The How-To Guide to Buying Pearls
Pearls. What’s not to love? They are beautiful, elegant and alluring. Worn throughout history by royalty, fashion moguls and women around the world, they will never go out of style. Pearls seem to be a staple in most women’s jewelry collection and they are always a solid investment. However, you should be well-informed about the qualities of pearls and know what to look for before making a purchase. Here are the most important features to look for when shopping for pearls:
Size – Typically, the larger the pearl (measured in millimeters), the more rare and expensive it is, but you’ll find small, fine quality pearls as well as large, low quality pearls.
Shape – Round is the most popular shape for pearl lovers, but they come in a variety of other shapes like semi-round, oval, drop, button, semi-baroque and baroque. Perfect symmetrical pearls are more valuable than irregular shapes.
Color – The color of a pearl depends on its origin and its natural, inherent tones created by the pearl. Subtle hues include oyster white, yellow, pink, orange, blue, violet, green, copper, gray and black, depending on where and how the pearl is harvested.
Luster – A pearl’s luster (light reflection) creates a distinct inner glow from the surface of the pearl. Excellent luster that’s bright and shiny contributes to the value and cost of the pearl. Akoya pearls have a shiny mirror-like gloss, while other types have a softer, satin luster.
Surface – A perfect pearl without any surface abrasions, cracks, chips and bumps is rare and certainly affects value. Surface irregularities can affect the strength and durability of a pearl, especially with jeweler drill holes needed to create beautiful jewelry.
Uniformity – If you’re buying a strand of pearls and various matching pieces like earrings, bracelets and tear-drop pendants, the uniform appearance of pearls in the entire collection of matching pieces is important to the value.
Nacre – Nacre, the natural substance secreted by the mollusk for protection, is inherent in all saltwater pearls. This iridescent material found in mollusk shells creates the beautiful, unmistakable luster found in saltwater pearls.
Pearls are unique, organic gemstones created by living creatures, so no two pearls are ever exactly alike. Each pearl comes with its own natural beauty that varies in all the characteristics mentioned above. When you’re buying pearls, protect your investment and look for direct importers or wholesalers like The Pearl Source who only deal in quality pearls that will last a lifetime.
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