Mother of Pearl: what it is, properties and colors

It is difficult to find a person who would not hear about mother of pearl. The rainbow gem is highly regarded by jewelers. Its shimmering overflows fascinate, and strength characteristics, not inferior to decorative ones, allow it to occupy a worthy place among the best ornamental stones.

The description of mother of pearl should start with the fact that, in fact, it is not a stone. It is a strong mineral substance that has an organic nature. An iridescent layer covers the interior of the shells of some mollusks. This is a kind of sanitary protection. It prevents the entry of contaminants and bacteria to the delicate inhabitants of shells. It is under such conditions that pearls are created that conquer the hearts of millions of women all over the planet.

A radiant biopolymer consists of lime and aragonite. The binder is conchioline produced by mollusks. After hardening, the substance becomes very strong and resembles chitin. The placement of microscopic aragonite flakes is chaotic. Each reflects light in a special way. In this case, light fluxes reflected from different faces intersect each other.

The iridescent mineral-organic composite looks so impressive that it is difficult to believe in its origin. Perhaps that is why many call it a stone. The color scheme is extensive. These are gentle pastel colors and dark saturated shades. It is worth stopping at the origin of the name mother of pearl. It was formed from the German Perlmutter.Translated, the word means "mother of pearls." This is fully true and explains the nature of the gem in the best possible way.

Mother of pearl was discovered by man a long time ago. Shellfish with pearls are not uncommon in warm equatorial seas. Since ancient times, pearl shells have been a kind of currency. And also a flickering substance was used in the manufacture of jewelry.

Beautiful things with iridescent elements were valued in ancient Egypt. For example, the mineral adorned the furniture found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. In China, the elite fans and other accessories of the ruling people were trimmed with mother of pearl. In the Middle Ages, resourceful merchants managed to trade in pearl scales, assuring them that they had fallen from angel wings. In the Victorian era, the substance began to be considered a fashionable finishing stone.

With such a wide distribution of the mineral, its extraction has always been difficult. This was done by people with the skills of excellent swimmers, divers. They had to be physically resilient, not have health problems. In addition, knowledge of where the mollusks live was mandatory. Centuries passed, and the essence of the method of extracting precious shells from the sea remained the same. The legs of the diver are equipped with a load. He pulls the earner to the bottom, where the pearl oysters are located. A person puts them in a prepared container, unties the load and returns to the surface.

However, getting a mother-of-pearl shell is only half the battle. After that, she is left under the sun. Ultraviolet contributes to the self-destruction of the mollusk. Then the shining layer is cut out and processed. Cutting, molding, grinding, polishing - all these stages the mineral goes through before using the master to turn into a product of amazing beauty. Sometimes the idea involves the maximum expressiveness of the shade, then the gem is subjected to additional processing with a solution of silver chloride. However, in most cases, the original color of nacre is left.

For many centuries, the Persian Gulf has been the source of pearly shells. Divers looked for pearls, which are not so common. In contrast, there is always mother of pearl on the wings. An amazing deposit discovered in the United States, Oklahoma. Not so long ago, the oldest pearly shells in the world were found there. Prehistoric mollusks are found in a layer of asphalt limestone. Once it was at the bottom of the sea. The age of shells is more than three hundred million years.

Petrified mother of pearl amazes with the beauty of shades. Unusual blue and greenish tint resulted from some natural chemical processes. There are also pink minerals. And also precious shells are mined in the Red Sea, off the coast of Japan. A cluster of shining "treasures" are observed near the Philippine Islands. They are in Borneo and Ceylon.

There are several varieties of nacre. They differ in shades, which depend on the type of mollusks that produce them.

• Chaliotis. Mollusks of this species live in the Pacific Ocean. Such minerals have purple, blue-green, red, gold and even black shades. The most valuable specimens are painted in pink and blue tones.

• Manilla The mother-of-pearl of such mollusks is exclusively pearl white. Extraction is carried out in India.

• Cassis. This mineral is highlighted in a unique blue color. It can be found off the coast of India and Brazil.

Separately, it is worth highlighting nacre from shells of a mollusk, called the “abalone”. Fiery red and luxurious brown tones are amazing.

Mother of pearl is a rather soft material.It lends itself perfectly to processing, but requires careful handling. The Mohs hardness index is 4.5, while the mineral is highly durable. This allows you to use it in the production of various decorative products. They turn out not only beautiful, but also durable.

In ancient times, powerful healing qualities were attributed to mother of pearl. It was often worn by pregnant women. They were sure that this promotes an easy birth. And it was also believed that flickering glitter increases the chance of the birth of a girl. In the Middle Ages, wealthy people often acquired mother-of-pearl goblets. It was assumed that the stone enriches the liquid with healing power. Drinking from such a vessel, a person, as it were, received excellent health, got rid of diseases, prolonged his life.

Ancient doctors tried to treat all sorts of ailments with rainbow powder. In the 17th century, “pearl essence” gained particular popularity. A mixture of pearlescent and pearl powders was used for fainting, poisoning, heart disease and other diseases. Today lithotherapy also does not exclude the positive effect of the mineral on the human condition.

If a woman has hearing problems, she is offered pearl earrings. If you often have a sore throat, there is a disease of the lungs or heart, a necklace or pendant with a beautiful gem can be a great addition to the traditional treatment. Lithotherapists recommend stone bracelets to those who are concerned about the condition of the joints. Sometimes pearlescent powder is used in cosmetology. It is believed that creams with it help get rid of age spots and even out skin tone.

Astrologers also attach great importance to the gem. Its magical properties are associated with organic origin. In ancient times, in the East, pearl charms depicting gods and various significant symbols were called upon to protect the house from evil spirits. The sailors carried a sink in the hope that it would give them a good way in good weather conditions. Today, the energy of the gem is assigned the ability to maintain peace and harmony in the family. This is explained by the fact that the shells in which the mother of pearl is located symbolize the emergence of something new. This is in a sense a tribal nest.

If problems began in the marriage, you should decorate the house with a pearl charm. The quarrels will gradually subside, relations will improve. If the family is happy, a rainbow-colored object will protect it from the evil eye, lovebirds and evil gossip. And also some notice that the gem improves the financial situation, contributes to stability. If a person has not yet acquired his own family, the gem will give him self-confidence and will help to reveal positive qualities. It is also worth noting that mother-of-pearl accessories are one of the few jewelry that children can wear.

Today in museums you can see many luxurious items decorated with mother of pearl. This jewelry, weapons, caskets, church items and household utensils. Many of them can rightly be called works of art. Mother of pearl items are found in modern stores. For example, gourmets can please themselves with specially coated spoons. Such cutlery is intended for tasting caviar. It is believed that in contact with metal, the delicacy loses its true great taste. The pearlescent layer eliminates this possibility.

Often the mineral is used to decorate musical instruments. These are pianos intended for performances, saxophones, violins. Interior decoration in this way today has not lost its relevance.A special technology allows you to create a mosaic of extraordinary beauty with a base of ceramics, marble, glass and so on. Designers use mother-of-pearl decor to decorate gala halls, theaters, and chic restaurants.

Gem jewelry was once the pinnacle of luxury. But today it is used to create original masterpieces. Especially good are the combinations of mother of pearl with silver and various natural stones. Pearls and coral look harmonious with rainbow mineral. Effectively complement it turquoise, malachite, agate.

Astrologers believe that the iridescent stone is universal. There are no restrictions on wearing jewelry with him. Allocate only representatives of the sign Gemini. It is believed that the dual nature of such personalities will not allow the mineral to show healing and magical properties.

Especially the proximity of the gem is recommended to Aquarius and Pisces. To people born under the first sign, he will help in his career. Representatives of the second sign will be able to enlist his support in controversial situations. And the pearly radiance will give both of them luck, inspiration, and harmonious relationships. It will support them in difficult situations, promote optimism and vigor.

Imitation mother of pearl is not uncommon. Usually they use plastic. The desired shade and shimmer is given to the polymer by applying paint according to a special technology. Defining a fake is easy. It is only necessary to slightly point the sharp end of the needle over a dubious object. If it is a natural surface, it will remain intact. If you have an imitation, a scratch will remain on it.

Sometimes glass is used to create a pearlescent effect. In this case, its reverse side is covered with pearl varnish. On close inspection, the trick is usually obvious. And you can also determine the fake to the touch.

In 2012, an amazing event occurred. It was officially announced the creation of artificial pearl of the highest class. Thanks to nanotechnology, UK scientists have recreated the perfect imitation. It is almost impossible to distinguish from the original. The secret lies in the fact that not only the appearance, but also the structure of the mineral is recreated. Due to this, radiant overflows are obtained as natural as possible.

2 years after this, another scientific breakthrough occurred. A “mother-of-pearl” glass appeared, which cannot be broken. The strength of the new material is 200 times higher than that of a conventional analogue. This was achieved through the laser creation of wave-like tiny scales, of which the new material consists. A structure similar to the natural structure of an iridescent gem provides not only strength, but also lightness. This discovery prompted specialists to new ideas.

Caring for pearl products is no different from caring for pearls. Access to the mineral in direct sunlight should be excluded. Due to ultraviolet radiation, it is destroyed. And also do not place the mother of pearl next to heat sources. He does not like dryness. An atmosphere with low humidity can cause the appearance of the stone to be corrupted by the cracks formed on it.

An important point is the personal hygiene of the wearer. Human sweat contains acids. Touching them, the mineral becomes yellow and dull. Cosmetics in the form of creams and deodorants can also harm him. Avoid getting perfume on the subject.

Cleaning the sea treasure at home is easy. The main thing is to know the basic rules.It is strictly forbidden to use abrasive and alcohol-containing compounds. Do not use detergents with dyes or other foreign elements.

There are special nets for sale. They are made of soft microfiber and are designed to clean pearl products. You can replace such a device with a piece of suede, while you can only use clean drinking water (chlorine can adversely affect the stone). If the item is contaminated, a small amount of starch is diluted in water.

About mother of pearl, see the video below.