What is the difference between a pearl and mother-of-pearl?

Pearls are spherical, rounded formations consisting of many layers of mother-of-pearl – mother-of-pearl is the material itself from which pearls are made. Mother-of-pearl is also directly extracted from mussel shells and used as flat inlays or discs in jewelry.

Pearl vs. Mother-of-Pearl

• Pearl: Sphere of concentrically structured mother-of-pearl, formed in living mussels
• Mother-of-Pearl: Inner layer of the mussel – iridescent, flat, used as an inlay

Mother-of-Pearl in Jewelry

• As dial inlays in watches
• As flat inlays in rings, pendants, and bracelets
• Strung as discs into necklaces

Care for Both

• No ultrasound, no steam, no acids
• Only a damp cloth for cleaning
• Store separately from hard stones

Pearl and Mother-of-Pearl Jewelry: corelunejewellery.de.