Pearls
The pearls used in Hele necklaces are circled Tahitian
black pearls, chosen for their consistency and exotic look.
They are called "circled" black pearls because of the circular
patterns within their surface. Though no two pearls are alike,
each pearl is hand selected for its size, appearance, color, and
luster to be consistent and uniform with all pearls in this
collection. The pearls are consistent with the export laws and
regulations of the government of French Polynesia. No artificial
or manufacturing process has been used to alter or enhance them.
The color, luster and finish of each pearl are guaranteed to be natural.
The pearls will range in size from 8.0 - 9.5mm and the spectrum
of color ranges within mostly green tones and includes shades of blue,
red and silver. Variations between the pearls will exist that makes
each pearl a rare and valuable gem.
Necklace
The necklace is a leather cord, specially made to meet our
specific durability and quality standards. We have found this
to be the best material for its natural feel, drape, and durability.
The leather is very uniform in cross section and color.
The clasps for all necklaces are engineered to be strong and are
secured with a proprietary method that has multiple steps.
It takes time to make each necklace, and we wanted to make
sure it would hold up to the use and abuse the necklaces get
from our users. We will repair for free any defect in the clasp,
contact us if a problem ever develops.
Packaging
Each Piece is shipped in a specially designed gift package. The jewelry
comes soft mounted on a presentation card that
contains a certificate of origin and instructions
on caring for the pearl.
About the Pearl Farm
The pearl farms Hele sources its pearls from are located
among several islands of French Polynesia. Hele typically
works with smaller farms rather than large commercial
operations, as this lends more flexibility and control over
product quality.
A typical pearl farm has a grafting shack situated over
a lagoon; beneath the shack in the surrounding waters are
the oyster beds. The quality of a pearl is directly linked
to the health of the oyster producing it. The cleaner the
environment, the healthier the oyster; French Polynesia has
very pure water as a result the pearls from this region are
among the highest quality in the world.
The Process
The process of "planting" and maturing a pearl within
an oyster is called, "grafting". This involves
inserting a pearl nucleus into an oyster. Once an
oyster is grafted, it is returned to the water where
it stays for well over a year. Periodically, they are
checked to see how the pearl is developing. Removing a
pearl from an oyster requires surgical precision.
When the pearl is ready to be harvested, the mature
pearl is removed from the oyster, a new nucleus is
inserted and the cycle continues. Continual grafting
of an oyster will produce a pearl about every 18 months.
The average oyster will produce 3 to 5 pearls in its
lifetime producing larger and larger pearls as it grows
older.
The color and luster of each pearl is derived from
the inside of the shell of the oyster that produces it.
This is the result of light diffracting off prismatic
layers within the shell. This is also the basis for the
design of the ocean necklace. Its shape and polishing
technique bring out the vibrant colors.
View Hele necklaces.
