South Sea pearls and diamond twirls

A blog in collaboration with GABA Malta

Hello lovely ones! Back in Malta for a few days before I head to Milan for another fun-packed edition of fashion at Milan Fashion Week 2019. Today, I wish to transport myself in spirit, back to the lovely outing aboard the Azimut Yacht with my husband Marco and the GABA Jewellers Team held in Malta. The sun was shining, my heart was racing and the energy that day was awesome because we were all collectively having fun, enjoying the moment and creating content to share with you all.

One of the outfits we put together, that turned out amazing in the end, was this one. Diva Graz. The idea was to present an empowering fashionable Me, wearing gorgeous South Sea pearls. styled to complement diamond rings and pearl pieces. Sue Satariano, director at GABA styled me to perfection, with these stunning pieces that would make any woman feel a million dollars the minute they are worn. This Versace satin dress breathtaking faux fur coat imported from Spain combined with these Dolce e Gabbana sunnies from Vision Opticians made it all work superbly.

Let’s Talk about South Sea Pearls

Let’s talk about pearls a little because following my Previous Post about these gems, I got more interested in pearls and have been observing the different types, since working with the GABA team week in week out. One thing I recommend, is that if you are considering purchasing pearls, is that you look at them carefully, compare them with different types of pearl and one thing you have to work out is from what their value arises. This with help from professionals in the field, will enable you to guarantee a great choice. This means having to take a whole range of factors into account: the size, the shape, the thickness, the sheen, the surface clarity, and if there is more than one pearl within the design – how closely their colours are matched. It is also important to understand that each type of pearl has its own range of sizes, its own colours that are expensive, valuable and rare. For example for gold South Sea pearls, this colour is burning gold, but for Tahitian brands, it is peacock, for example.

When a pearl is chosen correctly to suit the owner – to match your skin, eye colour, face shape and appearance as a whole – you will not even have to think about how to incorporate it into a specific look. A pearl can simply be a natural continuation of yourself, its most universal piece of jewellery.

About South Sea pearls available at GABA jewellers in Malta

Their large size, limited culturing area, and extended growth period all combine to make South Sea pearls the rarest of all pearl types. Found in colours ranging from optic white to a deep, honey gold, these pearls are prized by collectors and designers alike. The luster of South Seas pearls, whether white or golden, is soft and luxurious. Only a small percentage of South Seas are spherical and as such, full strands of matched pearls are extremely rare.

How do they compare to other types of pearls? Interesting Facts

South Sea pearls are generally much larger than other pearl types and have a unique lustre quality – a soft reflection due to the large aragonite platelets that make up the pearl. They also have the thickest average nacre of all cultured pearls. These factors make South Seas both distinctive and valuable. South Sea pearls have the highest value and command the highest prices of all types of pearls.

As with other saltwater oysters, the South Sea pearl oyster is bead-nucleated. However, the growth period is approximately 2-4 years, unlike the Akoya pearls, which develop in less than half that time. Being a delicate organism, this type of pearl oyster is particularly susceptible to disease and stress, which is one reason why the culturing area for South Seas pearls is quite limited. Attempts to expand South Sea pearl farming have met with little success because the oysters do not thrive outside their native, natural environment.