What Are Baroque Pearls?

Those in the business of seeding pearls go through a lot of expense to ensure that the finished products are perfectly rounded examples of what the natural gems should look like. After harvesting, these pearls are graded not only on their luster and overall look but also on their perfect symmetry.

Yet dedicated collectors cherish baroque pearls for their asymmetrical shapes. Although they are just as lustrous and beautiful as their perfectly rounded counterparts, they are nevertheless quite a bit less expensive. It is interesting to note that only between 5 percent and 10 percent of pearls actually fall into the perfectly round category. The rest fall into a variety of differing classifications, with baroque being a league of its own.

There are a number of attributes that set apart these gorgeous pieces from the rest of the wide variety of available specimens. There are off-round circles, cross shapes and even elongated pearls that simulate sticks of nacre. Some jewelers further parse this terminology to differentiate circle pearls, which are actually baroque pearls with highly visible rings spanning the diameter. Although baroque pearls may be less expensive than others, circle pearls are actually quite rare and therefore do have the potential of fetching a respectable price at auction.

Look for specimens coming from Tahiti and the South Sea. As a general rule of thumb, baroque pearls are more often freshwater pearls than saltwater pearls. Occasionally, baroque pearls occur naturally. Yet there are far more times when the commercial culturing process goes slightly awry. Nacre may deposit unevenly around the irritant that is placed into the mollusk’s muscle tissues.

Changes in growth patterns, too, contribute to the processes that result in the asymmetrical production of a pearl. Another reason for the formation of a baroque pearl – when a perfectly round specimen was expected – can be traced back to the initial location of the irritant. While soft tissues are the favored locale, an irritant that is placed too closely to the tougher muscle tissue will shape unevenly. Sometimes, a high number of asymmetrical pearls can be attributed to an inexperienced worker at a pearl operation.

Many modern jewelry buyers echo the thoughts and feelings of Renaissance artisans and pearl aficionados. While perfectly symmetrical pearls are beautiful to behold, the baroque versions are interesting and unique. Since the pearls are not usually identical when used on a strand for a necklace, these pieces add interesting textures even though their sizes match. In the past, large baroque pearls were used in carvings. For example, the world-famous Canning jewel, which is currently housed at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, relies on a baroque pearl as the torso of a merman.

At Peter Suchy Jewelers we are GIA Certified and have a wide selection of baroque and semi-baroque pearl jewelry so we invite you to stop byour showroom.

Or if you enjoy shopping for vintage and antique jewelry online, head on over to our eBay store where you’ll find we are a top-rated PowerSeller with 100 percent positive feedback.

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