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| Saturday, 13-Nov-2010 03:22 |
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Pearl Jewelry - The Story of Pearl Hunters
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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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| Saturday, 13-Nov-2010 03:21 |
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Buying Pearl Jewelry Without Being Ripped Off
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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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| Monday, 8-Nov-2010 08:58 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
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Pearl Jewelry - The Story of Pearl Hunters
|
|
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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| Monday, 8-Nov-2010 08:40 |
Email | Share | | Bookmark |
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Buying Pearl Jewelry Without Being Ripped Off
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|
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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| Wednesday, 28-Oct-2009 01:03 |
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Reading to Dogs Helps Kids Build Literacy Skills
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Theo, a 5-year-old border collie-greyhound mix, might just be a young reader's best friend. That's because Theo, like more than 2,300 dogs around the country, has been trained to do what many humans cannot: listen, with seemingly unlimited patience, as his young friends read out loud.
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Program helps kids build skills by reading to pearl jewelry non-judgmental furry friends.
"I like to read stories with him," said 8-year-old Brian Chan, who reads with Theo at a branch of the New York Public Library. "He does look at the story book, and he smiles a lot."
Theo is part of an innovative program the New York Public Library started five years ago called R.E.A.D. with Mudge. R.E.A.D. stands for Reading Education Assistance Dogs, and the program now has about a dozen dog-trainer teams that visit library branches about once a month -- giving kids the chance to choose a book and read it to them.
Related
Conquering Illiteracy: One Man's Fight
WATCH: The Truth About Cats and Dogs
WATCH: 84-Year-Old Learns to Read
The New York program is modeled after one that started in Utah in 1999 and has now spread to every state except South Dakota. The idea: Kids would feel less stress reading if they were reading to biwa pearl someone who would never laugh at a mistake or judge them for mispronouncing a word. Therapy dogs were perfect.
"Kids have to practice, practice, practice to be good readers, and yet, when you're practicing, if you make a mistake, it can feel risky or uncomfortable," said Francie Alexander, the chief academic officer at Scholastic. "But if you're practicing with a dog, and the dog is nonjudgmental, you don't mind making the mistake. In fact, you'll probably correct it."
That was the experience of 6-year-old Isabelle Ephron, who read with Theo for the first time last month and was surprised when he gave her a friendly lick.
"He usually licked me when I was stuck on a akoya pearl word," Isabelle said. "I think he wanted to give me encouragement to figure out that word."
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| Wednesday, 28-Oct-2009 01:00 |
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Tips From the 'Ultimate' Guide to Pets
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Do you know how cats shake hands? Marty Becker does.
In his new books, "The Ultimate Cat Lover" and "The Ultimate Dog Lover," Becker shares such feline and canine secrets.
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Dr. Marty Becker offers surprising solutions for akoya pearl common pet problems.
More Photos
Today on "Good Morning America," Becker gave a sneak peak at tricks to keep your pets under control and offered a few dos and don'ts for pet owners.
For more solutions to common pet problems or to learn more about "The Ultimate Dog Lover" and "The Ultimate Cat Lover," visit Petconnection.com.
Things to 'Do'
Create a designated digging and bathroom area. Dogs are known for burying bones and digging seemingly haphazardly throughout the yard. While this could tear up a perfectly good yard, stopping them completely is not the answer.
"Most [owners] want to stop digging. We want to redirect digging," Becker said. "You create a designated digging zone. Get a biwa pearl children's play pool [that's] an appropriate size for the dog. You put treasures like Busy Buddy Toys in there."
That way, rather than getting punished for digging in the wrong places, pooches get praised for digging in the right places.
Additionally, designating bathroom zones can keep your lawn clear of pet waste.
Related
Could Your Pet Be Making You Sick?
WATCH: Recession Rescue for Furry Friends
Victims Find a 'Buddy' at the Courthouse
"You take them to the designated potty zone," Becker said. "Take them over there and when they go in that area, give them a treat. Pretty soon they want that reward and they only go to that spot in the yard."
Get a scratching post for stressed-out cats According to Becker, scratching for cats is as normal as any other exercise. So rather than letting your cats scratch the carpet or nearby chairs, invest in a scratching post.
But do not get one that is carpet, Becker said. Cats may associate that carpet with the one on the floor and scratch away.
"Give them a piece of string," Becker said. "You can spray catnip and spritz it to get them to use the scratching post. There's also a pearl jewelry new product called Feliway -- you can spray the objects, like the edge of the couch they're scratching on, for a 97 percent reduction by using the Feliway."
Shake hands with your potential kitty. Before picking out a cat, Becker suggested trying a few tricks to figure out which one will be the best for you.
First, put your finger in front of the cat's nose. "It's like a handshake," Becker said.
Second, try "suspension," where you hold the cat up. "If they hang real loose, that's a good sign," Becker said.
Finally, Becker urged people not to forget to check their "purrometer." "The longer and stronger they purr, the more social the cat is," Becker explained.
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| Wednesday, 28-Oct-2009 00:59 |
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Wet Cat Photos Take Web by Storm
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You haven't seen angry until you've seen a cat with his head under a faucet.
Courtesy Stuff On My Cat
Thousands of cat owners share photos of pearl jewelry their wet cats online.
(Courtesy Stuff On My Cat)
If there's anything the stereotypically haughty house pets despise it's being wet.
"I think it's the closest you can see in the animal world to someone giving you the finger," said veterinarian Marty Becker, co-author of "Why Do Cats Always Land on Their Feet?" "That look is unique in the biwa pearl animal world of total disgust. ... It's just a classic."
And yet that look is taking the Internet by storm. As feline photo blogs continue to draw millions of visitors each month, the wet cat sub-genre is taking on a life of its own.
"They make such great drama, it's like watching daytime soap in a bucket," said Ben Huh, CEO of ICanHasCheezburger.com, one of the akoya pearl most popular cat photo blogs on the Internet. Each month, he said, about 3.6 million unique visitors check out his site for a daily dose of the feline funnies.
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| Wednesday, 28-Oct-2009 00:56 |
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Animal Odd Couples: Unlikely Duos Find Friendship
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You'd have to see it to believe it.
A kitten and a crow. A primate and a pup. Even a predator and its prey.
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"National Geographic" documents improbable animal pals.
More Photos
Defying the laws of akoya pearl nature itself, animal odd couples forge friendships under the most peculiar circumstances. But in the process, they show us that humans aren't the only members of the animal kingdom to demonstrate complex emotions and traits.
"To know that these animals are capable of emotions like love and understanding and caring, like we are, is quite an eye-opener," Tony Fitzjohn, a conservationist with Wildlife Now, says on a National Geographic program airing Saturday.
Related
Animal Odd Couple: Orangutan and Dog Are Best Buds
PHOTOS: Fat Skunk Says Bye-Bye to Bacon
See 11 Animals Do Amazing Things
"Unlikely Animal Friends" features six of the biwa pearl most curious couples the animal kingdom has ever seen. Here are a few of our favorites.
Orangutan and Hound Dog Become Best Buds
One was an outgoing orangutan, the other an underfed stray dog.
But since the moment they met, Suryia and Roscoe have been inseparable.
Bhagavan "Doc" Antle, founder of The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS) in Myrtle Beach, S.C., said Roscoe, a Bluetick Coonhound, followed him and Suryia, one of TIGERS' orangutans, through the pearl jewelry park's gate one day in 2006.
As soon as Suryia saw Roscoe, he ran over to him and started playing, Antle said. After a few unsuccessful phone calls to find an owner, Antle decided to let Roscoe stay.
Now, the pair has a ball frolicking around the park. For a few hours each day, they swim or roll around in the grass. Suryia will even grab Roscoe's leash and take him for walks around the enclosure, Antle said.
"To me, they seem like long-lost friends. They would make you believe in reincarnation," he said.
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| Wednesday, 28-Oct-2009 00:52 |
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How Pet Owners Can Cut Down on Shedding
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Spring is prime shedding season -- a hairy time for many pet owners. If shedding is one of your pet peeves, America's favorite vet, Marty Becker, has some advice for how to stop the fur before it flies.
Share
Marty Becker discusses easy ways to
pearl jewelry handle pet hair.
How to Cut Back, Collect and Contain Shedding
Becker said to keep in mind that all breeds shed, though some do more than others.
Long-haired dogs, such as Afghan hounds and poodles, shed less than shorter-haired varieties, such as Labrador retrievers or pugs. This is because dogs with long hair are genetically programmed to keep their coats for a longer time, while those with shorter hair shed more because they keep growing new hair and push out the old.
If you want a short-haired dog that doesn't shed much, consider adopting one that is a mixed-breed, such as a poodle cross or a maltese cross. Be sure to keep their coats trimmed.
If you already have a pet, you can avoid getting hair on the furniture and your clothing by grooming where it's easier to clean up. For biwa pearl example, Becker said he grooms his dogs in his yard and in the winter he does it in the garage.
When giving your dog a bath, put some elbow grease into it. With vigorous shampooing, rinsing, wiping down and combing out, the hair will shed in the tub, rather than your living room.
Related
WATCH: Animals on Safari and Stage
WATCH: Foreclosed Pets
WATCH: Protecting Pets
Products for Grooming Your Pal
The FURminator deShedding Tool ($49.99) will help thin out the coats of both dogs and cats. Combing your pal's hair with the FURminator not only thins out its top coat but it also reaches the undercoat, or the loose dead hair which is a major source of shedding.
The FURminator Double Edge de akoya pearl Shedding Tool ($54.95) has twin blades, and the FURminator FURejector deShedding Tool ($54.95) comes with a button that releases trapped hair from the tool, freeing a hand and making it easier to groom pets who can't sit still.
Bissell has invented the ShedAway Pet Grooming Attachment ($29.99) to vacuum up your pet's hair. The brush is like any other you would use to brush your pet's coat, but it connects to your vaccum, sucking up the hair before it hits the floor. The attachment fits all major brands of vacuums. [url]
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