Golden South Sea Pearl
There is no denying the majesty of pearls; they are formed, often by chance, when an irritant such as a grain of sand works its way into certain species of oysters, clams, and mussels. As a means of defence, molluscs secrete a fluid to coat the irritant. As this is repeated, layers are formed around the grain of sand, or whatever it may be, until a beautiful pearl is formed.
It certainly comes as no surprise that golden South Sea pearls are so popular. The surface of these pearls looks like gold satin and can grow to be quite large. By comparison, an Akoya pearl averages six or seven millimetres, while golden South Sea pearls grow to an average of 13 millimetres.
However, golden South Sea pearls are quite rare and, as a result, expensive. These days, through the use of modern technology, heat treatments have been developed that can transform ordinary pearls into ones that look like golden South Sea pearls. These heat-treated pearls are far less expensive and are used in jewellery manufactured across the world.
They are grown in the gold-lip variety of Pinctada maxima, the South Sea pearl oyster. Their warm, golden tones are completely natural, and no treatments are needed to enjoy the beauty of these luxurious gems.
Golden South Sea pearls, much like white South Sea pearls, are typically larger than other saltwater pearl varieties. Their host shell is the largest pearl-producing oyster and is able to grow a very large pearl. As with other saltwater oysters, Pinctada maxima is bead-nucleated. However, the growth period is approximately 2-4 years, unlike the akoya pearls, which develop in one to two years, and the Tahitian pearls, which develop in under two years.
The deepest golden colour, often referred to as 24 karat, is considered the most valuable colour of all South Sea pearls.