Jewelmer Pearl Talk

I have yet to meet a woman who does not love pearls. They're beautiful and they always add a touch of class to one's look. Pearls can go with almost everything in your closet, from a white shirt and jeans combo, to the classic little black dress.

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a Pearl Talk hosted by Jewelmer, the leading producer of exquisite and rare golden Palawan South Sea Pearls.

We were given a background on how Jewelmer creates their fine pearl jewelry. In the pristine waters of Palawan lie the pearl farm of Jewelmer. Every piece of jewelry is hand-crafted with French artistry and Filipino craftsmanship - a perfect mix that makes Jewelmer truly world-class.

I also learned about the interesting differences of the pearls you see in Greenhills compared to that of Jewelmer. The pearls you see in Greenhills are also real pearls, but they're freshwater pearls that are made from mussels. A single mussel can produce about 50 pearls in at least 6 months. Mussels can grow and survive in lakes and ponds - not necessarily clean bodies of water. The pearls from Jewelmer are classified as saltwater pearls, which are produced from oysters. These oysters undergo an extensive process for them to produce the most lustrous pearls:

(1) Grafting
A round bead carved out of freshwater shell from the Mississippi river is inserted to a mature oyster.


(2) Post-operation stage
The oysters will have to recover, and checked upon after 3 months. This process requires turning of the oysters from their cage (see below) to ensure total recovery.

(3) Cultivation period
Oysters are hand cleaned every 30 days, and their cages' depth are adjusted depending on temperature and food availability. Xray is also done to ensure that the oysters are well. I learned that the oysters are just like babies that need to be well-taken cared of for them to create the most beautiful pearls.

(4) Harvesting
After 2-3 years comes the magical moment for when the pearl is finally extracted from the oyster. Usually, the oysters can just product 1 pearl in their lifetime, because they'll be too weak to make a second one. But if the pearl is of gem quality, there is a possibility of second grafting.

Jewelmer uses only the top 3% of the harvest, hence, these are the best pearls in the world. Jewelmer, being the largest pearl producer in the world, supplies all the top international jewelry brands.

Golden Palawan South Sea Pearls

Philippine South Sea Pearls come in warm, natural colors such as gold, champagne, cream, rose, silver, blue, and white. The Golden Palawan South Sea Pearls are the rarest of all natural colors, which is produced by the gold-lipped Pinctada Maxima oyster.

Pinctada Maxima (Gold and silver-lipped oyster)

Black South Sea Pearls

Meanwhile, the beautiful black pearls are produced from the black-lipped Pinctada Margaritefera oyster, which can be found in Tahiti and French Polynesia.

Pinctada Margaritefera (Black-lipped oyster)

Every single piece is hand-crafted to perfection, using only the finest South Sea Pearls, diamonds, white gold and 18-carat gold (for the chains, hooks, etc).

This is the ultimate wishlist moment. Seeing these pearls inspire me to work hard and save up for these gems. They're a real investment that can be passed on as heirloom to future generations, as these pearls are timelessly beautiful.

 

See how these pearls instantly adds a touch of elegance and power to a simple black dress.

Of course, the day won't be complete without a picture with these lovely ladies! ♥

Thank you for the fun learning experience, Jewelmer. Truly, South Sea Pearls are rightfully called the national gem of the Philippines because of their innate beauty, orient, and luster. Now that's something to be proud of!

Love,
Helen