Origins: The history of faux pearls and the brand that beads them best

The origins of pearls 

The pearl is considered to be the queen of gems and has been around for centuries. According to an article by The Jewellery Editor in 2015, pearls are officially the oldest of all gems and were questionably discovered before written history, when people would forage for food along the seashore.

There is a bounty of history intertwined with pearls. Up until just last year, the oldest pearl was one found in the sarcophagus of a Persian Princess from 420 B.C. You can now find the pearl on exhibitions at the Louvre in Paris. 

But, in October last year Archeologists discovered what is deemed the oldest pearl in the world, on an island in the Persian Gulf. Dating back to 5600 B.C - 5800 B.C, the Abu Dhabi pearl is an original piece from the Neolithic period (also known as the last of the stone age) and boasts a beautiful pink hue.

Pearls have been a statement gem throughout history, having been presented as gifts to Chinese royalty in 2300 B.C and even acting as the ultimate symbol of class in Rome, leading to Julius Caesar passing a law limiting the use of pearls to ruling classes.

Why are pearls considered unsustainable?

According to Jackie Kennedy, “pearls are always appropriate,” and whereas this may be true in styling, many would argue that the cruelty of pearl farming makes for a very inappropriate gem.

What many people don’t know is that a pearl is actually a very pretty ulcer, born into an oyster when an irritant or parasite finds its way in. The oyster fights back at this parasite with nacre, a shockingly shiny substance that gives pearls their unique coating. What prompts an oyster to create nacre is stress, just like a human ulcer.

Unfortunately, the act of placing irritants in oysters has become a popular method for the mass production of pearls globally and is a way to produce more pearls in a shorter space of time. Naturally, pearls form in only 1 in 10,000 oysters and take up to 3 years to grow. 

In an article, PETA describes the new process of culturing that has come to put a cruel name on pearl farming globally. This process involves opening each oyster shell using surgical tools and placing an irritant in the oyster itself. 

Culturing is done in either freshwater or saltwater environments. Freshwater farmed pearls have another oyster’s mantle tissue inserted whereas saltwater pearls have another oyster’s mollusk tissue inserted. Unfortunately, only half of the oysters will survive this process.

If oysters do manage to survive this alongside being plunged into a variety of water temperatures and being constantly aggravated, then they are either recycled and put through the process again or killed.

So how are faux pearls made? And how are they better for the environment?

We like to think that the use of any faux pearl is more ethical than the brutal process of culturing real pearls. Faux pearls are man-made to imitate that of the real pearl and have no rich value other than the beautiful designs they are integrated into. 

Imitation or faux pearls can be made from glass, wax, ceramic, shell or the less preferred source of plastic. It is then coated or varnished in a shiny iridescent coating to resemble the real deal. 

Molly , the founder of Mild Moonshine, uses acrylic beads with a lustrous coating to imitate pearls in her designs. Whilst expressing the importance of using faux pearls in Mild Moonshine’s designs, Molly said, “It’s a personal preference, imitation pearls look so similar to the real deal these days it’s an easy choice to use a more ethical material.”

If you think faux pearls are a girl’s new best friend and could get into the habit of adorning some ethically chosen faux pearls then you need to check out Mild Moonshine that offers a mild dose of faux pearls within sweet jewellery designs.

Based in East-London, the independent jewellery brand boasts a range of heart-warming, positive designs crafted from a series of beads and polymer clay. Now available on Asos Marketplace, customers can choose from a range of smiling faces, sumptuous cherries or personalised initials to adorn their beaded designs. 

Looking for something a little more out-of-the-box? You can choose from a desirable collection of  Mild Moonshine’s experimental earrings (the Luna lime and lilac are our favourites!) or maybe a purl-fect hair barrette? 

Hold that thought! As Molly has kindly agreed to speak to us further about Mild Moonshine; delving into the creative direction behind the bright brand, what’s in store for her in the not-so-mild future and what she hopes her jewellery ignites in others.