Visiting Mallorca can be a wonderful treat for tourists all over the world, but if for some reason you couldn’t bring a loved one to the island, taking a souvenir back to them would definitely mean a lot.
Some of the best souvenirs to bring home are Mallorca pearls. These pearls are manufactured on the island of Mallorca, and their history goes back to the late 19th century. Their manufacturing process was actually invented in 1890.
If you haven’t heard about these pearls, you must be curious to know why they are so special and whether they are real or fake. You might also want to see if they are valuable and how to identify them.
In this article, we are going to find out how to identify Mallorca Pearls apart from discussing whether they are real or not. After finding out all about Mallorca pearls, you can decide whether to take them home as souvenirs or not.
So, let’s get started.
What Are Mallorca Pearls?
Mallorca Pearls are an artificially crafted piece of jewelry designed and coined by a Spanish jewelry company called Majorica. This company started creating these beautiful pearls with an indistinguishable feel from the real ones to cater to the larger public and make these impeccable pieces of art available to everyone.
Before the 17th century, pearls extracted from shells were used to adorn the jewelry and the dresses of kings, queens, and lords of the world. However, such an expensive piece of jewelry wasn’t affordable for the masses and couldn’t be replicated either.
That was until a jeweler from Paris, France, saw that sticky material on the scales of fishes, when coated on glass balls, can give an excellent impression of pearls. A whole new world of jewelry was available for exploration. Still, pearls weren’t available to the world’s masses for quite a long time.
Finally, almost 100 years ago, a German engineer perfected the art of creating artificial pearl jewelry in France and later shifted his company to Manacor in Mallorca. He named it Majorica, and the pearls ended up being called Majorica Pearls. That’s the long and short of how Mallorca pearls truly came into being.
Is Mallorca Known for Pearls?
Mallorca is known for many things, from beaches to resorts like Palma, shopping centers, tourist attractions, beautiful scenery, and whatnot. But one of the most important things Mallorca is known for is definitely Mallorca Pearls which have now become one of the major associated souvenirs of Mallorca.
When it comes to jewelry, Mallorca is quite popular. In fact, the artificial pearls you see in many jewelry pieces nowadays are actually made of Mallorca pearls.
These pearls have gotten their name from the company Mallorca which was the pioneer of manufacturing artificially crafted pearls from solid glass balls.
So, if you’re coming to Mallorca, getting some of the jewelry on offer with Mallorca pearls would be a wonderful option. You’re going to love it to bits.
Are Mallorca Pearls Real?
Despite their incredible visual appeal and look, Mallorca Pearls are actually not real pearls. Many people have asked this question because of how awestriking the beauty of these artificially created jewelry pieces is.
However, as beautiful as Mallorca Pearls might be, they’re not actually the incredibly expensive naturally occurring pearls extracted from the sea’s mollusks.
In fact, Mallorca Pearls are actually quite an affordable piece of jewelry despite their amazing look, beautiful feel, and quality that is simply above any artificially available jewelry in the market.
If we talk about Mallorca pearls and how they’re actually made, the process starts by taking solid balls that are man-made. These balls are then coated with a special liquid extracted from the scales of various fishes, which gives these balls a shiny and vibrant coating that gives the impression of these balls being actual pearls from the sea.
These coated balls are then dried and polished to perfection, after which they end up being dipped in chemical (cellulose nitrate) so that they can harden and be protected against any kind of discoloration, chipping, and peeling. This process ensures that these pearls are durable, pretty, and high-quality.
And although they are as deceivingly pretty as they are, they’re not actually real pearls. They’re made by the company Mallorca and can be found in different places throughout Spain, especially on the island of Mallorca. So, ensure you get your hands on some when you’re there. It will be great for you.
How Do You Identify Real Mallorca Pearls?
Typically, you won’t encounter a situation where you’d need to tell the difference between a Mallorca pearl or another one. Still, suppose you’re thinking of buying a piece of real pearl jewelry with natural pearls. In that case, you will want to ensure you’re getting what you’re paying for.
There are different ways you can identify whether a pearl is real or a Mallorca pearl. One of the ways is to simply keep an eye out for imperfections and ridges because you’re going to find them in natural pearls and the Mallorca pearls are too artificially perfect.
Another way of finding the right pearl is the tooth test. Place the pearl on your tooth and rub against it. If the surface of the pearl seems to have irregularities, then it is a natural pearl. That’s because a Mallorca pearl would actually feel more glass-like.
There’s also the fact that there is an artificial kind of shine associated with Mallorca pearls which isn’t the case with naturally occurring pearls. So, using these techniques, you can pretty easily detect whether you’re getting a natural pearl or a Mallorca pearl.
Also read: What Language Do They Speak in Mallorca?
Are Mallorca Pearls Expensive?
When it comes to jewelry, pieces with natural pearls are unbelievably expensive and could only be afforded by royalty.
That’s what Mallorca pearls were created to tackle, and these beautiful and indistinguishable pearls definitely achieved most of what they wanted in terms of the price. But still, it doesn’t mean Mallorca pearls are too cheap.
Related article: Is Mallorca Expensive?
Suppose you’re looking for a high-quality piece of jewelry with a sizeable amount of Mallorca pearls. In that case, you’ll have to spend a good amount of money. Still, compared to natural pearl jewelry, Mallorca pearl jewelry is going to be much more affordable, which is something great about it.
Are Mallorca Pearls High Quality?
Mallorca Pearls are the finest quality manufactured artificially crafted pearls on the market that aren’t actually natural pearls but still have the same shine, look, and aesthetic as well.
These pearls are extremely high-quality and are crafted to perfection quite nicely. They’re also very durable regarding the overall lifetime of these pearls and jewelry with them.
When it comes to the overall coloring, touch, perfection, feel, and the surface of these pearls, you will find very few distinguishable features than natural ones.
So, it won’t be far-fetched to say that Mallorca pearls are definitely one of the best man-made creations of all time.
Where Can I Find Mallorca Pearls?
Mallorca Pearls is an incredibly huge brand in the Balearic Islands, and you can actually find them in different places throughout the region. But suppose you’re looking for the most authentic places to buy these beautiful jewelry pieces. In that case, there’s one place you should definitely go.
Palma’s Carrer de Sant Miquel, which is quite a long shopping lane just off Plaza Espana, contains a bunch of amazing jewelry shops where you can find a wide variety of jewelry, including a lot of different options available from Mallorca, in the form of their Mallorca Pearls.
Suppose you’re looking for a high-end luxury jewelry shop where you can find stunning pieces embellished with Mallorca pearls and other beautiful incorporations. In that case, you should definitely consider paying a visit to one of the finest shops for jewelry in all of Mallorca, Nicholas Joyeros.
That’s not it, though. There are other lesser-known jewelry shops as well, all throughout Mallorca, that are known to have authentic Mallorca pearls in case you’re looking for the real deal to impress your lady or just bringing a superb gift for a loved one back home from your trip. So, all you need is some determination and the right mindset, and you’re going to go home with one of the best offerings on the island of Mallorca.
Also read: Do You Need a Car in Mallorca?
Conclusion
Mallorca Pearls are definitely one of the staples of the island. They’re beautiful and elegant and can be found in different places throughout Mallorcan island. And getting them for your loved ones will surely help your bond grow and become much stronger and more beautiful.
So, make sure you get Mallorca pearls for your loved ones and yourself, even if you get the chance to go to Mallorca. They will love their uniqueness and the history attached to them that make those pearls even more special.
