Mother Nature's Jewel Of Choice

Online, September 22, 2011 (Newswire.com) - "THE Philippine pearl, internationally known as the South Sea pearl, is a distinctive part of our socio-economic and cultural tradition," reads Presidential Proclamation No. 905, declaring the pearl as the Philippine National Gem, and signed October 15, 1996 by then Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos. "...The declaration of the Philippine pearl as the National Gem shall further promote the cultural heritage of the country and support its national development efforts."

Never before in this country's history has a jewel been bestowed such an honor. But then again, there has never been a gem quite like the pearl, in terms of its resplendence, its provenance, and its harmonious relationship with the world around it. While other jewels are born in darkness and solitude, the pearl needs the light of the sun, clean water, and pure air to come into being-a true living gem.

In recent years, with the growing awareness of environmental degradation, global warming, and the need to conserve the earth's resources before they disappear, there has also come the realization that the pearl, even when cultured by man and left to grow in the ocean's bosom, is created in a completely non-extractive manner. No normal processes are interrupted, no disruptive outside variables introduced, and no other living things disturbed or endangered to create it. Man simply dips his hand in a natural cycle to help an oyster form a pearl, while ensuring the animal's comfort and safety.

A pearl farm must, by necessity of its goal, remain a pristine environment. Oysters must live and thrive in clean, moving water, with constant tidal patterns and temperatures. Global warming and its effects are a pearl farmer's nightmare, as a two-degree temperature change can already prove fatal, while disruption of the current because of weather disturbances can blemish a pearl beyond salvation. Industrial or human pollution, erosion, siltation, and any other form of water adulteration also puts the oysters' lives at risk, while destructive fishing methods using dynamite and cyanide can affect the fish life and wreak havoc on the fragile marine ecosystem where the oyster must be left in peace to do its work. "Our enemy is progress in the bad sense of the word," says Manuel Cojuangco, president of Jewelmer International Corporation. "We prefer as little human intervention as possible."

It all comes down to the fact that the oyster is a living organism. Even after a pearl is collected and made into jewelry, it remains largely organic, and continues to interact with the peculiar skin temperature and texture of the woman who wears it. Thus, a pearl glows in different ways when worn by different women.

Jewelmer, renowned pearl farmers, manufacturers, designers, and sellers for more than 30 years and one of the largest pearl suppliers and distributors in the world recognize the need for conservation: "We need unadulterated nature to grow our pearls," Cojuangco says, "but it is also our desire to preserve what we have seen." "Given the complexity and risks of pearl making," adds Jewelmer Marketing Manager Mia Macapagal, "farmers simply cannot engage in this activity without a strong reverence for nature."

"The pearl is an indicator of the health of the planet," said Jewelmer managing director and avowed environmentalist Jacques Branellec in an interview with Jewellery Review. "Upon its lustrous surface, every typhoon, every change in water temperature, every current caused by a dynamite blast, and every nuance in the cleanliness of the water is recorded...It falls on the highly skilled pearl farmer to act as a steward of creation. That's why sharing with our clients and helping them understand pearls and their relationship with nature is important."