There can be a lot of confusion when it comes to South Sea Pearls and South Sea Shell Pearls. One is a genuine pearl gem, while the other is its imitation. But when looking at and handling each, it’s hard to tell their differences. Both look nearly identical and have the same weight to them.

South Sea Pearls are rare, valuable and large. A gift from nature you could say. South Sea Pearls are produced in the waters off the Australian coast, through Indonesia, the Philippines, and to the southern tip of Burma by the rarest and largest oysters in the world - the Pinctada Maxima. This shell produces an exquisite nacre, a lustrous material that is creamy and smooth, which gives off a subtle opalescence.

These genuine pearls are found in a wide variety of colors. From white through silver, cream through yellow to a deep gold, South Sea Pearls can also display pink, blue, or green overtones. On very rare occasions, what many call a "black" pearl (though derived from a blue pearl) has also be discovered.

With water pollution and changing environmental conditions, genuine pearls will continue to increase in price and will be harder to come by. As with many of the earth’s natural resources, the South Sea Pearl has all but disappeared from the world’s pearl markets, giving way to the production of South Sea Shell Pearls. For a pearl necklace and a matching pair of pearl earrings shown in the picture above, it would cost you $15,000 at least.

South Sea Shell Pearls are simulated pearls made to look like South Sea Pearls. They are man-made in a laboratory from South Sea oyster shells - the same mollusks expensive South Sea pearls originate from. They look and feel similar to South Sea Pearls, and are popular because of their affordability. South Sea Shell Pearls are more smooth and don’t have the gritty texture that South Sea pearls do. This is because they are created in a lab, which is cleaner than a lake or ocean. The Island of Mallorca is well known for its imitation pearl production.

The history of creating imitation pearls goes back to ancient time - to about 1300 A.D. when the French used them for adorning luxurious clothing and accessories. One production method saw a combination of white powdered glass mixed with egg white and snail slime (yes, snail slime) to produce the imitation pearls. They dipped hollow glass beads into an acid in order to produce iridescence, and then filled the bead for solidity and weight.

Today, the process to create South Sea Shell Pearls can vary but generally follows the same process as the natural pearl with man controlling the production. The usual process to create South Sea Shell Pearls begins with pulverizing shells into a mix, which is then combined with a binder and formed into a perfectly shaped bead of any size. Dye technology then produces the color on shell-based pearls to almost any hue imaginable. The final step is to dip or spray on the pearlized coating, which is oftentimes either ground fish scales or pearl powder.

In today’s marketplace, the use of imitation-South Sea Shell Pearls continues to gain popularity with jewelry designers, as many consumers simply cannot afford the luxury of the real gems. For instance, a 12mm southsea shell pearl necklace at 22in long in completely round shape only costs less than $45.

As with metal finishes, the beauty and the luster of imitation pearls and their price depend on the thickness of the coating and the type of coating used. The thicker the coating, the more expensive they will be, though they will actually wear better and last longer. Therefore the quality is still very important, and it can vary from one manufacturer to another. For all of the southsea shell pearls from orientalpearls.net, it all comes with unconditional manufacturer warranty.

South Sea Shell pearls are easier to care for than natural pearls - they are much less affected by perspiration, perfume and detergents, and have a more durable shine and color. However, long periods of exposure to direct sunlight should be avoided, because the protein in pearl shell beads will become yellow under sunlight.

Versatilty. Price. Unique look and feel.

Pearls have been around forever. Remember Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana and how elegant they looked with theirs? They inspired women throughout the world. Today, pearls are more popular than ever (especially with brides) and are showing up in other areas too.

As designers continually look for that extra something to make their creations into masterpieces, freshwater pearls are becoming a favorite among many of them.

With their affordability, and vast array of colors, shapes and sizes, freshwater pearls are continuing their momentum with designers looking for something new.

The myriad of pearl shapes, like the coin shape, potato, Baroque, rice, semi-round, and Biwa to name a few, has allowed designers to add a flare of geometry to their pieces. The result are highly unique pieces so much more affordable than most pieces made of all beads.

Low-priced genuine Chinese freshwater pearls have meant a successful new area for Simone A., an artist from California, who previously used beads and gemstones until she started incorporating pearls into her work nearly two years ago. “With my creative process always going, I am constantly thinking of distinctive new looks for my clients. When I started with pearls I was given so many more options, “ Simone says. “Now I can really mix things up by using colorful coin pearls on some pieces and then say, single pearls on earrings and rings.”

The love of pearls doesn’t seem to be slowing down either as every day more and more artists are discovering their value. In the state of Illinois, the Pearl Society in Chicago was created by Eve Alfille of Eve J. Alfille Gallery & Studio in Evanston as a way to educate jewelry artists and retailers about pearls. Other such groups as well as many websites have focused on education on freshwater pearls.

To learn more, visit www.OrientalPearls.net.