Pearls are hard, rounded objects produced by mollusks and oysters. Over
time, pearls have been turned into jewelries and also crushed and
formed into cosmetics. Pearls are also valuable gemstones.

Formed inside shells of bivalve mollusks, the layer that is deposited
inside forms layers known as nacre. Now when these small particles form
altogether, a pearl is produced.

Pearls are known for their luster. The luster of the pearl depends on
the reflection and refraction of light. The finer the proportion of the
layers is, then the thinner and more numerous the light is.

Blackberry pearls are grown from black lipped oysters. They still come
in many colors, despite what its name denotes. Their colors vary from
specks of silver to a monochromatic black.

An example of a popular blackberry pearl is the ?peacock green? pearl
that has a magnificent luster and green tinge added to its black
coloring.

Blackberry pearls are attractive because of its radiance. It is
extremely valuable because of its rarity.

Most blackberry pearls come from the blue lagoons of Polyneisa. Now,
blackberry pearls are hundred times more rare than white pearls, thus
making blackberry pearls really valuable.

Aside from the color green mentioned earlier, blackberry pearls also
come in a variety of colors like emerald green, sea green, peach-copper,
pink, pale silver blue, melon, bordeaux, indigo, cranberry and
aubergine. Usually ranging from dark green to deep black, blackberry pears are
iridescent and constantly shimmering. They are very exotic.

Thus jewelry ? necklaces, earrings, bracelets ? made from blackberry
pears are indeed a fine gem. They represent love and romance.

How do you then determine the value of a blackberry pearl? There are so
many factors:

1. Luster
When you're selecting a blackberry pearl, always check the luster. The
luster refers to the reflective surface giving off a shiny mirror-like
quality. The better the luster, the higher the quality of the
blackberry pearl. The luster denotes the thick layering of the nacre or the
pearl material. If there is a fine luster, it means that the pearl has been
inside the oyster for a long period of time. The thicker the nacre, the
more valuable the blackberry pearl.

2. Size
In evaluating black pearls, size is a very important criteria. The
Black Lipped Oysters, where a majority of Blackberry pearls are obtained,
are one of the largest in the world, so it is expected that the pearls
are of more-than-average size. The usual size is 8-10.5 mm or there are
some cases wherein it is 11-14 mm. The size of the pearl is determined
by the size of the nacreous layer that surrounded it when it was still
in the oyster. The largest Blackberry Pearl seen so far was 23mm ?
that's the size of a small bird egg! Imagine how precious that pearl is!

3. Shape
Blackberry pearls come in a variety of natural shapes. It ranges from
mushroom, acorn, barrel, pear-shaped, tear-drop, button and baroque
shapes. All these shapes are marketable because they accommodate the demand
of the public. But the rounder the pearls are, the more valuable. That
is because it is so hard for oysters to create the perfect spherical
shape.

4. Orient
The orient is the heart and soul of the pearl. The orient is the
penetrating light on the pearl's surface that gives depth of color and light.
This can be observed by looking through the lustrous surface and the
many layers of the nacre or pearl material. The layer reflects the light,
thus creating an illuminating glow in the pearl. The best way to see
the orient is to hold the pearl in front of a neutral background. Let the
light shine into the pearl. The eye will be able to see through the
surface color.

5. Color
Blackberry Pearls often come in rainbow-like or beautiful natural
color. Each color is special. In selecting color, one must determine which
looks best on the wearer. The color comes more alive when it suits the
skin tone and complexion.

6. Surface
The outer surface of the pearl is checked for smoothness and
perfection. The less visible scratch, the better. Each pearl has tiny ?surface
marks? adding character to the pearl. These marks are like that of
birthmarks to human beings. However, the less surface mark, the better.

It is because of the blackberry pearl's value that a mobile phone was
named right after it.