Majorca Pearls
Better known by the brand name of "Majorica Pearls".
Perhaps one of the most famous types of imitation pearls is the Majorca Pearls. Visit the factories and see the production of your pearl. No, they have not been grown naturally in the sea but built layer by layer, by human hands.
Most visitors come to Manacor in Majorca for the manufactured pearls. Several companies make them, but Majorca where they were originally manufactured, is the best known.The company of Perlas Majorica in Manacor was founded by Eduard Heush, a German, in 1902. The company has a two storey showroom on the edge of town on the road to Palma which opens from 9am-8pm Mon-Fri and 9am-7pm Sat, Sun & holidays.
Upstairs you can see a handful of people working on the creation of pearls, but the real factory is elsewhere and not open for visitors.
You could also visit Perlas Orquidea, which opens at 9am and closes at 7pm Mon-Fri and 1pm Sat, Sun, the factory is situated on the road to Montuiri.
The manufacturer uses a special glass called opaline and coats the surface with a paste made from fish scales called essence of the orient or pearl essence to make the imitation surface look like a real pearl.
The two important characteristics are:
1...A special melting temperature.2...A special adhesion that will guarantee the correct fixation of the different covers of colour.
The process goes as follows:
a...The glass is melted by hand by special artisans using fire.
b...A drop of glass trickles down on a rotating metal thread. With that rotation the crystal becomes a perfect round bead.
c...After cooling the metal, the thread is removed and the bead formed.
d...It is then checked for quality.
e...The next step is the process of coating the bead with special enamel produced in the factory, which will be the final touch to the pearl.
f...The pearl is coated a certain number of times imitating the process of nature.
g...Again the pearls are checked one by one to guarantee the perfect look and quality.
h...The necklace is then strung by hand knotting after each pearl. These are often sold at higher prices than real pearls.