewelry: earrings, bracelets, beads, hairpins, pendants, brooches. Jewelers frame beads of different colors in frames made of silver, gold or steel with different types of coating.

Minimalist style jewelry can be worn every day. These are various bracelets with several pearls, earrings consisting of one mother-of-pearl bead framed in an elegant frame. Often, hair clips, hoops, and rings are decorated with organic stones.

For special occasions, they produce products consisting of many major pearls. These are beads consisting of several threads, large pearl bracelets, solid brooches and rings.

How to properly care?

Artificial pearls are quite strong and durable, but still require delicate handling. To ensure that such jewelry lasts for many years, you should adhere to the following simple rules of care:

Mother of pearl is stored separately from precious stones, jewelry and minerals. To do this, it is placed in a personal special bag.
No aggressive chemical cleaning agents are used for cleaning. The beads are washed with running water and ordinary soap, and wiped with a soft natural cloth.
Pearls protect against sudden temperature changes and strong heating. When visiting a hot shower, bath or sauna, such jewelry is first removed.

If you follow simple care rules, pearls will serve the owner for more than 10 years.

Advantages and disadvantages

The benefits of natural, cultured pearls are their authenticity. Purchasing jewelry with precious inserts can be considered an investment. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Mallorca beads?

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pros

The main positive quality of artificial pearls is their attractive appearance. At first glance, the products cannot be distinguished from natural ones.

Wear resistance

The manufacturer of artificial pearls uses a durable coating for the final layer. This allows you to increase the durability of use and wear resistance of the beads.

Important! The coating is not destroyed under the influence of detergents, perfumes, fresh and salt water, human sweat, and sunlight. Its shades remain vibrant.

Maintaining original appearance

Pearls of natural origin contain water and conchiolin. The water gradually evaporates, exposing a layer of conchiolin that is susceptible to decomposition. A natural bead gradually fades, darkens, and loses its properties. To avoid destruction, periodically soak the products with water. Major pearls are free from this drawback, as they are made without water.

Variety of colors

The shade of natural pearls is determined by the composition of the water and the presence or absence of salt. When creating artificial specimens, dyes are mixed. A red tint is obtained by adding iron, purple - manganese, green - copper. Using natural ingredients to add shade, they create almost any color, which beads that grow naturally do not have.

Impeccable form

Industrial production allows you to create perfectly round beads, regardless of size. “Baroque” pearls - elements of irregular, bizarre shapes - are not produced using this technology.

Ease

The low weight of pearls allows you to create large jewelry that does not create inconvenience when worn for a long time. Beads of natural origin are much heavier, and therefore are less valued by ladies who prefer massive earrings and necklaces.

Minuses

There are only two significant drawbacks:

Lack of magical, healing properties, like jewelry of natural origin.
The thin surface coating can be scratched, cracked, or chipped. Natural beads are free from this disadvantage due to their continuous monolithic structure.

A small number of shortcomings are compensated by the relatively low cost and ease of maintenance.

An interesting version of the creation of Majorika technology

The history of the technology itself is also not entirely clear. According to some (unverified, but valid) assumptions, the author of the method, Eduardo Hugo Heisch, opened the first production with far from specious intentions. The German immigrant decided to start producing fake pearls, which would be difficult to distinguish from natural sea pearls. Over time, the process was so refined that Major pearls exceeded all expectations in terms of aesthetic characteristics and organic composition. The founder of the technology realized that you can make money not through criminal means, but by selling unique pearls.

The factory founded by Heish, by the way, still operates in Manacor, a city on the island of Majorca, where the production of man-made pearls began in 1890. The stones created here are framed in gold and silver and strung on viscose-silk threads.

We felt it necessary to talk about Major pearls because we want you to know everything about pearls. But our priority is jewelry with natural stones. These are the ones presented in the catalogue, and the “Pearl Gifts” section has also been opened in the online salon, where you can purchase gift certificates for the purchase of products from the MAYSAKU jewelry house.

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Technology for producing mother-of-pearl beads

The secret of obtaining perfect pearls is carefully guarded, but some aspects of production are known to the general public.

Preparing the Kernel

The process of making beads begins with a core, onto which subsequent layers of coating are applied. Base - high quality porcelain, glass. During the preparation process, the finished kernel is dipped into a bowl with a solution whose composition is unknown. Supposedly, it consists of crushed mother-of-pearl, a natural pearl powder.

Layering

The pearl coating of the beads consists of crushed fish scales, mollusk shells, and oil. The prepared kernel is immersed in the composition for 40 minutes, then dried with ultraviolet rays. The number of layers on a large bead reaches 30; for a small pearl, 20 is enough.

Shape and color

All layers of mother-of-pearl must undergo a grinding stage in order to achieve the shape of an ideal ball. The production involves the creation of ellipsoidal, teardrop-shaped pearls. The tint is achieved by adding natural dyes to the mother-of-pearl coating. They are mixed with the base in the required proportion.

Tour of a pearl factory in Mallorca and trying on jewelry:

Price

Compared to natural pearls, organic stones are tens of times cheaper. But natural mother-of-pearl coating still won’t cost a penny, especially if the beads are set in silver or gold.

Average cost of Major pearls:

4000-5000 Russian rubles per ring;
6000-10000 for a bracelet or earrings;
approximately 11000-12000 for beads or necklaces.

The price also directly depends on the diameter of the pearls and the number of layers of mother-of-pearl applied.

When asked what Mallorca pearls are, artificial or cultured beads, jewelers answer neither one nor the other. This variety is classified as organic stones produced in artificial laboratory conditions without the participation of oysters.

Comparison with the present

Bracelets, earrings, beads from Mallorca - how are they different from pearls of natural origin? The production technology allows us to accurately replicate the composition and characteristics of natural pearls. They also consist of calcium carbonate and are covered with natural mother-of-pearl, isolated from the shells of mollusks and fish scales. Hardness, density, fracture correspond to natural specimens.

Imitation pearls

High-quality artificial pearls completely replicate beads of natural origin.

Shell Pearl

The technology, developed in the 1950s, involves making a base from crushed, pressed mollusk shells. Then they are coated with natural mother-of-pearl essence, enamel, and varnish. The appearance of the finished product is no different from wild pearls caught in a pond.

Pearls of Majorica

The main advantages of artificial beads are their relatively low cost and realistic appearance. The shape of the beads is perfectly round, which is rare in natural specimens. The Majorica company produces finished products - necklaces, bracelets, earrings.

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Pearl Mabe

Mabe pearls are made as follows:

The plastic core of the future “jewel” is attached to the shell of the mollusk from the inside.
Cultivation takes place over 6–12 months.
The pearl is drilled out and the core is removed.
The void is filled with epoxy resin.

The result is a natural shell filled with a solid substance from the inside. The cost of such products is much lower than the price of wild pearls.

Determining the authenticity of pearls

You can find out whether the beads in a product are natural or not by checking them in the ancient way - with a tooth. Natural mother of pearl has a crystalline structure and leaves a feeling of roughness. Artificial products are absolutely smooth. Imitation beads that are empty inside are noticeably lighter.

Interesting! Low-quality artificial specimens can break even with slight pressure.

Jewelry with pearls Mallorca

Precious metals are used for framing - gold, silver. Rhodium plating is used to prevent oxidation. When making jewelry, the limiter is only the jeweler’s imagination. Artificial beads are used to create necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, pendants, tiaras.

Price

Mallorca pearls are not natural pearls, but the production technology and the use of expensive ingredients do not allow the products to compare with the cost of plastic. For example, beads 45 cm long with medium-sized elements will cost about 11,000 - 13,000 rubles. Rings, earrings, pendants, depending on the precious metal used for framing, will cost from 3,000 to 7,000 rubles.

WE BUY SMARTLY

Noble pearl beads are a symbol of style, breed, completeness and elegance. But only if high-quality pearls were used in the process of creating the jewelry. For example, Mallorca. How to distinguish the products of a Spanish jewelry house from ordinary beads masquerading as pearls?

Visual features and price

The originality of Majorica pearls can be determined by the following characteristics:

PEARL TIDE. White Mallorcas shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow when the sun's rays hit them. The more intense the radiance emanating from them, the more valuable the products.
SHINE. The surface shines, reminiscent of the sheen of satin fabric.
TEXTURE. This characteristic takes into account the diameter, shape, thickness and quality of mother of pearl. Ideally, each pearl should resemble a sphere (ball). Uneven shape, scratches, cuts, discolored spots reduce the quality and, accordingly, the price of pearls. Mallorca products combine all the described properties.
COLOR. Colors range from pearlescent white to sophisticated black.
STRENGTH. Unlike capricious natural pearls, Mallorca is not afraid of heat, cold, as well as beads of sweat, perfume, cosmetics, etc.

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Who can wear pearl jewelry with Mallorca?

Jewelry with high-quality imitation of natural mother-of-pearl beads is acceptable for everyone. There are no restrictions due to the artificial origin of the material, so the decoration does not have any magical or medicinal properties. This fact prevents the use of mother-of-pearl pearls as talismans and amulets that attract good luck. Artificial stone is safe and suitable for all signs of the Zodiac circle without exception. The lack of specific qualities makes beads a universal gift for any woman.

WHAT MAGIC AND ASTROLOGISTS SAY

Natural pearls have long been considered a symbol of youth, beauty and health. Darkened stones warned their wearer about health problems. The pearl was also a talisman for family and marital relationships.

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Many jewelry connoisseurs are sure: stones from Mallorca, although considered artificial, have all the properties of natural pearls.

Esotericists and astrologists attribute pearls to the water element. Therefore, jewelry with mother-of-pearl beads is suitable for signs under the protection of water: Pisces, Scorpios and Cancers. Spanish pearls will protect the owner from evil people and thoughts, and will help you make the right decision.
Fire signs (Aries, Leo and Sagittarius) are better off wearing pearls set in gold. This is because these signs are too impulsive, and the noble mineral may not withstand their temperament.
Earth signs (Virgo, Capricorn and Taurus) should not wear pearls every day - this can cause discord in the family and undermine health. It is better to wear iridescent jewelry only for a special event. The same recommendation is relevant for air signs: Aquarius, Libra and Gemini.