Top Tips on Choosing the Best Pearls in Jewelry

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A pearl’s value is dependent on 5 factors – the pearl’s lustre, surface, shape, color and size.

Lustre of pearls

A pearl’s lustre is defined by the combination of its inner glow and its surface brightness. A thicker secretion from the oyster will result in a stronger glow and higher lustre. Lustre is the most important consideration when it comes to choosing pearl jewelry. You can tell a low quality cultured pearl from a higher quality one as low quality pearls in jewelry usually look too white and/or can appear dull or chalky.

Surface of pearls

Next to a pearl’s lustre, the overall smoothness of a pearl is the 2^nd consideration in determining a pearl’s value. A pearl’s surface can vary from clean, heavily blemished or cracked. Pearls being organic gems rarely appear flawless, therefore a good quality pearl will be one that although it may have tiny blemishes when studied close-up, the blemishes will not be noticeable at arm’s length.

Shape of pearls

Because pearls are organic gems, it is quite exceptional to find a pearl that is a perfect round shape. Therefore the more round a pearl is, the more value it will hold.

Color of pearls

Cultured pearls come in a variety of colors, ranging from white to black, with the natural color being a combination of body color, overtone and iridescence. The overtone of a pearl is described as being one or more colors that overlie the basic body color of a pearl. This is easiest to see in the darker areas of a white pearl and in the lighter areas of a black pearl. The iridescence of a pearl is described as a subtle combination of colors such as blue, green, silver or pink, with the colors changing as you move the pearl around in your hand.

The presence of overtone and iridescence in a pearl can make it more valuable.

Size of pearls

As you would expect, the larger a pearl is the more valuable it is. Cultured pearls are usually measured in millimetres, with larger pearls being rarer than smaller ones.

Difference between cultured pearls and freshwater pearls

Cultured pearls are traditionally cultured in oysters in the ocean, whereas freshwater pearls are traditionally cultured in mussels in a lake. Freshwater pearls are generally not as well round-shaped as cultured pearls and can come in many shapes and colours. Freshwater pearl jewelry are less expensive than cultured pearl jewelry.

Watch out for shell-based pearl imitations in jewelry. They may appear to look similar to cultured pearls but are made by painting pearl paint over a shell bead.

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