| Pearls are beautiful in their simplicity, and look | | | | reflection of light. If a pearl has a dull, cloudy |
| great with any outfit. But, buying pearls is not | | | | surface, it will be less valuable than a lustrous one. |
| always very simple. By following five basic steps, | | | | Placing a pearl directly under a light on a flat, white |
| you can avoid paying too much for your jewelry | | | | surface is a good way to check for luster. |
| or missing out on the perfect pearl. | | | | Type |
| The color of the pearl and the way it is set in the | | | | There are several basic types of pearls: |
| piece of jewelry may be the first things you | | | | - Natural pearls are the ones that are simply |
| consider, but are more personal preference than | | | | found inside of a mollusk, such as an oyster. |
| determinants of value. | | | | These are extremely rare and, if they are of high |
| The important steps to take when buying pearls | | | | quality, are very expensive. |
| are to look at the following: | | | | - Cultured pearls are not fake, but come from a |
| - size | | | | mollusk that has been "farmed". In this process, a |
| - shape (round, baroque, teardrop, or other) | | | | pearl is made to grow inside the mollusk by |
| - surface (smoothness and luster) | | | | inserting a small irritant like a grain of sand. These |
| - type (natural, cultured, saltwater, freshwater or | | | | can be produced in a large size and smooth |
| imitation) | | | | surface by a skilled pearl farmer. |
| - grade (A, AA, etc.) | | | | - Saltwater pearls are simply pearls found or |
| Size | | | | grown in the sea. The trade names for saltwater |
| Like many (but not all) types of jewelry, the size | | | | cultured pearls include Akoya, South Sea, or Black |
| of pearls is closely linked to their value. Large | | | | Tahiti. |
| cultured pearls are harder to create, and large | | | | - Freshwater pearls, by the same token, are |
| natural (found) pearls are incredibly rare. For this | | | | found or grown in lakes, rivers and ponds. The |
| reason, a double strand of smaller pearls is likely | | | | majority of these come from China. Freshwater |
| to be more affordable than a single strand of | | | | pearls are typically a little softer and easier to |
| large pearls. | | | | scratch than saltwater pearls, and are a bit less |
| Shape | | | | valuable. |
| In years past, the only acceptable shape for pearl | | | | - Imitation pearls are typically made from glass or |
| jewelry was perfectly spherical. A spherical pearl | | | | plastic. They have very little value and are |
| is still the most desirable, but there is now a large | | | | typically used in costume jewelry. |
| market for oval, teardrop, and even disc-shaped | | | | Grade |
| pearls. These alternative types tend to be more | | | | Though there is not an industry-wide grading |
| affordable, but still must be symmetrical (round, | | | | standard for pearls, there are two systems that |
| when viewed from one end) and smooth. | | | | are accepted by most jewelry dealers. The |
| Surface | | | | Triple-A system grades pearls on their |
| The smoothness of a pearl's surface is also very | | | | flawlessness and luster, with one "A" being the |
| important for its value. Blemishes are not | | | | lowest and three "A"s being the highest. The |
| desirable, of course, but a small amount of | | | | Tahitian system also grades based on |
| surface roughness is to be expected in natural or | | | | flawlessness and luster, but it uses the ratings |
| cultured pearls. A pearl that is totally smooth, for | | | | A-D, with D being the lowest and A being the |
| example, is likely to be fake. | | | | highest. This system is used primarily for South |
| The luster, or "glow" of the surface, is important | | | | Sea and Tahitian pearls. |
| as well. Look for a shiny surface and strong | | | | |