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Pearl Jewelry - The Story of Pearl Hunters

Posted by whoyg10370 on Saturday, November 13, 2010 3:18:28 AM
As long as pearl jewelry have been known to people, they have been a highly sought commodity for their beauty. It's only in recent times however that the industry has taken the hunt for the perfect pearl to a whole different level. Today, the shiny orbs that we see on in display in jewelry stores have actually almost always been grown in farms.

That's a far cry from the dangerous extraction and collection methods used before the invention of modern technology. In the past, not more than 100 years ago, the only way to retrieve pearls was by diving in lakes, floods and the ocean to pick them up, one at the time. The unfortunate divers who'se job it was to do this, were often poor and lured by the relative large sums they could get. The diver would sometimes have to dive as deep as 100 feet on one single breath of air. In order to preserve air and to stay submerged the longest, the divers would hold on to heavy stones on the way down.

Naturally, this dangerous activity was reserved for the desperate or the powerless - in many cases slaves or extremely poor peasents. Today, this method is all but obsolete in most places of the world. The cheaper cultured pearls have become popular and are many times the only pearls available to the consumer.

There are however still a few isolated areas that practice this old art of pearl diving. Some of the finest natural pearl speciments come from the gulf of Bahrain. Here, divers still risk their health to retrieve what are considered the top of the crop in the world. In fact, Bahrain wants no part of the sale of cultured pearls, banned from trade. Bahrain is one of the few places on earth that does an active job in trying to preserve the natural habitat and waters from pollution.

It's an interesting story and one that continues to fascinate buyers around the world. Somehow, the beauty of the pearl grows when it's been retrieved from the depth of the ocean.
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Buying Pearl Jewelry Without Being Ripped Off

Posted by whoyg10370 on Saturday, November 13, 2010 3:16:32 AM
Buying pearl jewelry can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you're considering a gift of pearl jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here's some information to help you get the best quality pearl jewelry for your money, whether you're shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online.

Pearls

Natural or real pearls are made by oysters and other mollusks. Cultured pearls also are grown by mollusks, but with human intervention; that is, an irritant introduced into the shells causes a pearl to grow. Imitation pearls are man-made with glass, plastic, or organic materials.

Because natural pearls are very rare, most pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation pearls. Cultured pearls, because they are made by oysters or mollusks, usually are more expensive than imitation pears. A cultured pearl's value is largely based on its size, usually stated in millimeters, and the quality of its nacre coating, which give it luster. Jewelers should tell your if the pearls are cultured or imitation. Some black, bronze, gold, purple, blue and orange pearls, whether natural or cultured, occur that way in nature; some, however, are dyed through various processes. Jewelers should tell you whether the colored pearls are naturally colored, dyed or irradiated.

Clams, oysters, mussels and many other mollusks with limy shells are known to produce pearls. But very few kinds yield gem pearls of jeweler's quality. The pearl is an abnormal growth of mother-of-pearl, or nacre, imbedded in the soft bodies of these shellfish. It is built up, layer upon layer, in the same way as nacre is added to the lining of the growing shell and always has the same color and luster. For example, over the country, hundreds of good-sized pearls are found each year in the oysters we eat. Unfortunately these have no commercial value regardless of whether they have been cooked or not because they are dull opaque white or purple like the shell of the parent oyster. In recent times almost all pearls of gem quality come from the oriental pearl oyster which has a bright shimmering translucent nacre.

A pearl starts growing when some irritating foreign substance such as a sand grain, bit of mud, parasite or other object becomes lodged in the shell-producing gland called the mantle. Pearls formed in the soft flesh where nacre can be added on all sides are most likely to be spherical and the most highly prized. By far the great majority are flattened or variously distorted and have little value. Size, color, luster and freedom from flaws are other essential qualities. Unlike other gems, such as diamonds, pearls have an average life of only about 50 years. In time the small amount of water in a pearl's make-up is lost and its surface cracks. Because they are mostly lime, necklaces which are worn often are injured by the acid secretions of the human skin.
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Buying Pearl Jewelry Without Being Ripped Off

Posted by whoyg10370 on Saturday, November 06, 2010 5:13:21 AM
Buying pearl jewelry can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you're considering a gift of pearl jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here's some information to help you get the best quality pearl jewelry for your money, whether you're shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online.

Pearls

Natural or real pearls are made by oysters and other mollusks. Cultured pearls also are grown by mollusks, but with human intervention; that is, an irritant introduced into the shells causes a pearl to grow. Imitation pearls are man-made with glass, plastic, or organic materials.

Because natural pearls are very rare, most pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation pearls. Cultured pearls, because they are made by oysters or mollusks, usually are more expensive than imitation pears. A cultured pearl's value is largely based on its size, usually stated in millimeters, and the quality of its nacre coating, which give it luster. Jewelers should tell your if the pearls are cultured or imitation. Some black, bronze, gold, purple, blue and orange pearls, whether natural or cultured, occur that way in nature; some, however, are dyed through various processes. Jewelers should tell you whether the colored pearls are naturally colored, dyed or irradiated.

Clams, oysters, mussels and many other mollusks with limy shells are known to produce pearls. But very few kinds yield gem pearls of jeweler's quality. The pearl is an abnormal growth of mother-of-pearl, or nacre, imbedded in the soft bodies of these shellfish. It is built up, layer upon layer, in the same way as nacre is added to the lining of the growing shell and always has the same color and luster. For example, over the country, hundreds of good-sized pearls are found each year in the oysters we eat. Unfortunately these have no commercial value regardless of whether they have been cooked or not because they are dull opaque white or purple like the shell of the parent oyster. In recent times almost all pearls of gem quality come from the oriental pearl oyster which has a bright shimmering translucent nacre.

A pearl starts growing when some irritating foreign substance such as a sand grain, bit of mud, parasite or other object becomes lodged in the shell-producing gland called the mantle. Pearls formed in the soft flesh where nacre can be added on all sides are most likely to be spherical and the most highly prized. By far the great majority are flattened or variously distorted and have little value. Size, color, luster and freedom from flaws are other essential qualities. Unlike other gems, such as diamonds, pearls have an average life of only about 50 years. In time the small amount of water in a pearl's make-up is lost and its surface cracks. Because they are mostly lime, necklaces which are worn often are injured by the acid secretions of the human skin.
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Veteran Labour MP Barry Sheerman

Posted by whoyg10370 on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 1:33:11 AM
At least 10 Labour MPs are considering taking legal action against their own party over the way in which they have been treated during the expenses scandal, according to senior party figures.

The group includes Jim Devine, MP for Livingston, who was deselected by Labour's "star chamber" in a row over disputed claims worth £4,500 for pearl jewelry office costs.

The threats are the latest evidence of a backlash by MPs against the punishment being dealt out by party leaders. Last week Devine was given a clean bill of health by Sir Thomas Legg, the former civil servant called in to review expenses, and was not asked to pay any money back.

Devine said he had a lawyer who was "foaming at the mouth" and wanted to challenge the party for referring him to its star chamber. Labour says Legg had been investigating only claims made by MPs under the additional costs allowance (ACA) and had not looked at those under "incidental expenses", which cover office costs.

Others who are said to feel badly treated include David Chaytor, MP for Bury North, who announced in June that he would step down before his case was considered by the star chamber. Chaytor, a respected member of the education select committee, faced likely deselection after it emerged that he claimed almost £13,000 on a biwa pearl non-existent mortgage.

Friends of Ian Gibson, the former Labour MP for Norwich North, who stepped down in the summer after being summoned to the star chamber and told he could not stand again, said recently that he felt he had "grounds to sue" over his treatment. He had claimed £80,000 on a London flat in which his daughter lived and where he stayed.

In a further sign that the expenses saga will drag on well into next year Revenue and Customs confirmed yesterday that it was investigating claims by 27 MPs. In May the Observer revealed that the taxman was looking into whether MPs had deliberately evaded capital gains tax when selling their second homes.

The furore over Legg's call on MPs to repay expenses is now fuelling renewed debate inside the Labour party over Gordon Brown's future.

One senior Labour MP said last week that plans were under way to gather at least 100 MPs to back an "anti-Brown" candidate in next month's elections for the chairmanship of the parliamentary labour party.

Veteran Labour MP Barry Sheerman is ready to stand if he can gain sufficient support but would give way if another candidate could secure more backers. A party source said that MPs were "angry beyond belief" at the way Brown had handled the akoya pearl expenses crisis. A party spokesman said last night that no official legal letters had been received from any MP, past or present, about their treatment over expenses.
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After months of aerial bombing

Posted by whoyg10370 on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 1:32:49 AM
Pakistan threw more than 30,000 soldiers into a long-anticipated ground offensive against al-Qaida and Taliban strongholds along the Afghan border yesterday, following two weeks in which militants have killed more than 175 people across the country. Early reports suggested the advancing troops were meeting fierce resistance from pearl jewelry Taliban fighters.

The United States has been pushing the government to carry out the assault in South Waziristan, which it must now attempt to complete before the onset of winter snows in early December.

Pakistan has fought three unsuccessful campaigns since 2001 in the region, which is the heartland of Pakistani insurgents fighting the US-backed government. The area is also a major base for foreign militants planning attacks on Nato forces in biwa pearl Afghanistan and on targets in the west. Pakistani sources claim there are up to 1,500 foreign fighters and 10,000 local Taliban fighters in the region.

After months of aerial bombing, Pakistan's cabinet yesterday ordered troops into the region from several directions, heading to the insurgent bases of akoya pearl Ladha and Makeen, among other targets.

At least 11 suspected insurgents were killed, while a bomb hit a security convoy, killing one soldier and wounding three others, intelligence officials said.
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Researchers have refused to release

Posted by whoyg10370 on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 1:32:32 AM
Researchers from the National Centre for Social Research, commissioned by the Department for Work and Pension (DWP), sent three different applications for 987 actual vacancies between November 2008 and May 2009. Nine occupations were chosen, ranging from highly qualified positions such as accountants and IT technicians to pearl jewelry less well-paid positions such as care workers and sales assistants.

All the job vacancies were in the private, public and voluntary sectors and were based in Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, London and Manchester. The report, to be released tomorrow, concludes that there was no plausible explanation for the difference in treatment found between white British and ethnic minority applicants other than racial discrimination.

It also finds that public sector employers were less likely to have discriminated on the grounds of race than those in the private sector.

One reason for this discrepancy, according to the conclusion, is the use of standard application forms in the public sector which hide or disguise the ethnicity of an applicant. The research is also understood to have found that larger employers were less likely to discriminate than small employers.

Researchers have refused to release the names of the biwa pearl guilty employers, but it is expected that they will be contacted to let them know they had been targeted.

The report has been welcomed by senior race advisers as evidence of discrimination in the job market. Iqbal Wahhab, chair of the Ethnic Minority Advisory Group, which proposes policy changes for the government on race and employment, said: "The evidence of the DWP report is unquestionable – we live in a society where racial discrimination systematically occurs and currently goes in the main unchallenged." Wahhab, an entrepreneur, said that the employers should not be "named and shamed" but persuaded to cultured pearl jewelry  change.
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"The employers who fell

Posted by whoyg10370 on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 1:32:14 AM
Researchers from the National Centre for pearl jewelry Social Research, commissioned by the Department for Work and Pension (DWP), sent three different applications for 987 actual vacancies between November 2008 and May 2009. Nine occupations were chosen, ranging from highly qualified positions such as accountants and IT technicians to less well-paid positions such as care workers and sales assistants.

All the job vacancies were in the private, public and voluntary sectors and were based in Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, London and Manchester. The report, to be released tomorrow, concludes that there was no plausible explanation for the difference in treatment found between white British and ethnic minority applicants other than racial discrimination.

It also finds that public sector employers were less likely to biwa pearl have discriminated on the grounds of race than those in the private sector.

One reason for this discrepancy, according to the conclusion, is the use of standard application forms in the public sector which hide or disguise the ethnicity of an applicant. The research is also understood to have found that larger employers were less likely to discriminate than small employers.

Researchers have refused to release the names of the guilty employers, but it is expected that they will be contacted to let them know they had been targeted.

The report has been welcomed by senior race advisers as evidence of discrimination in the job market. Iqbal Wahhab, chair of the Ethnic Minority Advisory Group, which proposes policy changes for the government on race and employment, said: "The evidence of the DWP report is unquestionable – we live in a society where racial discrimination systematically occurs and currently goes in the main unchallenged." Wahhab, an entrepreneur, said that the employers should not be "named and shamed" but persuaded to change.

"The employers who fell foul of the DWP CV test are not bigots – they are business people. I don't suggest we slap injunctions on them and probably not even name and shame them, but instead we should help them understand that their current practices mean they are not fit to supply big customers like government departments," he said.

The findings echo the experience of akoya pearl black and Asian jobseekers contacted this weekend. James Nkwacha, 28, a physics graduate whose family are from Nigeria, said he has applied for 60 jobs this year but had only two replies. "The jobs are within my range. I am qualified for them. But for some reason I have been overlooked," he said.
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Others outside the church

Posted by whoyg10370 on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 1:31:57 AM
In her column yesterday, Moir wrote under the pearl jewelry headline "There was nothing 'natural' about Stephen Gately's death" that the circumstances "are more than a little sleazy" and told how he and his civil partner, Andrew Cowles, had taken a Bulgarian man to their flat in Majorca after an evening clubbing. Gately reportedly smoked cannabis on the night he died, Moir added.

Bertie Ahern, Ireland's former taoiseach,, joined in the criticism of the Mail's coveragetoday. Speaking before signing a book of condolence on a lectern in the middle of Seville Place directly facing the church, the ex-prime minister said he could not fathom why the paper's columnist had launched what thousands have condemned as a homophobic attack on the freshwater pearl bracelet singer's memory.

"You could see it last Sunday and Monday when I was in London and some of the papers were waiting to write some sensational piece about him. The guy [Gately] was a good guy who died of natural causes and this is his funeral so I can never understand why people just don't leave things simple," Ahern said.

Others outside the church were even more forthright in their condemnation of the Daily Mail column. Alan Hunter, who runs the Irish music radio station ShamrockFM.com, urged as many people as possible to write to the paper's editor and demand an apology for Gately's family.

"We are all very very insulted by that coverage even if biwa pearl people are entitled to their own opinion. There is a time and a place for everything but it was the wrong time entirely to be launching an attack like that. I certainly hope the Irish people force that newspaper's editor to apologise for the great hurt caused by that article. It's the least they can do," Hunter said.
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