What was the purpose of mother of pearl inlay?
Inlay work has also been used in East Asian and Islamic religious art. In the West, mother-of-pearl became extremely popular during the Victorian Era. The Victorians used mother-of-pearl inlay to decorate household items such as knife handles, jewelry boxes, buttons and screens.
Can you put colorless quartz over mother of Pearl?
Sometimes a layer of colorless quartz or another material is placed over the top of mother-of-pearl, which also increases the durability. If the gemstone has a backing, in addition to a top layer, this is known as a triplet. All enhancements and treatments are acceptable, as long as they are clearly stated by traders.
What kind of hardness does mother of Pearl have?
Although mother-of-pearl does not have a high level of hardness (2.5-4.5 on the Mohs scale), it is known to be extremely tough and strong. This could be because of the structure of the nacre and its lack of cleavage. The main component of nacre is aragonite, which is somewhat brittle calcium carbonate.
Is it worth it to buy mother of pearl jewelry?
While pearl jewelry will retain its value forever, this isn’t necessarily true for mother of pearl jewelry. Most people resort to mother of pearl jewelry because it’s more affordable than real pearl jewelry.
Inlay work has also been used in East Asian and Islamic religious art. In the West, mother-of-pearl became extremely popular during the Victorian Era. The Victorians used mother-of-pearl inlay to decorate household items such as knife handles, jewelry boxes, buttons and screens.
Sometimes a layer of colorless quartz or another material is placed over the top of mother-of-pearl, which also increases the durability. If the gemstone has a backing, in addition to a top layer, this is known as a triplet. All enhancements and treatments are acceptable, as long as they are clearly stated by traders.
Although mother-of-pearl does not have a high level of hardness (2.5-4.5 on the Mohs scale), it is known to be extremely tough and strong. This could be because of the structure of the nacre and its lack of cleavage. The main component of nacre is aragonite, which is somewhat brittle calcium carbonate.
While pearl jewelry will retain its value forever, this isn’t necessarily true for mother of pearl jewelry. Most people resort to mother of pearl jewelry because it’s more affordable than real pearl jewelry.
