Pearls

The term "real pearl" or a "natural pearl" may only be used to describe pearls which have grown in water without human intervention. Such beads are rare and accordingly expensive. Almost all pearls used today for the production of jewelery are therefore bred.

Production

The reason for the formation of a cultured pearl is a transplant that is introduced into a pearl pocket. This foreign substance is so troublesome to the peritoneum that it secretes a secretion, which wraps this foreign body, and so insulates the pain. Now the mussels have to encapsulate the foreign body implant layer by layer for about two years in open waters on mussel banks, whereby not every shell survives the assumed foreign body implant for at least two years. Mussels can coat a foreign body implant several times in their lives.

Pearl powder in cosmetics

Only about 30% of the mussels provided with an implant develop a bead. Only 10% of these beads are commercially useful. Only 3% of this crop is perfectly round. Non-tradable pearls are already sorted out in the pearls and shredded. The powder is further processed by the cosmetics industry. Therefore pay attention to the name "pearl powder" in the list of ingredients.

Mother-of-pearl

Mother-of-pearl is a by-product of pearl extraction. It is the iridescent inner part of the pearl mussel and is processed among other things to buttons and jewelry. As many mussels die during the breeding phase or when pearles and pearls are taken, the products obtained are not vegan.

How does a mussle really feel?

But does the mussle actually feel what happens to it? After all, these molluscs possess a simple nervous system, which has two nerve clusters - a kind of mussle brain. Scientists have found that many body parts of the shell can recognize pain-relieving substances. If the mussel is stressed, you will find in it few free anti-stress molecules. If, on the other hand, it is relaxed, the level of these substances increases. The substances studied are no ordinary substances, but so-called endorphins. They belong to the same chemicals group as the pain killers heroin and morphine. The human body has similar substances that are poured out when stress and pain are approaching. And since hormones are measurable traces of emotions, one might now dare to reverse: where hormones are measured, feelings are present. So it seems that mussels do care about what is happening to them.

A further indication is the behavior of mussels at higher salt concentrations. Because these are dangerous for mussels because they dry them out. When it becomes very salty, a shell takes flight. How? Mussels have a foot which they use in this case to escape from the dangerous region. It seems obvious that it is their emotions that move them to action.

Alternatives

Use artificial beads made of glass, wood, plastic or metal instead of pearls.