Like so many others, I, too, fell in love with pearls many years ago, and the passion has not subsided yet! The cross pearl pendant described above was almost 2" long. I've lost it when I dozed off in an Airport waiting room and a small purse lying beside me on the seat was stolen from me.

I have learned two things from this episode, (1) many people aren't familiar with the beauty (or even the sheer existence) of these cross shaped pearls; (2) I promised to myself, if I will ever have my own on-line business or website (a long-time desire finally realized in early 2007) I will sell these cross pearl necklaces and crux pearl jewelry myself, so many more women can share the joy of owning one!

Pearls come in many shape, hue, luster, nacre, surface, size, so everyone can find the ones matching his / her budget! At Classic Treasures we offer some truly beautiful examples of the highest quality freshwater pearl jewelry, including astonishing Crux Pearl necklaces!

A pearl is a hard, rounded object produced by certain animals, primarily mollusks such as pearl oysters. Pearls can be used in jewelry and also crushed in cosmetics or paint formulations. Pearl is valued as a gemstone and is cultivated or harvested for jewelry.

The unique luster of pearls depends upon the reflection and refraction of light from the translucent layers and is finer in proportion as the layers become thinner and more numerous. The iridescence that some pearls display is caused by the overlapping of successive layers, which breaks up light falling on the surface. Pearls are often white, but come naturally in nearly every color. Pearls are often dyed yellow, green, blue, brown, purple, or black.

Pearls fit into two categories: freshwater and saltwater. As their name implies, freshwater pearls are formed in freshwater mussels that live in lakes, rivers, ponds and other bodies of fresh water. Most freshwater cultured pearls sold today come from China. By contrast, saltwater pearls grow in oysters that live in the ocean, usually in protected lagoons. Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian are the three main types of saltwater pearls.

There are many different kinds of pearls, with South Sea or Tahitian black pearls and the Akoya white natural salt water pearls being the most valuable among them. Let's take a look at the main groups of pearls, and how they are defined:

Salt Water Pearls:

Tahiti Black Pearl

South Sea Pearl

Akoya Pearl

Freshwater Pearl Cultured Pearls

Crux Pearl

Mother of Pearl

Mabe Pearl

Potato Pearl

Blister Pearl

Button Pearl

Coin Pearl

Natural black pearls do occur, although more rarely than ever, while naturally-colored black cultured pearls from Tahiti and other places are increasingly common due to the use of the black-lipped pearl oyster known as the Pinctada Margaritifera.

But imitation black pearls are not so common as other color imitations since the true black pearl has a color that is far from being a matte black. In fact, the natural and cultured black pearl both have a beautiful sheen. Sometimes this sheen is a greenish hue against a black background. At other times the sheen is a bluish-black color.

b) Faint Reddish Glow Characterizes Natural Black Pearl

Natural black pearls have a faint reddish glow when viewed through crossed filters, such as when bathed in blue light from a copper sulphate solution and examined through a red filter. Artificially-stained black pearls do not have this red glow reaction.

c) Some imitations have immediate giveaway signs

Imitation pearls are found in graduated and chocker necklaces of such sizes and matching symmetry and color as to be obviously anything but natural or cultured pearls. The immediate giveaway reason is that so many large, perfectly matched pearls would cost a small fortune.

But less pretentious imitations still have a giveaway sign. That is the drill hole. It is never so precise in imitation pearls as it is in natural or cultured pearls, which are individually drilled. The mass-produced imitation pearls literally have their hallmark at the drill hole, which shows signs of unevenness and rough formations due to the lack of finish applied to the manufactured pearl. Thick "tears" of the coating may appear at the drill hole as coagulations.

d) 10x lens easily reveals imitations

Such telltale signs are quickly and easily revealed when an examination of the suspected imitation pearl is made with a 10x lens.

An examination of the surface of glass beads will reveal bubbles just below the surface, or a mat pattern totally unlike the wandering serrated cloissons seen in natural pearls.