Pearls: Their Origin, Treatment and Identification

With fine black-and-white illustrations (by Jean-Paul Ehrmann), rich color photographs, and lively text, Pearls provides a thorough examination of this beautiful jewel. It delves into the history and culture, biology and chemistry, geography and nature, industry and fashion of pearls. Included are fascinating stories – transforming a pearl into a piece of jewelry, unique methods of farming and collecting pearls, and lore of pearl owners from the past. The author, translating from French to English, imbues his writing with his extensive experience and his own love of the pearl’s “qualities that are incomparable though humble and discreet.”