PEARLS, THE MOST SUSTAINABLE GEMS
Did you know that pearls are possibly the most sustainable gems?
Pearls are the only natural gems that come from a cultivation process, rather than being extracted from the earth through mining.
Pearls are created by saltwater oysters and mussels. of water dulceThese require environments with clean, nutrient-rich waters to grow and create pearls of the highest quality. This causes the entire pearl industry to work to protect and improve the pearl farming areas.
French Polynesia
As a general rule, pearl farming areas are remote regions with incredible biodiversity and beauty. The industry works to protect these areas because for oysters to grow, it is essential that the entire ecosystem is healthy. Therefore, they try to regulate practices such as uncontrolled fishing, protect the reefs, and prevent the discharge of pollutants.
A quite striking success story is that of the Philippines, where the golden variety South Sea pearls, one of the most exotic varieties of pearls that exist. In the region where the pearls are cultivated, dynamite fishing was quite common; this practice not only affected the oysters but also impacted the reef and the entire ecosystem. It was the local pearl companies that managed to provide an alternative livelihood for the fishermen and educate them to avoid this practice.
Palawan, Filipinas
Contrary to what many may think, obtaining a pearl requires a lot of time, at least 2 years for the oyster to grow sufficiently and between one and two more until it creates a quality pearl. In most types, it takes 5 years from the time the oyster is born until a pearl is obtained, so the environmental conditions must be optimal for long periods of time.
Pinctada Fucata Martensi, la concha de las perlas Akoya desde un mes hasta 3 años
Most pearls are cultivated in Asiamainly in China, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, French Polynesia, and Australia. The pearl farming business provides jobs that coexist with other work such as fishing, agriculture, and tourism. In French Polynesia, pearls are the second engine of the economy, after tourism. It is a very constant and delicate work, since the process of cultivating pearls is not easy. It requires a lot of attention and skilled labor, as well as prior knowledge of this fascinating world. In many of these regions, pearl farms are small family-run operations.
Main countries where pearls are cultivated
On the other hand, oysters and mussels have very long lives, and some types can produce pearls up to three times, only to be returned to the sea later. Both the Pinctada Maxima, which produces South Sea pearls (known in Spain as Australian) in white and gold and the Pinctada Margaritifera that produce the Black Pearls of Tahiti, they generally create only one pearl at a time, but they can do it up to three times.
Conchas de la Pinctada Margartitifera
In the case of oysters and mussels that do not return to the sea, everything is utilized in addition to the pearls. The shells are used as decorative elements and to create cosmetics, while the meat is used for consumption, as the central part of some is considered a delicacy, and the rest is used as animal feed and fertilizer.
The white meat in the center is considered a delicacy
At Secret & You, we are committed to trying to offer the most sustainable product possible, which is why we work with responsible producers and farms that ensure the best farming practices.
