珍珠養殖起源 The Origin of Cultured Pearls

南洋珍珠是珍珠中的極品，它的圓潤、純淨、碩大、與生俱來的自然美和令人炫目的金色光澤，表現出無可比擬的高雅和浪漫，使其成為世界上最受歡迎的珍珠之一。因為海洋污染的問題，所以已經很難找到天然海底生成的珍珠，因此日本人開始用人工方式養殖天然珍珠，珍珠養殖起源於1892年，目前市面上所有珍珠99%都是人工養殖方式而成。日本人傳統習慣都會送女兒一串珍珠項鍊做為成年禮，而中國皇族及英國女皇和王妃，以及許多國家的總統或首長夫人也都經常選擇珍珠配戴，或喜歡用珍珠做為皇冠及裝飾品，顯示大家都認為帶珍珠的女人比較高貴有氣質，且含蓄中帶出珠寶的優雅和美感，而不同於戴鑽石般，過於炫耀奢華的感覺，而南洋珍珠的獨一無二和獨有百年不退的天然色澤，是流傳千古和世代相傳的珍寶。在香港「蘇富比」曾拍賣一對天然生成的珍珠耳環，每顆15mm，即拍賣出港幣650萬的高價。

South Sea pearls are considered as the most valuable type of pearls. Its inherent aesthetic value, natural large size, spherical perfection, lustre, dazzling golden splendour coupled with unparalleled elegant and romantic qualities, render South Sea pearls to be one of the most favoured pearls in the world.

Due to the ocean pollution getting worse and wore now, naturally formed pearls found in seas are hard to find which ultimately caused the Japanese to start pearl farming. Pearl farming was started in 1892. Currently, 99% of pearls found in markets all over are cultured pearls.

In Japan, it is customary to give pearl necklaces to daughters for celebration of adulthood. Pearls have been prized for their beauty and rarity and traditionally favoured by many past and current royal families around the world like China, the British royal family, as well as first ladies and wives of various head of states as jewelleries and ornaments. Royal crowns are usually seen adorned by pearls. Ultimately, these show that pearls wearing undoubtedly convey the message of nobleness and elegancy. Besides, the inherent qualities of pearls in being able to bring out refined and implicit beauty of all jewelleries crafted, is unlike those made from diamonds which usually convey the message of showing off one’s wealth.

South Sea pearls’ colours and lustres do not fade, making it a unique treasure which can be handed down to countless generations. In Hong Kong, there was a pair of naturally formed pearl earrings with each pearl’s diameter measured at 15mm was successfully auctioned off by Sotherby’s for HKD6.5million.