African Women Gold Diamond Fashion 2015 Jewellery 10005

African Women Gold Diamond Fashion 2015 Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

African Jewelry - Conclusion

Africa craftsman continue to produce beautiful traditional bead work unique to their region or tribe. Often this is for sale to tourist and through online websites. There is also a lot of African inspired jewelry produced that is often unique and stunning. Producing and selling beads has been a major source of income for many of the tribal people of Africa.

Syria, Syrian Arab Republic Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 154

 Syria, Syrian Arab Republic Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery.

 By Aamir Mannan.

Generally, Akoya cultured pearls take 10 to 18 months from the time they are nucleated to the point they're ready for harvest. Akoya Pearl Harvesting Akoya cultured pearls are the most difficult and costly to grow because of the low survival rates of their host oysters. Less than 50 percent of Akoya oysters survive the nucleation process, and those that do go on to produce pearls can do so only once. Of all Akoya pearls produced, less than 5 percent are considered high quality. Nevertheless, the total number of Akoya pearls harvested every year generally exceeds other types of saltwater cultured pearls. This is why most cultured Pearl Necklaces are made of Akoya pearls. 

African Women Gold Diamond Fashion Party Jewellery 10004

African Women Gold Diamond Fashion Party Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

African Bead Jewelry

When it comes to jewelry perhaps Africa is best know for its handmade beautiful beadwork. The beads produced in Africa are often called trade beads due to the fact that for many centuries they were used in exchange for goods (used as currency). The earliest known beaded jewelry ever discovered is from approximately 10,000 B.C. and comes from Libya. Ancient Egypt also produced beautiful bead work dating back to 2,200 B.C.

Many tribes in Africa create stunning beadwork. Zulu bead jewelry is created based on long standing traditions, and their designs convey important information about the wearer. For example a particular necklace may indicate where the wearer is from or what family they belong to. Maasai beaded jewelry is created based on strict tribal rules pertaining to the colors and design. Maasai women wear very beautiful beaded jewelry on special occasions such as weddings. Women of the Pokot tribe who live in Kenya and Uganda are known for wearing beautiful broad beaded collars and necklaces. The women of the Turkana tribe, who live in the Turkana district in Kenya's Rift Valley Province, wear beadwork that indicates their social status. Yoruba kings of Nigeria were known for their incredible beaded crowns.

Switzerland Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 153

 Switzerland Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

You learned how cultured pearls are generally cultivated, harvested and processed for market. Now let's see what points of interest apply in these areas to the Akoya pearl specifically. We'll do the same with South Sea and Tahitian pearls as well. Akoya Pearl Cultivation Akoya pearls take their name from the comparatively small Akoya oyster in which they form, also known by its scientific name Pinctada fucata. Most Akoya oysters used in pearl farming are bred in hatcheries, to ensure the safety of the species. Much research has gone into breeding hearty, healthy Akoya oysters -- to produce pearls so well-known for their superior lustre and color. As with all cultured pearls, Akoya oysters are nucleated with a hard-shell bead and mantle tissue from an oyster that has produced a high-quality pearl in the past. But compared with the other species of saltwater cultured pearl oysters, many more Akoya oysters are nucleated. 

African Women Gold Diamond Fashion Party Jewellery 10003

African Women Gold Diamond Fashion Party Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

Materials Used in African Jewelry

Through out history Africans have tended to use organic materials and materials that were readily available in their region to create their jewelry. This was especially true in their early history. Later on trade with other people increased the types of materials available for jewelry making. Below is a list of some of the more common materials used by African craftsmen.

Ivory
Carved stone
Bone
Sea Shells
Animal teeth
Animal hair
Egg shells
Wood
Amber
Glass

Sweden Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 152

 Sweden Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

Here, over the past hundred years, Japanese pearl growers have refined the techniques of pearl cultivation to a high art -- to a point where some of the world's loveliest pearls are grown, in a country where attention to detail combines so well with the love of beauty. Today, some two thousand independent growers harvest pearls in the waters of Japan -- large and small cultivators alike, employing the same basic techniques to grow these lustrous gems to perfection. 

African Gold Diamond Fashion Party Jewellery 10002

African Gold Diamond Fashion Party Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

Africa is the birth place of mankind and human civilization. It is also where people first made and wore jewelry. Perforated pea-sized snail shells used as beads dating back 75,000 years have been unearthed in a cave, named Blombos, on the coast of South Africa. In Kenya beads over 40,000 years old made from perforated ostrich egg shells have been discovered. As time moved on the African craftsmen improved their jewelry making techniques resulting today in some of the most beautiful jewelry in the world.

Swaziland Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 151

Swaziland Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

Then, in 1905, after 12 years of painstaking work and trial-and-error, he successfully produced his first totally round pearl. What had once been a gem reserved for the upper class and nobility, would now be available for all to own and cherish. In the 1920's, when Japanese cultured pearls were first introduced into the jewelry market, they confused pearl buyers, and raised much debate as to whether or not they were "real" pearls. But soon the world realized that cultured pearls were as real as natural ones, and that nature had simply been encouraged by human ingenuity. What Kokichi Mikimoto had helped create was an industry, one so closely associated with Japan today. The sea around the southern half of Japan is the largest habitat in the world for Akoya oysters. 

African Gold Diamond Fashion Party Jewellery. 10001

African Gold Diamond Fashion Party Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

African Jewelry Fashion Jewellery in. African Jewellery. gold And silver fashion jewellery it is a great African Fashion Jewellery  2015 wedding party diamond jewellery. 

Handcrafted African jewelry is known for its beauty and quality. There are many types of necklaces, pendants, bracelets, earrings, and other types of tribal jewelry hand made and worn by Africans that are also for sale. Jewelry from Africa and African inspired jewelry can be great gifts for women and for men. Beyond their use for self adornment these pieces also have cultural significance. For example jewelry may indicate an individuals wealth, power, and their standing in the society. The materials used range from gold and silver to sea shells and beads.

Suriname Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 150

 Suriname Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

Know your Akoya pearls

The story of Akoya pearl cultivation is a fascinating one, the result of the hard work and creativity of several important individuals. But the story of Akoya pearls is especially associated with the life of one man: Kokichi Mikimoto. In the late 1800's, Kokichi Mikimoto, a son of humble beginnings, began to experiment with pearl cultivation. Convinced he could farm pearls, Mikimoto worked for years -- usually unsuccessfully -- trying to coax pearls from oysters. 

Sudan Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 149

 Sudan Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery.

 By Aamir Mannan.

CULTURED PEARL PRODUCTS

In this essay you'll learn about Akoya.html">Akoya, South Sea, and Tahitian cultured pearls -- three kinds of pearls that together satisfy the entire range of customer desires. You'll learn about the history of each type of pearl, some details on the ways each is cultivated, harvested and processed, and the special qualities each possesses. 

Sri Lanka Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 148

 Sri Lanka Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

A hole drilled even slightly off-center can ruin a necklace or other piece of jewelry that depends upon the symmetry of its assembly of pearls. Finally, it's time for matching and stringing. This can be even more difficult than sorting, because now experts must compare pearls that are similar in size, shape, lustre and color -- looking for nearly exact matches. The art of assembling pearls into a necklace, a pair of earrings or other jewelry calls for refined skills in matching. Only highly-trained experts with years of experience can perform this task. To find 47 pearls for a perfectly matched 16-inch necklace, a pearl processor must cull through more than 10,000 pearls. 

Spain Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 147

 Spain Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery.

 By Aamir Mannan.

These are the precious treasures of pearl cultivation, the rare prizes of any jewelry collection. After harvesting, gem quality pearls must be sorted. Because no two pearls are ever exactly alike, sorting pearls is an extremely difficult and time-consuming effort performed by experts. Each pearl must be sorted by size, shape, color and lustre, so it is handled hundreds of times. After sorting, the pearls are drilled with great care and precision. An inexperienced operator can split or ruin pearls with careless handling.

South Sudan Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 146

 South Sudan Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

On average, only 50 percent of nucleated oysters survive to bear pearls, and of them, only 20 percent bear pearls that are marketable. The rest are simply too imperfect, too flawed to be called jewels. And so, a perfect pearl is truly a rare event, blessed by Nature. Less than 5 percent of nucleated oysters yield pearls of such perfect shape, lustre and color as to be considered fine gem quality.

South Africa Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 145

 South Africa Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.
How pearls are processed for market

Saltwater cultured pearls can never be a mass-produced, factory-like product. The whims of unpredictable Mother Nature do not allow it. Millions of oysters are nucleated every year, but only a small proportion live to produce fine-quality cultured pearls. Many oysters don't survive the nucleating process, others are weak and fall prey to disease. Heavy rains may flood the bays with fresh water, reducing their salinity, and killing the oysters. Sometimes, certain species of phytoplankton undergo explosive growth, creating the dreaded "red tide," which exhausts the oxygen in the water, and suffocates the oysters. Then there are typhoons, the attacks of predators and parasites, lack of sufficient nutrients in the water. 

Somalia Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 144

Somalia Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery.

 By Aamir Mannan.

Periodically, the oysters are lifted from the sea for cleaning and health treatments. Seaweed, barnacles and other seaborne organisms that might interfere with their feeding are removed from the oysters' shells. The shells are also treated with medicinal compounds to discourage parasites. Over time, after many months of growth and care, the oysters are ready for harvest. Those that have survived the many perils of the sea are brought ashore and opened. And then, when everything has gone well, a beauty is revealed -- the result is a lovely, lustrous and very valuable cultured pearl. 

Solomon Islands Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 143

 Solomon Islands Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

 The cells from the mantle tissue develop around the nucleus forming a sac, which closes and starts to secrete nacre, the crystalline substance that forms the pearl. The nucleated oysters are then returned to the sea where, in sheltered bays rich in nutrients, they feed and grow, depositing layer after layer of lustrous nacre around the nuclei implanted within them. The oysters are given the utmost care during this time, while suspended in the water, from the rafts above. Technicians check water temperatures and feeding conditions daily at various depths, moving the oysters up or down as appropriate. 

Slovenia Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 142

 Slovenia Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

In Japanese pearl cultivation, scientists have isolated strains of oysters that possess superior pearl-producing qualities. These selectively-bred oysters produce pearls of exceptional lustre and color clarity. In a process referred to as "nucleation," also called "grafting" or "seeding," highly skilled technicians carefully open live pearl oysters, and with surgical precision make an incision in the oyster's body. Then, they place a tiny piece of "mantle tissue" from another oyster into a relatively safe location. Then, they place a small round piece of shell, or "nucleus," beside the inserted mantle tissue. The nucleus is a mother-of-pearl bead made from an American freshwater mussel.

Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 141

 Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

Cultured pearls share the same properties as natural pearls. Oysters form cultured pearls in an almost identical fashion. The only difference is a person carefully implants the irritant in the oyster, rather than leaving it to chance. We then step aside and let nature create its miracle. How pearls are cultivated and harvested Early on, pearl cultivation depended entirely on wild oysters. Later you'll learn that, in some cases, the same applies today. But modern pearl cultivation has become more selective.

Singapore Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 140

 Singapore Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

How something so wondrous emerges from an oyster's way of protecting itself is one of nature's loveliest surprises. For the nacre is not just a soothing substance. It is composed of microscopic crystals of calcium carbonate, aligned perfectly with one another, so that light passing along the axis of one crystal is reflected and refracted by another to produce a rainbow of light and color. 

Sierra Leone Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 139

Sierra Leone Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

A natural pearl begins its life as a foreign object, such as a parasite or piece of shell that accidentally lodges itself in an oyster's soft inner body where it cannot be expelled. To ease this irritant, the oyster's body takes defensive action. The oyster begins to secrete a smooth, hard crystalline substance around the irritant in order to protect itself. This substance is called "nacre." As long as the irritant remains within its body, the oyster will continue to secrete nacre around it, layer upon layer. Over time, the irritant will be completely encased by the silky crystalline coatings. And the result, ultimately, is the lovely and lustrous gem called a pearl.

Seychelles Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery 138

Seychelles Pearl Gold Diamond 2015 Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

But today, with the advent of pearl cultivation, pearls are available and affordable to all.

How pearls Form In Oysters

The birth of a pearl is truly a miraculous event. Unlike gemstones or precious metals that must be mined from the earth, pearls are grown by live oysters far below the surface of the sea. Gemstones must be cut and polished to bring out their beauty. But pearls need no such treatment to reveal their loveliness. They are born from oysters complete -- with a shimmering iridescence, lustre and soft inner glow unlike any other gem on earth.

Serbia Pearl Gold Diamond Fashion Jewellery 137

 Serbia Pearl Gold Diamond Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

During the European expansion into the New World, the discovery of pearls in Central American waters added to the wealth of Europe. Unfortunately, greed and lust for the sea-grown gems resulted in the depletion of virtually all the American pearl oyster populations by the 17th century. Until the early 1900's, natural pearls were accessible only to the rich and famous. In 1916, famed French jeweler Jacques Cartier bought his landmark store on New York's famous Fifth Avenue -- by trading two pearl necklaces for the valuable property. 

Senegal Pearl Gold Diamond Fashion Jewellery 136

 Senegal Pearl Gold Diamond Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

In ancient Rome, pearls were considered the ultimate symbol of wealth and social standing. The Greeks held the pearl in high esteem for both its unrivaled beauty and its association with love and marriage. During the Dark Ages, while fair maidens of nobility cherished delicate pearl necklaces, gallant knights often wore pearls into battle. They believed the magic of these lustrous gems would protect them from harm. The Renaissance saw the royal courts of Europe awash in pearls. Because pearls were so highly regarded, a number of European countries actually passed laws forbidding anyone but the nobility to wear them. 

Saudi Arabia Pearl Gold Diamond Fashion Jewellery 135

Saudi Arabia Pearl Gold Diamond Fashion Jewellery. 

By Aamir Mannan.

Brief History pearls

Many thousands of years ago, long before written history, human beings probably discovered the first pearl while searching the seashore for food. Throughout history, the pearl, with its warm inner glow and shimmering iridescence, has been one of the most highly prized and sought-after gems. Countless references to the pearl can be found in the religions and mythology of cultures from the earliest times. The ancient Egyptians prized pearls so much they were buried with them. Cleopatra reportedly dissolved a single pearl in a glass of wine and drank it, simply to win a wager with Mark Antony that she could consume the wealth of an entire nation in just one meal.