In the wonderful world of gems, many people choose different colors to match with their outfit. black pearl jewelry seems to fit the bill whatever the outfit looks like. A black pearl necklace makes the perfect gift for that extra special person and will be treasured for many years to come.

These gems were found even in biblical times and as such, they have even been used in a speech that was quoted in the bible. Down through the ages, men have fought wars over them and they still attract many admiring looks even up to today. Take a look at all the paintings of past Kings and Queens and see the kind of jewels that adorned the magnificent clothes that they wore. Long strings of these gems with added pendants, feature prominently in all of them.

The Spanish ships that traversed the oceans some centuries ago were often robbed of these kinds of gems. Pirates were looking for the heavy chests containing all kinds of precious stones and bullion (gold) to plunder and hide on desert islands. Very often, the ships were sunk and the treasure went down with the ship.

These days, treasure hunters still look in all of the oceans to try to find what was lost long ago. Today, some of the larger, more perfect gems would be worth millions of dollars each and this is what keeps people excitedly looking for them for years.

But how are these wonderful gems made? Unlike the diamonds, rubies and emeralds which are made from compressed carbon, these gems are made by irritating oysters! Oysters get a little irritant, like a grain of sand, stuck in their fleshy innards and the natural activity of the body is to cover the grain to stop it irritating. Over the years more layers are added until the gem comes into being.

Of course, none of us could wait for such a hit and miss action because it is far too expensive. However, man, realizing the beauty and worth of the gems decided to try and create the gem in a much more logical way. By placing a small bead or irritant within an oyster or mollusk, the same kind of action could be repeated in a more standard way. After several years of taking care of the oyster, the irritant starts to get covered by a substance and this then can be used commercially. These ‘cultured’ gems are far more reasonably priced than the natural ones so more people can afford to buy them.

They also come in several colors of which the most famous is the lustrous white that everyone has seen at some time. However, by carefully selecting the correct mollusk, different colors can be produced which range from the lightest white down to black. Black gems look absolutely beautiful and these are much more expensive than the regular gems.

A word of caution when buying gems of any kind. Take care that the gem is real and not just a glass bead painted with the appropriate color.