Pearl Buying Tips
B uying pearls needn't be fraught. A little knowledge, some simple guidelines, and a bit of common sense when it comes to marketing hype will see you through. This page has a few basic tips to get you started.
Find out all about the history, origins, properties, types and culturing of pearls at the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia
There is no universal standard for grading pearls so identical pearls might be graded differently by different suppliers. Although there is no standard there are conventions. Most reputable dealers and retailers adopt the A, AA, AAA system however...
The system can be abused when pearls are described as belonging to a particular grade but do not meet the generally accepted quality criteria. Terms not in the grading system like AAAA or AAA+ or 'investment grade' may be employed as a way of implying the pearls are superior.
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SHAPE:pearls develop into a variety of shapes. Round pearls are the rarest and command the highest prices. The term 'round' does not mean spherical like a marble but the pearls should not be obviously oval or flattened when viewed with the naked eye. It's worth remembering that non-round pearls can offer a lot of pearl for your money. Wild pearls were very rarely round so different shaped pearls might be considered more natural. |
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LUSTRE: is the shine that gives pearls their beauty and is an important buying factor. Lustre refers to the pearls brilliance - the way it's surface reflects light, and to it's inner glow - how it refracts light from the layers of nacre within. Pearls with low lustre appear chalky, yellow or dull rather than shiny. This example gives an idea of the quality of lustre to be expected from different grades of pearl. Inspect pearls in soft natural daylight - not house lights, ultra violet or harsh sunlight. |
SURFACE QUALITY: pearls are a natural product and small surface imperfections are quite acceptable. Unacceptable blemishes include cracks or holes in the surface or flaking which indicates the nacre covering the nucleus is too thin. Grade AAA pearls should have 95% of their surface blemish free. Grade AA pearls 75% of the surface blemish free. Grade A pearls less than 75%. Pearls which meet the AAA criteria may be described as 'clean'. A totally blemish free surface may be described as 'spotless'. |
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NACRE: seawater pearls are cultivated by implanting an oyster with a mother-of-pearl shell bead - the nucleus. To protect itself, the mollusc coats the bead with layers of nacre . The longer the bead remains the more layers of nacre and the finer the pearl.
If a pearl has been harvested too soon and the nacre covering the bead is thin, it won't last. On seawater pearls look for a thick nacre covering of at least 0.5mm. Freshwater pearls employ a different culturing technique. Instead of a bead nucleus the mollusc is implanted with a piece of tissue to stimulate nacre production. The result is a solid pearl. Freshwater pearls may take twice as long to grow. |
MATCHING: means comparing all the pearls on a strand with each other to see how well they match up. This doesn't mean they have to be identical. That would look artificial and real pearls will vary a little. Most people can judge whether something looks right or not.
For example, a necklace of 7-8mm pearls will appear odd if the larger pearls are grouped to one side or if a smaller pearl is sandwiched between two larger ones. Naturally coloured necklaces may well exhibit small variations in colour and tone but these should not be glaring. Take your necklace into soft natural daylight then turn it in your hands and inspect it from different angles. If it looks ok it probably is ! |
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COLOUR: pearls come in many colours - both natural and artificial. Pearls may be dyed, irradiated or otherwise treated to achieve a particular colour. Treatments don't harm the pearl and won't fade. Colour is a matter of personal preference. White is the favourite for weddings and anniversaries. Black pearls are rarely true black but blue, green, aubergine, grey, peacock and more. Black pearls come only from the Tahitian area and a particular breed of oyster. All other 'black' pearls have been treated to achieve that colour. |
PEARL SIZES: range from tiny 2mm seed pearls to 20mm South Sea giants although the latter are very rare. The most common size of pearl sold today is around 7-7.5mm. A comparison of 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm and 10mm pearls with a British fivepenny piece. The coin measures 18.0 millimetres across. Pearl prices rise sharply after about 7mm. The longer they remain in the water the more chance there is of the mollusc dying of disease or other causes or the pearl losing it's shape or blemishing. |