Today Mabe pearls are produced in Japan

When Tahitian pearls are cultured only about 3% of implanted oysters produce a gem quality pearl. Of that yield only 1 in 6 will be round. So, for every 1,000 oysters seeded with a nucleus only five (5) jewelry quality round pearls will be harvested compared with 25 gem quality pearls in other shapes.

Hence, while the greatest demand is for full round Tahitian and South Sea pearls the greatest supply is in other shapes. Indeed, the production of pearls in off round, drops, circles and other baroque shapes outpaces perfect rounds by a margin of five to one. All other value factors being equal, the buyer who wants fine quality Black pearls but is willing to compromise on shape will find that the world is truly their oyster. If you are willing to consider Tahitian pearls in baroque shapes you can get a lot more pearl for your dollar.

Unusual shaped pearls are now capturing the attention of a greater number of pearl shoppers. And with good reason. For many the baroque and organic shapes have more personality and allure than their more perfect siblings. Their beauty is revealed in their imperfections which bear witness to the watery wombs from whence they come. The curves, colors and blemishes reveal the acts of natural creation that give rise to each pearl.

Today Mabe Crystal Jewelry are produced in Japan, China, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, French Polynesia and the Cook Islands. They are produced using an adaptation of the process for culturing pearls. A rounded or half-spherical nucleus is glued onto the inside of the shell of a nacre-producing mollusc. Over time, the mollusc covers the nucleus with nacre, the iridescent organic substance that gives pearls their unique properties. After two to three years of culturing, the Mabe blister pearls are cut from the shell and the nucleus is removed. The resulting space is filled with resin, and sometimes a bead, and finished with a piece of mother of pearl backing.

The layering of nacreous mother-of-pearl in a Mabe pearl is quite different to the concentric layers found within a pearl. Although in the strictest sense, a composite cultured blister pearl may not fulfil the requirements for the definition of a pearl, the industry uses the term "Mabe pearl" widely.MORE;Pearl Jewelry