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Have you ever been bothered by the to-be-or-not-to-be questions when purchasing a pearl- “how to distinguish from the genuine and imitated pearls? How to decide which one is the best quality? How I wish I had the insight of a pearl expert!” Please do not be confused. Pearl, like everything in the world, has its own standards for choosing. The fine quality of a pearl is determined by its luster,size,shape,surface perfection,color and the outer layer.
Before you get started, you might ask, do I have to pay so much on a genuine and natural pearl? I’m afraid the answer is “no”. It is true that in the past, a real pearl is valuable and rare because it comes from the long-time deliberation of an oyster. However, nowadays people have decoded the forming mechanism of a pearl. By imitating the process of a natural pearl’s forming, people insert “nucleus” into the oyster. After a phrase of time, the oyster will produce a pearl. However, the pearl gained by this method is not fake or imitated one, but cultured one. It is just a natural pearl conducted by scientific method. In this case, you may definitely choose a fine cultured pearl jewelry with a very high quality.
Of the five standards – Quality,Nacre thickness,Luster,Size,Surface perfection,Shape,Color, the most important one is quality and nacre thickness. The thicker the nacre is, the longer the pearl will be reserved. And the quality of nacre is the key factor which decides the whole quality of a pearl. A high-quality pearl has luster and iridescence. When you judge the thickness of the nacre, estimate the thickness in the drill-hole from the nacreto the shell bead. The average thickness of all pearls is .5 millimeters. And the thickness ranges from .5 millimeters for thick ones, .35 millimeters for medium ones to .25 millimeters for the thin ones.
Standard one: Luster
Luster is usually the first factor to be noticed. Its brightness is from the innate layers of surfaces of a pearl but not just “shiny” on the surface like the imitated ones. When lightened by a beam of light, a quality pearl has a sharp contrast between the brightest area and shaded area. The shaded areas creates an illusion of a “ball within the pearl”. You’d better check the pearl under a fluorescent light and roll it side to side in order to check for the uniformity of the luster. You’d better check the pearl in front of a grey or white background.
Standard two: Color & Overtones
The color and overtones are also very important factors for consideration. Pearls, as we know, have various colors – white color, pink,purple,black,gray,blue,golden yellow, and green, etc. However, the most valuable ones are with Rose overtone. The most common and ordinary color is cream. The darker the color is, the more expensive and rarer the pearl will be. The distinctive color pearls are very rare. So when you have decided to choose a pearl with rare distinctive color, like the black color or golden yellow ones, you’d better consult from a gemologist and make sure the pearl has not been dyed.
Standard three: Surface characteristics
Any pearls are never perfect but we have to pay attention on the blemishes. When you are checking the blemishes, please put the pearl in front of a dark background and in strong and diffused light. A good quality pearl with fine nacre and luster will conceal blemishes better.
Standard four: Shape
Three pearl shapes are common: Round,symmetrical, and baroque. Of the three shapes, the rarest and valuable is round. Symmetrical pearls,including tear-drop or pear-shaped ones are less expensive than the round ones. Baroque pearls are the least expensive because of its irregular shape.
Standard five: Size
It is certain that the larger the size is, the more expensive the pearl will be. Some large pearls such as South Sea pearls and Tahitian pearls are of very high price when they are over 15 millimeters.
Considering the five standards and chosen the quality pearl, you might want to consider the issue of matching. A good pearl will increase the value of jewelry, and on the other hand, an off-center drilled pearl will reduce the value. In this case, be careful when considering the matching effects.
admin | 
10 27th, 2008| 
