Pearls - sought after for their intrinsic beauty for thousands of years. They used to be the pinnacle of jewelry, more expensive than gold and silver combined and its' only within the recent 100 years that modern technology has changed this fact. Today, most pearls are cultivated and grown in huge farms, making them available to the mass consumer market. Pearl necklaces are particularly popular.
It wasn't always like that though. Once, pearl diving was one of the most dangerous activities you could possible do. Imagine grabbing hold of a heavy rock and then jumping in the water to let yourself sink 100 feet onto the seabed. Then having to use a knife to cut free ouysters before returning tot he surface - and doing all of this on one breath of air. While it may sound as a fascinating story, you certainly wouldn't want to do it yourself. Which is also why it was mainly performed by slaves or the desperately poor.
Global Knives
Today, this method of pearl hunting is almost gone. The use of slaves has fortunately been abandoned and there are better ways to make a living for most people, even the poor. Cultured pearls have become the norm and there is no risk in producing and selling them. They have an almost equal quality, although the natural variant is still said to be more exquisite and beautiful.
However, there is still a few places in the world that practice genuine pearl hunting. Bahrain - the small gulf state - is one of them. Unlike so many other places in the world, Bahrain has made an conscious effort to preserve the habitat, so that pearl diving can still take place. That's why some of the world's most beautiful natural pearls now come from Bahrain, where trade with cultured specimens has been banned.
It does make for an interesting story, if also a little alarming. Does it make a pearl more beautiful that is has been retrieved from the far depths of the sea? Some would say it does.
The Story of Pearl Divers
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