Glossary of Pearl Terms, A - L
Abalone Pearl: Iridescent non-nacreous natural pearls and cultured 'blue' mabe pearls.
Akoya oyster: The Pinctada fucata martensii oyster that produces akoya pearls.
Akoya pearls: First cultured by Kokichi Mikimoto in the Pinctada fucata martensii oyster.
Ama: The Japanese female pearl divers of the early 1900s.
Aragonite: The calcium carbonate polymorph of which much of a pearl is composed.
Baroque Pearl: A pearl with no axis of symmetry.
Bivalve Mollusk: A mollusk capable of producing nacreous pearls. Molluks has opposing valves attached by a hinge.
Biwa Pearl: A freshwater pearl from Lake Biwa in Japan.
Biwa Pearly Mussel: The Hyriopsis schlegelii freshwater mussel native to Japan and used in freshwater pearl culture in Japan and China.
Black-lip: The Pinctada margaritifera (black-lip oyster) which produces black South Sea pearls, Tahitian pearls, and Cook Island pearls.
Black South Sea Pearl: Pearls produced by the Pinctada margaritifera (black-lip oyster).
Blister Pearl: Pearl attached to the inside of the mollusk shell.
Carat: The unit of measure used to valuate natural pearls.
Choker: Pearl strand of 15 to 16 inches (38 to 40 centimeters).
Collar: Pearl strand of 12 to 13 inches (31 to 33 centimeters).
Conchiolin: The first layer of epithelial secretion prior to nacre deposition. Often conchiolin appears as darkened areas which are most evident in natural and cultured abalone pearls.
Conch: Produces calcareous concretions known as conch pearls. Conch pearls are orange to red and are prized for their 'flame pattern'.
Cook Island Pearls: Pearl produced by the Pinctada margaritifera (black-lip oyster) in the Cook Islands.
Cortez Pearl™: Cultured in the Pteria sterna mollusk in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico.
Cultured Pearl: Any pearl produced by means of human intervention.
Fluorescence: Colors only visible when viewed under ultraviolet light.
Freshwater Pearl: Natural or cultured pearls grown in freshwater mussels such as the Hyriopsis cumingii, Hyriosis schlegelii and Cristaria plicata.
Grain: The unit of measure once associated with natural pearls. Carat is now the standard.
Gold-lip Oyster: The Pinctada maxima, also known as the South Sea pearl oyster.
Half-drill: Pearls which have only been partially pierced for use in earrings, rings and pendants.
Hyriopsis cumingii: Freshwater mussel shell used to culture freshwater pearls in China.
Hyriopsis schlegelii: Also known as the Biwa-pearly mussel, use to cultured freshwater pearls in China and Japan.
Kan: Ancient Japanese unit of measure now used exclusively for pearls. One kan is equivalent to 1000 momme.
Keshi Cultured Pearl: Keshi is the Japanese word for "poppy seed" and is used to refer to small, accidental pearls that are a byproduct of the culturing process.
Luster: The internally emanating shine unique to natural and cultured pearls.
Continue to Glossary of Pearl Terms, M - Z
|