When looking at various types of pearls you’ll find that there are so many choices. There are keshi pearls, Melo pearls, Abalone pearls, and so many others that you can look into. You might have seen blister pearls being sold online at reasonable prices. What are these pearls anyway?
Below, you’ll learn everything you need to know about blister pearls. This will help you to understand how these pearls are made and what they’re generally used for.
It should make it easier to decide whether you’ll want to invest in these types of pills. Take the time to read through all of the information and you’ll be much more knowledgeable about blister pearls.
Table of Contents
- What Are Blister Pearls?
- How Are Blister Pearls Produced?
- Are Blister Pearls Expensive?
- How Big Are Blister Pearls?
- Should You Buy Blister Pearls?
- In Closing
What Are Blister Pearls?
Blister pearls are also commonly referred to as mabe pearls. These types of pearls can be cultivated, but they’re also commonly found in nature.
A blister pearl is essentially a half-pearl, and you’ll understand what this means as you continue to read about these interesting pearls. Many types of pearls are grown within the tissue or mollusks, but blister pearls are grown inside the shell.
A blister pearl in the shell of a mollusk. Source : The Phillip Hope Catalog
These pearls can be grown in many different types of mollusk shells. They’re commonly found in oyster shells. Technically, once you remove a blister pearl from an oyster it’s called a mabe pearl. Until the pearl is removed it’s referred to as a blister pearl.
This doesn’t stop people from using the terms “mabe pearl” and “blister pearl” interchangeably. To truly understand what these pearls are you need to learn about their structure.
These pearls are grown in mollusks. A nucleus is formed in the right spot and it gathers nacre over the course of several years.
On average, blister pearls grow for two or three years before being ready to be harvested. It’s possible for the process to take as long as six years, depending on the size of the mollusk and various other factors.
The pearl that forms will be half-spherical, and it’ll have a flat back. These pearls are hollow and they need to be filled with resin so they can be used to make jewelry.
Typically, people will fill blister pearls with colorless resin and then seal them at the back. They’re commonly used to make jewelry items, and they can be used for other artistic purposes.
Some people cultivate blister pearls, but they can be found naturally, too. It’s common to find small blister pearls in nature.
How Are Blister Pearls Produced?
Pinctada maculata mollusk valve with an attached blister pearl.
The way that blister pearls are produced involves filling them with resin. As mentioned above, blister pearls are hollow half-spherical pearls that have flat backs.
Due to being hollow, they don’t have the structural integrity to be used as jewelry unless they’re filled with resin. People cut the pearls out of the mollusks that they’re grown in and they then fill the pearls with colorless resin.
Next, the pearl is sealed using a mother-of-pearl backing. There will always be a seam on the pearl that is visible. It’s common for this seam to be hidden when the pearls are used to make jewelry. The pearl will be set in such a way that the part with the seam won’t be visible.
Without this sealing process, the pearls wouldn’t be usable. To be usable in jewelry items, the process of filling the hollow pearls with resin is necessary.
Beautiful pieces of jewelry can be created using blister pearls. Just understand that these pearls aren’t the same as some of the rarer pearls that you might be familiar with.
Are Blister Pearls Expensive?
Blister pearls are considered to be the least expensive pearls that you can buy. They’re affordable and it’s easy to use them in jewelry items without paying a lot of cash.
Sometimes you’ll find blister pearl jewelry being sold at higher prices, but this is generally due to the other materials that are involved. The blister pearls themselves aren’t that expensive at all.
You can buy mabe pearls at very low prices, in most cases. If you’re interested in these pearls, it’s wise to seek them out and try to get a good deal.
Don’t overpay for these pearls since they’re common and not worth a lot of money. It’s important to know the difference between blister pearls and other rarer types of pearls.
It should be noted that there are exceptions. Some blister pearls might grow in unusual circumstances or have other things about them that will make them more expensive.
So there could be certain blister pearls that will fetch a higher price, but most blister pearls are common and inexpensive.
There are some large and impressive blister pearls that are seen as treasures and are truly worth a lot of cash, but you can’t expect most blister pearls to fetch a high price.
How Big Are Blister Pearls?
The size of blister pearls will vary quite a bit. Some blister pearls are larger while others are smaller.
The average blister pearls will be between 12 and 14 millimeters. A very large blister pearl might reach up to 25 millimeters in size.
You’ll also find micro blister pearls that are between 5 and 10 millimeters in size. These pearls will sometimes be sold as “micro mabe pearls” or “mini mabe pearls.”
The size of the blister pearls will depend on how long they were allowed to grow, the size of the mollusk, environmental factors, and more. Blister pearls of various sizes are sold and used to make jewelry.
Should You Buy Blister Pearls?
Blister pearls are very much worth owning if your expectations are in the right place. These pearls have the potential to be large and gorgeous.
However, they’re not the same as other rarer pearl types. These are hollow pearls that are filled with resin and used to make generally inexpensive jewelry items.
Mabe Blister Pearl Pendant. Photo Credit Charles Albert Inc.
Sometimes blister pearls will be used to make more expensive pieces, but you can’t expect these pearls to cost much money on their own.
They can be used in art projects or to make various types of jewelry. Some don’t consider blister pearls to be “true pearls,” though. Regardless, they’re popular types of pearls that will remain an important material for jewelry.
In Closing
Knowing more about blister pearls should make it easier to decide what you want. You know that these pearls are unique because of the way they grow inside mollusks.
They’re half-spherical pearls that are hollow and have flat backs. When filled with colorless resin and sealed, they can be useful for making jewelry.
As inexpensive pearls, they’re easy for people to get without spending a lot of money. They’re rather pretty and can be used to make many nice jewelry items.
Consider buying blister pearls if you want to make something nice and don’t want to spend much of your hard-earned money.
