The baroque pearl: a gem unique in its kind

The most popular pearl jewels are all made using pearls of very regular round or semi-round shapes. However, nature gives us its best when we allow it to shape unique forms and colors, as in the case of baroque pearls, also called scaramazze.    

What is a baroque or scaramazza pearl and its areas of origin

It is a pearl distinguished by its irregular shape, not assignable to the more classic forms. It can be natural or cultivated, and the most famous areas from which the largest quantities come are those of the South Pacific: the lighter ones come from Australia, Indonesia, and Burma, while the darker ones come from Tahiti.  

 

How it is formed

The natural process of pearl formation, common to all types, is actually an attempt by the oyster to expel a foreign body; to do this, the mollusk coats it with a shiny crystalline substance, the mother-of-pearl, with the aim of isolating it until over the years it becomes the gem we all know. The difference lies in the fact that the formation of baroque pearls occurs in the muscular tissue of the mollusk: this causes the mother-of-pearl substance not to deposit evenly, thus creating the typical irregular surface with often hollow contours in several points.  

Its merits

While the irregularity lowers its market price, at least for now, on the other hand it is certainly a point in its favor. First of all, it is impossible in nature to find two identical scaramazza pearls; secondly, the imagination of the profile, the larger dimensions, and the unrepeatable shades of the mother-of-pearl allow the creation of very captivating and often unconventional jewels. In a word, unique.    

A gem that made history

The scaramazza pearl is a gem known for a long time. Its wide worldwide spread first occurred around the 15th century when the jewelers of the time began to use it increasingly due to its lower price and the variety of shapes, which contributed to the creation of original jewels, some of which became part of the collections of illustrious and very influential families. Naturally, the nobility was not exempt from the charm of baroque pearls, so those of superior quality, and therefore more expensive, were used for the jewels of families such as De’ Medici and Habsburg. Its popularity continued until the 19th century, then waned with the advent of spherical and semi-spherical pearls that allowed the making of jewels with more regular sizes.  

How to choose the best pearls

The aspects that an expert knows to consider to evaluate the quality of a pearl are the following: shape, size, color, and lustre. The shape is certainly a factor that greatly affects the price. The more regular and symmetrical a pearl is, the higher its commercial value. When it comes to saltwater cultured pearls, the fact that a spherical nucleus is implanted favors a more regular pearling. The size is the factor most influenced by the type of environment in which the mollusk lives and the climate of the period in which pearling occurs. Considering that producing a large pearl is a difficult operation for the oyster, economically the size is directly proportional to the value. In the case of color, the type of oyster is a fundamental factor. Among cultured pearls, there are about ten basic colors, which in any case can differ in shades unpredictably due to the random nature of the formation process. Speaking of the European area, for example, the most popular color is white in silver, cream, and pinkish shades. Lustre is a characteristic related to the pearl’s brightness. It basically consists of the more or less evident iridescent effect given by the way light interacts with the surface. A high-quality pearl must be luminous, with a velvety appearance and a sparkling lustre that returns changing iridescent reflections. Conversely, a pearl that is too white and dull can be defined as low quality.  

 

Unique creations

Rely on an expert to choose a quality baroque pearl. If you come to our shop, you will find a selection from which to choose the most suitable ones to have our goldsmith workshop create a jewel as unique as you, with first-rate materials according to your personal taste.      

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By Fabrizio Ferro https://www.ferrogioielli.com https://www.facebook.com/FerroGioielli [views]