All of Mai Pearls are Chinese freshwater cultured pearls.

Nearly all pearls sold today are cultured. There are some specifics which can show the qualities of pearls. One of these characteristics is the lustre, which refers to the surface shine of a pearl. This should be bright rather than dull or chalky, which indicates poor quality.

Another characteristic is the size of the pearl. This is the result of the size of the implanted bead, plus the thickness of the nacre which grows layer by layer. With all the other quality factors being equal, the larger the pearl, the more it will cost.

Hues and tones are another characteristic which affects the quality of the pearl. Pearls come in a wide range of hues or tones such as white, cream, pink, silver, gold and black.

The variations within these hues are limitless and pearls with totally different colours such as green or blue, are likely to have been permanently hand dyed.

Pearls come in many different shapes. The rounder the pearl, the higher the price it can fetch. After perfectly round pearls, pear or “drop” shapes are the most desirable. When buying a strand of cultured pearls, matching is very important.

All the pearls in a good quality necklace should be evenly matched in terms of size, shapes, surface appearance, colour and lustre. Well-matched pearl necklaces command top prices because pearl growers must harvest about 10,000 oysters in order to find enough pearls that match closely enough to make up a 16 inch strand!

Another very important characteristic which affects the quality of the pearl is its surface appearance. In other words, the thickness of nacre on the pearl (the skin of the pearl) and its imperfections. Imperfections can include disfiguring spots, bumps, pits and cracks on the surface of a pearl.

The fewer the blemishes on the surface, the higher the quality.

So once we have these beautiful pearls, how can we care for them?

Do avoid acids like wine, soft drinks and vinegar.
Do always put your pearl jewellery on last, beware of perfumed necks, wrists, hair spray and cosmetic fingers.
Do wipe the pearl jewellery with a soft dry cloth before putting it away.
Do always wash hands before handling pearls.
Do store pearls separately from other jewellery as they are easily scratched by harder stones.
Do have your necklace restrung every 6 months if worn often.
Do not store pearls in an airtight container or bag as they need to be able to breathe.

And finally,
Do enjoy wearing them!