What goes into the manufacturing process of pearl jewelry?

Every real pearl is one of a kind. They (natural pearls and cultured pearls) each come in different shapes and sizes, not to mention the vast differences in color and luster. Putting together pieces of pearl jewelry is nothing less than an art form really. Only trained experts are able to sort through mounds of pearls and find just the right ones to string together in a pearl necklace or a matching pair of pearl earrings. Of coursed the experts must have an eye for detail and preferably a long history of experience in pearl sorting and blending. Then the pearls need to be drilled in order to allow for a string to run through them. This must be done extremely carefully and accurately, otherwise the pearls will be ruined by the effort. If a hole is made anywhere other than the center of the pearl, that pearl will no longer be wearable because it will either split or it will not be able to fit into jewelry because pearl jewelry requires great symmetry. This part of the manufacturing process is absolutely crucial. Since there are always differences between pearls, one must sort through over ten thousand pearls in order to find a sufficient amount to make a single piece of pearl jewelry, especially a long pearl necklace, which requires a relatively large number of pearls to be strung together. So next time you look at a piece of pearl jewelry made of natural pearls or cultured pearls take a few moments to appreciate all the work that goes into such a creation.

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