Imitation pearls: what it is, its characteristics and application

Any buyer who at least once wanted to purchase a piece of jewelry with pearls was faced with a wide range of prices. In reality, the difference is determined by the type of stone itself. The material of this article will acquaint the reader with artificial pearls, tell what it is, what are its features, pros and cons.

Natural pearls today are a great rarity, which is why their artificial analogue is used more and more often in jewelry. In fact, this is a replica of a natural stone, only, unlike it, an artificial pearl is not born inside a shell and does not grow over the years, it does not lay down layer by layer. Artificial stone is created by human hands. These are fake pearls that differ even from cultured stones.

Despite the beautiful name, artificial pearls are made from plastic, glass, alabaster, pink coral and hematite. There are no ideas or speeches about any mollusk shells here. Cover the resulting beads with special mother-of-pearl, and in multiple layers. The top layer can be composed of real powdery mother-of-pearl mixed with a binder.

In production shell pearl a part of the shell was used as the core, covering it with layers of mother-of-pearl. Variety majoricaused today differs in that the core, which is covered with many layers of mother-of-pearl, is alabaster. Mussel extract is used as mother of pearl in production. Outwardly, such stones are difficult to distinguish from real pearls.

Ohrid pearls there is nothing else but Macedonian glass beads made using a special technology. Pearls Swarovski are crystal beads coated with a special composition. They are heavier than ordinary grains of artificial mineral, and outwardly quite closely copy natural pearls. In contrast, they are not so capricious in wear and care.

In another way, a fake for a natural stone is called an orchid.... It is made from porcelain, glass and plastic. Cover with artificial mother-of-pearl on top.

In addition, in the production of stones, in order to strengthen them, they undergo chemical treatment with a substance that contains either cellulose acetate or nitrocellulose. These minerals are like the Burmese cultivated grain. Venetian synthetic pearls created from blown glass, the inner part of which is filled with wax. It is difficult to distinguish it from the present.

As for the newer spheres of production, they include the so-called shell mineral... During production, its grains are coated with polyamide and a special varnish, which includes mica and plastic. This mineral is gaining great popularity in jewelry today.

An unnatural stone has many advantages. For example, if the imitation is made with high quality, it looks expensive and gives a high status to a piece of jewelry. Moreover, pearl jewelry can be worn at any celebration. They are suitable for women of different age groups and are appropriate in different situations.... Imitation can decorate hairpins, its grains under electric lighting can differ in the effect of light refraction.

A synthetic mineral is used in various types of jewelry: it can be part of beads, rings, earrings, bracelet. Moreover, unlike real pearls, it is not afraid of the sun, and therefore you can wear it at any time of the year, and especially in summer. It is resistant to sunlight, and therefore does not lose its shine or beauty.

Artificial stone is obtained faster than natural stone, besides, its production is not so laborious. A significant advantage of imitation is acceptable cost... This fact increases the circle of customers, but at the same time increases the circle of unscrupulous sellers offering low quality goods for sale.

Imitation is used not only in jewelry: these stones become accents of gold and silver jewelry. Moreover, the size of pearls of synthetic origin can be large. For example, jewelry can contain stones with a diameter of more than 1 cm... Another advantage of artificial pearls is the richest palette of shades.

Concerning disadvantages of synthetic stone, then not every such pearl can have a shine like natural. She does not have such beautiful iridescence and shine. In addition, artificial pearls are characterized by the absence of a natural (porous) structure.

Compared to natural mineral in imitation not so long life resource... As a rule, it does not exceed fifty years. In this case, the replica must be protected because of its fragility. Besides many of its shades are completely unusual for natural pearls, and some of them change color during operation.

Despite the apparent similarity, there are still differences between real and artificial stone. For example, when buying it is important to pay attention to the shape of the stone: in imitation, it is almost perfect, which cannot be said about a real mineral. The surface of the counterfeit is perfect: it is even, smooth. Its shape is round, which is not the case for natural pearls that develop naturally and do not differ in the evenness of the surface.

Imitation is distinguished by its weight: it is always lighter than real pearls.If you look closely at the jewelry, you will notice that the pearls differ in size and shape. The fake has all stones of the same size and flawless shape. Moreover, their brilliance is devoid of depth and natural overflows.

Unnatural pearls differ in the same color of stones, while natural pearls differ in shades of each grain in one piece. A closer look at the pearl of synthetic origin in the place of the holes, you can see the chips... At the same time, inside the hole, you can see the material from which a particular grain was made.

Imitation can also be identified by tactile sensations. Unlike a real mineral, the replica is not so cool. Besides, fake stone warms too quickly when handled... It also quickly acquires the temperature of the room in which it is located.

The difference is also determined by the strength of the stone: one made by human hands is prone to scratches. At the same time, traces of other damage remain on it, but not on natural pearls. Also, the imitation ages faster due to dust, high humidity and temperature fluctuations. The history of one real piece of jewelry can go back centuries.

Like any natural stone, artificial pearls also need timely care. To make a piece of jewelry look worthy, there are several recommendations to consider.

• The decoration can only be wiped with a napkin or cloth.
• You cannot immerse it in water, try to clean it by placing it in a solution with a chemical.
• It is recommended to remove stubborn dirt with a damp cloth only.
• Do not try to clean jewelry with fake pearls using steam or ultrasound.
• It is necessary to store such products in special bags or in caskets with velvet upholstery.
• Contact of synthetic pearls with a solution of alcohol, vinegar, bleach, perfume, deodorants and creams is inadmissible.
• It is undesirable to put on jewelry without having done your hair. Artificial stone does not withstand contact with hair styling products.

In the next video, you can watch the process of creating cultured pearls.