Thank Heaven for Little Pearls |
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Hello Lambert Community,
As I enter my fourth year as a full-time resident of Bangkok, I am constantly inspired by the vibrant colors and stimulating atmosphere of Bangkok. Exotic cuisine and interesting shops line the streets, and although I am thousands of miles away from my birthplace, I feel right at home here. Each day I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.
This month's newsletter is all about pearls, one of the most unique "gemstones" in the world. Among the interesting tidbits in this issue, you'll learn that pearls are valued through a careful balance of five determining factors: luster, color, shape, surface and size. At Lambert, we help you find the perfect balance of beauty, quality and value to fit your budget. Our expert gemologist's hand-select each strand and pearl never purchasing in bulk. This guarantees you the highest quality pearls to select from.
I hope you enjoy this, our third newsletter. Going forward we hope to have them coming out more often. Please note the tab on the bottom of this email which will bring you to Lambert's pearls in detail page which has far more detailed information on pearls. Wishing you all a happy and healthy Winter/Summer depending on your locations.
Cheers,
Eric Forbes
Managing Director
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A History of Pearls
 From John Steinbeck to Donna Reed to Audrey Hepburn, pearls have become a permanent fixture in western pop culture. However, these fascinating stones are by no means new to the jewelry scene. In fact, pearls are the oldest gem known to man and are cited in the ancient texts of many major religions.
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Pearl Formation
A natural pearl originates as a foreign object, such as a parasite or a piece of shell that lodges itself in an oyster's soft inner body. In response, the oyster secretes a hard, crystalline substance called "nacre" around the irritant in order to protect itself.
As the oyster continues to secrete nacre, layer by layer, over time, the foreign element will become completely encased, resulting in what we call a pearl. |
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Freshwater vs. Saltwater Pearls
The pearls referred to thus far come from oysters living in saltwater. However, freshwater pearls offer a completely different look and shape.
 They are cultivated from mussels, not oysters, and are farmed from rivers and lakes rather than the ocean. Unlike oysters, which each produce a single pearl at a time, mussels can produce ten or more pearls at once.
The resulting pearl is slightly different than that created in saltwater, but it is equally beautiful.
Freshwater pearls are not uniform and spherical, but rather vary in shape, size and color. |
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Valuing Pearls
Not all pearls are created equal. The factors taken into consideration when valuing pearls are luster, color, shape, surface and size.
Luster: Defined as a pearl's brilliance and ability to reflect light
Color: Independent of quality, color choice depends solely on taste
Shape: Value decreases as shape becomes less spherical
Surface: The fewer the spots, the higher the value Size: Expressed in terms of millimeters |
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Caring For Pearls
If cared for correctly, pearls can last for centuries. Wearing pearls in a natural body of water will not harm them. Never expose pearls to chlorinated water, and be careful not to store in excessive heat or direct sunlight. Since pearls differ in nature from other gemstones, it is best to store them separately in a cloth bag or pouch.
When wearing pearls, be as careful as possible to limit direct exposure to cosmetics, perfumes, skin care agents, chlorine bleach, vinegar or ammonia. After wear, use a soft cloth moistened in fresh water to clean pearls, and then dry them with another soft cloth. Avoid commercial jewelry cleaners unless the label specifies that they are safe to use on pearls. For the sake of the pearls as well as to avoid a broken string, restring pearls regularly.
 
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Cutting Corner
Oregon Sunstone
Lambert, over the past 1 ½ years has been faceting more and more of this unique American gemstone which is found in only two areas of Oregon; in the south-central Plush area and 150 miles away in central eastern Oregon. Special gem cutting knowledge/skills are required to bring out the unique optical phenomenon displayed by this gem. Oregon sunstone is the only "gem quality" facet grade sunstone in the world that contains copper.
The presence of copper occurs in trace element of varying amounts which accounts for water clear to yellow and the subtle to strong body colors ranging from tans, pinks, salmon, orange and reds to greens and bicolor. Reds and greens depend on the valence form of the copper.
Copper (and hematite) platelets can also be present in a layered orientation which imparts the coppery schiller (a floating shimmer of light effect) and aventurescent glitter while still maintaining transparency in the higher grade stones.
Oregon sunstone is a labradorite family, plagioclase series member of the feldspar group of minerals. With a Moh's hardness of 6.5 to 7.2, it compares favorably with peridot, Tanzanite and garnets. Its' perfect cleavage in two directions dictates that a well placed sharp blow to the stone should be avoided. Prices of faceted gem grade stones are US$20 per carat (low end grade), considerably less than $100 for medium to better grade and $100 to $200 per carat for fine grades. Top quality very large faceted specimens in reds can go as high as US$2,000 per carat.
The preferred cutting priority is usually in the order of schiller and color, followed by yield. Sometimes the cutter must adopt his cutting to accommodate a cleavage plane. |
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