Pearls of the Andaman

David McGarry

Myanmar is famous throughout the world for the quality and quantity of its gems. “Pigeon Blood” rubies and flawless sapphires are synonymous with Myanmar. Recently, another precious commodity has been making waves in the local gem and jewellery industry. Pearls.

The British were the first to set up commercial pearl farms in Myanmar, and the oldest farm was established in 1891 in the Myeik Archipelago which is off the country’s southern coast. There are four types of pearl – fresh water, black, Akoya and South Sea. Black pearls come mainly from Tahiti and Akoya from Japan. South Sea pearls are considered the most valuable, and are found in Myanmar, Indonesia, Australia and the Philippines. The Myanmar variety is considered the most precious of all as about 40% of them are golden.
 

Each pearl harvested is the end result of several years of farming. Oysters fertilise only between the months of January and May. Male and female oysters are placed in water tanks at a ratio of six males to 20 females. Then, the temperature is raised. This causes oysters to release sperm and ova into the water. These seek each other out and become larvae, which attach themselves to knotted ‘collector ropes’.


After 45 days, the ropes are placed in panels which are deposited in ocean waters within the farm area. Farms are off limits to fishermen and unauthorised boats and ships. Security is enforced by Myanmar Navy patrol boats.
 

Two years later, the oysters are about 10 cm long and ready to be seeded. This consists of prying open the shells and inserting a nucleus or foreign body into it. The oyster tries to deal with the foreign body by depositing layer upon layer of calcium called nacre on it. The accumulated nacre constitutes the pearl.
 

Seeding an oyster is a delicate process; the shell must be pried open to implant a nucleus and mantle tissue in the oyster’s gonads. Until recently, only Japanese specialist technicians were able to perform this work at high speed and with good nucleus retention rates. Now this skill is being acquired by Myanmar technicians.
 

Breeding and seeding techniques have been improved to increase the percentage of golden pearls produced, as they have greater market appeal and value compared to white and yellow pearls.
 

By the end of the fourth year, the oysters are ready to be harvested. Shells are reopened and pearls removed, after which another nucleus can immediately be inserted. This can be repeated two or three times during the oyster’s lifetime, after which it has grown too old and is set free in the ocean to begin life anew as a wild oyster. 

If you are considering buying pearls, remember the buyer’s guidelines for judging the value. Just as gem buyers rate a stone by the cut, clarity, colour and carat, pearl buyers are looking for certain qualities. Lustre, nacre thickness, surface quality, colour, size and shape are all important factors in determining the quality of a pearl. Round and drop shapes are more popular than semi-round, button, circle and mixed shapes.
 

Most pearls are sold by the momme (the weight system which originated in Japan; one momme equals 3.75 grammes or 18.7 carats). Prices can range from $20 to more than $1000 a momme. At the Myanmar Gems Emporium in March 2004, the average price of pearls was $130 per momme.
 

Pearls and pearl jewellery can be found in Yangon and other major tourist destinations throughout Myanmar. The Bogyoke Aung San market in Yangon has a number of stores which should be of interest to tourists. Traders and jewellers would be better off contacting the state-owned Myanmar Pearl Enterprise, which is part of the Ministry of Mines.
 

Once you have acquired some lovely, golden Myanmar pearls, you need to take care of your acquisition. Pearls are not one of the most durable gems. They are harder than fingernails but softer than glass.
 

Since pearls are sensitive to chemicals and chemical products, it is advisable to put on pearl jewellery only after applying make up, hairsprays and perfumes. Pearls should never be cleaned with detergents as they can damage their brightness. Perspiration or dust should be removed with a soft cloth moistened with water. Acid and heat are also harmful for pearls, so they should be removed while showering and cooking.