About Pink Pearls
What's more elegant and feminine than the soft glow of pink, cultured pearls?
The pink pearls shown here are either fresh water or akoya pearls. Pink Akoya pearls are the product of a process called "pinking", in which white or off-white pearls are treated with a weak solution of pink dye. This color treatment is a standard practice in the pearl industry - it should be disclosed by the seller, but this is not always the case.. Some fresh water pearls boast a natural pink color. Bolder shades of pink are achieved through color treatments.
Prior to the 20th century, pink pearls were almost invariably all a variety called conch pearls - pearls formed in a single-shelled mollusk, generally the Strombus species native to the West Indies.. Conch pearls do not have luster or orient like other pearls, but they are a remarkable color and have a almost silk-like appearance. Since these are natural pearls, large, round specimans have always been rare and highly valued