What a Week!

If you like most of the nation have been glued to the tennis, willing our England hopefuls through each round, then how about a little ‘half-time’ Pearl break?!

Just think of yourself as an oyster, relaxed on a rock in a beautiful sunny spot as water washes over you.
Life as an oyster is so very relaxed! …or so you thought!
A ‘natural pearl’ oyster’s life is actually fraught with danger!

Oysters can change gender from one season to another, letting off eggs or sperm into the water which (hopefully) get mixed in the ocean currents.
Once the eggs and sperm connect larvae is formed. This larvae will propel itself through the water with a small foot, dodging scores of hungry fish trying to eat them, while slowly grow into a spat.

Aged 45 days old and 0.5″ long, the spat is ready to attach itself to a suitable growing spot with plenty of light. Once the spat has found this location it will never move on, growing larger and larger into an oyster.
Large pieces of coral, shell or bone get swept along by the current, occasionally being swallowed by a ‘natural pearl’ oyster. Too big to spit out the oyster desperately starts to protect itself by covering this foreign body in nacre.
The end product being a beautiful natural pearl.

If you would like to learn more about pearls then book a seat for one of our wonderful Pearl Talks. Happening throughout the year at our Pearl Showroom, located at 42 Beauchamp Place, London, SW3 1NX, Chrissie Douglas, our Pearl Specialist and Designer, will take you through the history, life and huge diversity of pearls. You will have the opportunity to browse through our wide range of Pearl Jewellery. We have pearl collections ranging from High Fashion to Timeless classic, as well as providing Bespoke, Re-stringing and Re-designing services.