Myanmar pearls or a Myanmar pearl

The biggest pearl on the globe was found on the seabed at Mukkalauk pearl oyster exploration area north-west of Zadetgyi Island in Kawthaung Township, Taninthayi Division.

The pearl is 6.2 cm in length, 5.3 cm in width and three cm in height, exceeding the measurements of the Hope Pearl recorded as the world's largest in the past. The pearl's weight is 45.06 mommes, 845 carats, 169 grams and 929.50 yatis. According to Gemological Institute of America, the Hope Pearl found in about 1800, was 5.71 cm in length and 90 grams in weight. The silvery pearl was found in an oyster of Pinctada Maxima species.

Myanmar Burma Birma Andaman Pearl Co. Ltd. found the pearl in the pearl oyster exploration area and handed it over to the State. The company is working under the profit-sharing agreement with Myanma Pearl Enterprise.

Myanmar pearl jewelry such as bracelets, pearl brooch and other items are real elegant and the natural glow of pearls brings charm and beauty on a women, maybe a pendant or earring. Since the production of "freshwater pearls" pearl jewelry got a much broader sales spektrum. Some great designed pearl items are available for rather low prices at the places such as Yangon's
Bogyoke Market and elsewhere, more.

A Diamond might be women's best friends but pearls have  always been a natural beauty which fascinated all kinds of persons, from celebrities to career women or housewives.Women of all ages look real gorgeous wearing pearl jewelry, pearl bracelet, pearl pendant, pearl ring and earrings.Myanmar pearl jewelry come in various exciting colors when  combined with Myanmar ruby or jade. Although just with white gold looks good, classic and traditional.

Until about hundred years ago the pearl diver got this precious little things up and out from the water. A pearl hunter was a dangerous job since all the diving science, parameter, equipment and knowledge was not existent  until recently.On top of it were dangerous beasts which automatically gave a  hard time to any pearl diver. The Myeik Archipelago in southern Myanmar was one of the most productive pearl hunting grounds in Asia during colonial times and before, read more.   all at e-books

Like other gems, pearl has enjoyed prideof place in the history of mankind's craze for aesthetic beauty. But pearl is not stone, it is the product of sea creatures called oysters. In Myanmar tradition pearl is listed in the category of nine precious gems "Nawarat" along with other sea product coral. Thus, Nawarat Kopa or Nine Precious Gems are (1) Ruby, (2) Pearl, (3) Coral, (4) Emerald, (5) Topaz, (6) Diamond, (7) Sapphire, (8) Garnet and (9) Cat's eye (Moonstone).

Pearl has been a simile or metaphor to describe beautiful teeth,

rain or dew drop, tear drop, lustre, grace, charm, elegance, etc. In Myanmar fables, folktales, folk-lores, language, literature and songs even in the Buddha Mamma pearl plays no small role. It is a coveted treasure with supernatural power worth waging a war to possess. It is a gift to the king or queen to win royal favour, a reward for excellent service or bravery, a bribe to win lawsuit or to escape from capital punishment or as military tactic to divert or delay the enemies in hot pursuit by spraying pearls on their trail or even as an essential ingredient in the concoction of elixir of life, panacea for longevity or aphro-disiac drug.

Such a wide range of varieties of use for humans with regard to this sea product called pearl, yet it was cemparatively very recent that humans have discovered the technique of culturing pearl. In this field of pearl culture Japan may be the first or one of the firsts to take lead. Though Myanmar sea coasts and archipelago have been known for producing natural pearls of some sizes and ex-cellent quality there had been no attempt to work pearl diving as a commercial enterprise let alone culturing it, till pretty late in the pre-war days, when modest initiatives for pearl diving as an industry in Myeik were reported in the news media. After the country regained independence, attention of some private entrepreneurs was drawn to the extraction of marine products of Myanmar seas as a com-mercial industry.

Along with the sea food production, pearl diving and pearl culture

developed and Myanmar pearls both natural and cultured made their debut in foreign markets. Due to their unique lustre and texture Myanmar pearls gain popularity with both wearers and collectors. Myeik Anchipelago in the southernmost part of Myanmar com-prising over 800 beautiful islands became well-known as "mines of good natural pearls" as well as "the best fertile marine soil' for cultivating pearl crop.

The start of Myanmar Jade and Gem Emporium annually held in Yangon about over four decades ago stepped up Myanmar pearl industry. At these early yearly emporia, rubies, sapphires and jades were highlighted and
other semiprecions stones and pearls were second priority items. But international auctioners and buyers focussed on Myanmar pearls as well, and the demand for these sea treasures increased every year. Today, Myanmar pearls sale and auction are held separately to meet the demands of pearl lovers and the yields are encouraging.

But there are still the Salone Pear diver who do their jo since hindreds of years. In the Gem Museum on the Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Yangon, are displayed an array of Myanmar precious and semiprecious stones and pearls of superlative size and quality. Among the largest fine ruby, sapphire, jade, peridot, topaz, garnet acquamarine, etc., a Myanmar natural pearl of 9.3 mommy weight obtained from Pearl Island in Myanmar Seas is given place of honour on the coils of a jade statue of Naga serpent with its hood sheltering above the pearl and its two ruby eyes glaring at you. The Museum has additions of pearls of super size, shape and quality that are recent discoveries. For example, up to now ranked as the biggest natural pearl in the world, extracted from an oyster of Myeik seas is in the shape of a round pincushion, weighing 845 carats or 45.06 mommy and 62 x 50 x 31 millimeters. It has the silvery lustre. Next is the biggest cultured pearl produced from the Myeik pearl culture centre. It has an irregular shape, weighing 9.8 mommy, 32 millimetre wide and 41 millimeter high. Many more are yet to turn up. The Salones, commonly referred to as sea gypsies,

Salone Pearl Diver

are Myanmar ethnicity who make sea and islands their homes. They are seaborn, expert in diving into the depth and bringing up marine treasures and pearls. In Myanmar cultured pearl industry is a latecomer, late 1950's, and it is still in infancy if compared to those of advanced mari-time countries. Nevertheless, it is catching up with time and advance of its counterparts in other countries. Perhaps Myanmar seas have some special elements to produce both natural and cultured pearls of excellent quality. The striking characteristic of Myanmar pearls is iridescence, lustre with multicolours known as rainbow iridescent. It is pitiful to see careful insertion into oysters of the nuclei or the base of different sizes to form cultured pearls. Pinctata maxima type of oysters are used for culturing pearl. These inserted oysters are placed in cages which are lowered in sea depths for minimum two years. During the long process of adjusting itself to the irritating substance inserted between its tender delicate body and its shell the poor oyster uses its sticky liquid secretion to smoothen the substance which gradually transforms into an exquisite pearl. Best or good pearls are assessed by five standards, say pearl experts. They are (1) size, (2) shape round, baroque or irregular, (3) colour silvery white, creamy, pink or gold (4) surface, smooth, no flaw or no blemish or rough and (5) lustre which is the most impor-tant quality of a pearl. No other gems, diamond, ruby or sapphire, can produce lustre. It is pearl that has this quality. Unlike stones, pearls and corals are not hard sub-stances. They are sea products of calcium carbonate, so fragile and are not immune to sweat, perfume, lipsticks, all kinds of cosmetics and chemicals. They are also sensitive to dampness, heat and light.