Pearls: Their History, Sources, Types and Qualities

Throughout history, pearls have been treasured for their beauty wherever they've been found -- from China to the Persian Gulf to Mexico and beyond. Before the creation of cultured pearls, natural pearls were incredibly rare, considered symbols of wealth and power reserved for the elite. With the pearl culturing revolution, pearls became widely available, and they remain an iconic fashion staple for celebrities, athletes, royalty and everyone in between.

This lavishly illustrated guide -- which features hundreds of photos, maps and diagrams -- covers everything from identifying, culturing and evaluating these gems to the captivating stories of some of the world's most sought-after pearls.

Pearls includes chapters on:

• Why pearls are so prized -- Pearl symbolism and admiration throughout the ages and a showcase of the most prized pearls in history
• Natural vs. cultured pearls -- Explanation of the sources of each and how a layperson can identify them
• Pearl value factors -- A list of the main factors for evaluating pearl quality and price
• Akoya pearls, South Sea pearls, black pearls and freshwater pearls. These chapters discuss the sources and qualities of each type of pearl and gives readers tools to evaluate them
• Pearls produced by sea snails, scallops, clams, saltwater mussels and nautiluses
• Pearl processing and treatments -- How pearls can be treated and tests that can be done to see if a pearl has been treated
• Imitation pearls
• Pearl jewelry -- Examples of pearl jewelry from the 18th century to the modern day
• Wearing and caring for pearls -- Tips for wearing a strand of pearls as well as methods of cleaning and storing pearls.

As useful as it is beautiful, Pearls will be a welcome guide for anyone who has felt the allure of these spherical gems.

Renée Newman is a highly respected gemologist and the author of gem and jewelry guides, including Diamonds, which charted the history, sources, cutting techniques and more of the world's strongest gemstone. Her books have been used worldwide as sales-training tools, buying guides, class texts and references for jewelry professionals. She earned her graduate gemologist diploma from the prestigious Gemological Institute of America (GIA).