Analysis of Pearls

Analysis of Pearls

What is a pearl? A pearl is a pellet of calcium carbonate. Of all the gems in the world, it is the only one created by a living creature. A pearl is found in an oyster or other mollusk. They are grown in limited areas of the world's oceans and come in wide range of shapes and colors. The value of a particular pearl is determined by a number of factors. The prices of these precious stones are widely varied depending on the perfection of the stone. A pearl is a very unique, valuable gem.

Pearls were first introduced in the 1850s when they were discovered in Western Australia's Shark Bay. Here the gems were found in the salt water albina oyster, known as Pinctada. In the 1880s the pearl industry rapidly spread along the north west coast of Australia. By 1910, "nearly 400 luggers and more than 3500 people were fishing for shell in the waters around Broome, then the biggest pearling centre in the world"(Western Fisheries Australia). During this time, the luggers were powered by sail and only equipped to carry the apparatus for one diver. The divers wore vulcanized canvas suits, lead-weighted boots, and enormous helmets made of bronze while they collected shell underwater for hours at a time. The 1930s improved upon the vessels. They were now motorized and had mechanical air pumps that could support two divers per boat. The early pearl industry had an alarming death toll of approximately 300 men. Cyclones and sharks mostly caused the deaths. Between the 1920s and 1940s the pearl industry nearly crashed due to the increasing use of new plastics for buttons, buckles, and other shell products (Western Fisheries Australia). The introduction of cultured pearls revived the pearl industry in more re...

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...rl growing are established, but research and development continues, either within company laboratories, funded by the Pearl Producer's Association (PPA), or at Fisheries Western Australia" (Fisheries Western Australia). Pearling is presently and will continue to be a growing industry.

Pearls are very precious and valuable stones. There are many different types of these gems that come in a variety of shapes, colors, and orient. They are only found in a few areas of the world and take many years to grow. The two major pearl producing countries are Australia and Japan. This is mainly due to the fact that warm ocean waters are a necessity in the growth of pearls. The pearl industry, which began a little over a hundred years ago, has changed dramatically over the years as technology improvements were made. The industry will continue to change with new technology.