How can you tell if a pearl is good quality?
The luster of good quality pearls is sharp and bright. You should be able to see your reflection clearly on the surface of a pearl. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky, is of low quality.
Best quality pearls are determined by luster, nacre thickness and quality (the outer layer), color, surface perfection, shape, and size. The biggest factor of pearl quality is nacre thickness and quality which determines how long the pearl will last.
- Pearl Type – South Sea Pearls are the most valuable.
- Pearl Size – Larger pearls are more valuable than smaller ones.
- Pearl Color – These gems come in a variety of colors.
- Pearl Shape – The rounder the pearl, the more value it holds.
Low quality freshwater pearls can be bought for as little as $20, while average quality pearls sell for anywhere between $30 and $50. Fine quality freshwater pearls can fetch between $65 and $5,000, or more in certain cases.
White and Golden South Sea pearls are the largest and most luxurious of all cultured pearl types on the market today. Often called the “Queen of Pearls”, South Sea pearls feature a gorgeous palette of natural Golden and White colors that shimmer with delicate overtones and are simply unmistakable.
Real pearls are normally heavier than the fake ones. Toss them gently up and down in your hand and feel the weight difference. You can use this method to test those made from coated glass or plastic beads. The only exception with this weight test is in the case of solid glass beads.
The most classic and widely preferred pearl color is white. The white pearl is considered a symbol of purity, and is often associated with wedding and graduation celebrations.
While the white pearls are also priced by jewelers, the gold pearl variety is the most coveted color. The gold South sea pearl's color can range from creamy white to deep gold, and the darker the color, the more expensive it becomes.
Simply take the pearl, and gently rub it along the surface of your tooth. If the pearls are real, you'll feel a grittiness similar to sandpaper. In other words, there will be a great deal of friction. If the pearls are fake, on the other hand, it will feel smooth as with plastic or glass.
Yellow pearls typically indicate that pearls are real since artificial pearls don't normally change color. While natural white pearls can yellow with age, there are such things as naturally yellow pearls. These naturally yellow stones are yellow not because of their age but because of the way they have been cultivated.
How can you tell a vintage pearl?
Feel the pearls texture with your teeth.
An easy and old method to identify a real pearl is to use the “tooth-test.” Put the pearls up against your mouth and rub the pearls over the bottom edge of your tooth. A real pearl will have a light grit to it. A pearl made of plastic or glass will feel smooth.
The sad reality is that old, second-hand cultured pearls aren't worth a lot. There's no obvious place to sell them and you won't get much from a jeweller or by putting them on eBay. Our advice is to keep them as a memento or give them to someone who'll appreciate them.
The value of a pearl can vary dramatically depending on many factors, such as its type, size, color, surface quality, and more. A wild pearl will be worth more than a cultured pearl. However, on average, a pearl's value ranges from $300 to $1500.
Freshwater pearls are cheaper because they are easier to extract, making sea pearls more valued. Why? Sea pearls are larger, more beautiful in shape, luster, smoother surface and, of course, much more expensive than freshwater pearls. (or Akoya) are the best known and most valued in the world.
The most common color for pearls is white, cream, pink, purple, but they also come in colors such as champagne, chocolate, blue, gold, silver and lavender. Some pearls have stunning overtones that exhibit multicolors.
Before we go any farther, you should know that the most popular, classic and versatile pearl necklaces are in the 7.0-8.0mm size range. The 7.0-8.0mm size range is widely acknowledged to be the "go-anywhere" size, perfect for nights out, office wear or even a quick trip to the grocery store in a T-shirt and jeans.
A | AAAA | |
---|---|---|
Surface | Pearls having flaws on at least 60% of the pearl surface, with 20% containing deep imperfections. | Flawless pearl on at least 95% of the pearl surface, with 5% concentrated imperfections. |
Luster | Poor | Very High |
A-D Grading System | "D" Quality | "A" Quality |
Before wearing this Pearl gemstone on your finger, you need to follow some methods: The pearl gems weight is not more than 4-5 carats. Wearing a pearl Gemstone on your little finger only on a Monday not any other day of the week. Good time to worn a pearl Gemstone are in between 10 am to 11 am.
A natural pearl may show growth lines where concentric layers of nacre have been added. Cultured pearls on the other hand will appear to have a perfectly rounded nucleus that's surrounded by a halo of conchiolin and finally a thin outer layer.
A: Pearls do not float in water. You need the Transparent Gels to float them.
Do real pearls glow in the dark?
UV light is a great option if you're looking for a quick and easy way to test whether pearls are real. Natural pearls will display fluoresce under ultraviolet light, meaning they glow. Press a small UV flashlight over the pearl to see if it glows. If the pearl glows, it's likely a real pearl.
Real Pearls Are Gritty, While Faux Pearls Are Smooth
Grab a pearl between your index and your thumb and test its texture on your teeth – if it's smooth and neat, you're holding a fake pearl. Imitation pearls are always slippery, which is another good indicator of their origin.
This means that people of Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Capricorn and Aquarius ascendant should not wear pearls. If such people wear pearls then their mind gets distracted and upheaval starts in life. Those people whose moon is placed in the 12th or 10th house in their horoscope are also not advised to wear pearls.
What is the most rare pearl? The most rare pearl in the world is the Melo Melo, which is produced by a sea snail and not an oyster or a mollusk.
Gold pearls, like many gold things in our world, represent wealth and prosperity.
The reason it's so common to see women holding their pearls to their skin is because real pearls are often colder than fake ones. Fake pearls will stay at room temperature, while genuine pearls are made of natural minerals from deep in the ocean, and don't stay warm or warm-up as easily as artificial pearls.
If your pearls dry out this causes them to become brittle and the risk of them becoming damaged or they start to peel will increase. So it is important that you wear your pearls as often as you can. Leaving them tucked away in an airtight bag or safe will do them more harm than good.
Do not submerge your pearls in water - no showers, no dishes, no swimming. The chlorine in the water will eat away at the epoxy securing the pearls to their mountings, and soaking the silk your pearls are strung on causes it to stretch out and break early.
If pearls are especially dirty, wipe them with acetone polish remover. Acetone will not hurt pearls, BUT do not use jewelry cleaners containing ammonia or vinegar. Pearls should always be stored separately from other jewelry as it may scratch or mar the pearls' surface.
Do not use vinegar, lemon, or baking soda because they contain acids which could erode and damage the nacre. 2. Then, with a different damp clean cloth, softly rub the pearls carefully to be sure any soap or residue has been thoroughly removed.
How can you tell real pearls from vinegar?
The vinegar test is exactly what it sounds like. The acetic acid in vinegar will react with the calcium carbonate in the nacre of the pearl. Put a drop of vinegar on the pearl or submerge the pearl in a small cup of vinegar. If you can see bubbles forming from the reaction, your pearls are authentic.
- AAA: Nearly flawless pearls with a high luster and a surface that's 95 percent free of defects.
- AA: High luster with a surface that's 75 percent free of defects.
- A: Lower luster and defects on more than 25 percent of the surface.
REAL PEARLS: BECAUSE PEARLS ARE MADE BY LIVING CREATURES, REAL PEARLS HAVE SLIGHT IMPERFECTIONS. THEY ALSO HAVE A DEEP LUSTER THAT MAKES IT SEEM AS IF THE GEMSTONE IS GLOWING FROM INSIDE.
Natural pearls will display fluoresce under ultraviolet light, meaning they glow. Press a small UV flashlight over the pearl to see if it glows. If the pearl glows, it's likely a real pearl. A natural pearl displays fluoresce under ultraviolet light because of the presence of natural organic compounds in its nacre.
This means that people of Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Capricorn and Aquarius ascendant should not wear pearls. If such people wear pearls then their mind gets distracted and upheaval starts in life. Those people whose moon is placed in the 12th or 10th house in their horoscope are also not advised to wear pearls.
While pearls may appear hard and shiny, the surface of a pearl is actually quite porous, and will absorb the natural oils from your body. If pearls are not worn every four months or so, they can dry out and become dull and yellowed.
Freshwater Pearls are the most widely available pearls seen in jewellery today. Hence, they're the most affordable types of pearls in the market.