Pearl Quality

Knowing how to select high quality, including all the subtle differences is the most important aspect of choosing the right pearls. Evaluating cultured pearls is much like comparing quality in diamonds or fine gems because differences in quality affect the aesthetic appeal and cost of pearls. Comparing quality is perhaps more important than with diamonds because the quality of a pearl will determine how long it will retain its beauty. Color, luster, size, shape, surface and matching are the key quality indicators. Pearls of poor quality can lose their beauty in just a few months, whereas high quality pearls can last a lifetime. My Princess Pearls only offers pearls of the finest caliber.

6 Critical Characteristics

Pearl Colors Pearls come in several natural colors including white, black, gray, pink, peach, gold, green, peacock, and bronze. Pearls can also be dyed. Dyed pearls are available in just about any shade imaginable, although pearls left in their natural color are more valuable than if dyed. Different pearl types have different natural colors. The most desirable and more rare white pearls have “rose” colored overtones. Cream-colored pearls are more affordable because they are less rare. Darker toned pearls are more desirable and expensive compared to lighter toned pearls. Distinctive colored pearls are more rare and harder to find. Akoya pearls are usually blue-gray, cream, gold, rose and white.  Akoya pearls' most popular colors are white or cream colors. Freshwater pearls are usually white, pink, peach, lavender, plum, purple and tangerine. The most popular shade of Freshwater pearls are white. South Sea Pearls come in colors ranging from white, gold, silver, cream and champagne. Tahitian pearls are black, gray, silver, green, orange, gold, blue and purple. Peacock is a remarkable color, as it tends to display a beautiful mix of many colors, like the tail of a peacock. This deep blue color is a bit darker and goes well with many outfits because its iridescence contains several other colors.

Gray Black Peach Pink White Bronze

Pearl Luster
Luster is the mirror-like surface of the pearl resulting from layers of nacre. Luster is more than just a shine that comes from a fake pearl, it's a brightness that seems to illuminate from within. As light passes through the various layers of nacre, it is reflected in a beautiful prismatic manner. Pearls with thicker nacre have higher luster. As layers of nacre crystallize and align on top of each other, they create an intense inner glow. This alignment will create a pearl with orient. Orient is a prismatic effect that is created in pearls with thick, high quality nacre. This effect creates a ball-like effect within the pearl when light hits touches the surface. This luminous, and iridescent quality adds to the pearl's value. A pearl with a low luster will be dull, flat and chalky white.

The best way to check for luster is by examining pearls under a fluorescent lamp and rolling them around to examine uniform luster. Don't ever examine pearls on a black surface, since it's harder to view luster quality. Examine pearls over a light gray or white material. Judge nacre by looking for uniform iridescence, intensity of luster, cracks and peeling. Try to estimate thickness near the drill hole between the nacre and the shell bead, indicated by lighter nacre.

South Sea and Tahitian pearls are more lustrous than Freshwater pearls partly because of the size of the pearl. Because luster is one of the more visible qualities of a pearl, it is the most important factor in assigning a pearl's value. GIA uses the terms, Excellent, Good, and Fair to grade a pearl's luster.

Although there is no industry standard, most quality jewelry stores have adopted a grading scale from “C” to “AAA”. Grade “B” pearls are a lower grade. They have irregular shape, low luster (chalky white), and are usually quite small. Grade “AAA” is the highest and will exhibit excellent color consistency, luster and have a uniform shape. Others jewelry stores create their own scales to make sure their pearls pass. All the pearls we sell are graded an “A” or better. Above is a Triple Alphabet Grading System (TAGS) scale used to compare luster. When choosing a pearl necklace, try to select pearls that are assigned an “A” or above. A higher luster will last longer because the nacre will wear off over time from friction due to rubbing against clothing and skin.

Pearl Sizes
Size is an important factor in selecting pearl jewelry. Size is a good indicator of value; however the bigger the size, the more chance for irregularities, so bigger doesn't always mean better value. For each pearl type, there is a different average size. Larger mollusks create larger pearls, therefore South Sea and Tahitian pearls are larger than Akoya and Freshwater pearls. The world's largest recorded pearls are from the South Sea and can measure up to 30 mm wide, although pearls that big are likely to be extremely irregular in shape.

Cultured pearls are measured in millimeters. Pearls are measured in diameter if round and length and width if off-round. The larger the pearl size, the more valuable the pearl.

Akoya pearls range from 6-8 mm in diameter. Freshwater pearls range from 5-6. Average South Sea pearls range from 11-13mm in diameter. Black Tahitian pearls range from 11-12mm in diameter.

Personal tastes will determine pearl size in specific jewelry items. Some women like big pearls for certain pieces such as necklaces or bracelets, and others like small pearls for earrings or pendants.

When picking out pearl size, consider your size. If you are petite, you might look overpowered with large pearls and smaller pearls, like Akoya pearls may look best on you.

Common applications for different sizes are:

• 1-3mm – mini stud earrings, accents on necklaces
• 4-5mm – usually found on children's necklaces and the dangles
• 6-8mm –traditional on our strands and stud earrings
• 10-12mm –Giant stud earrings and some strands

Pearl Shapes
All pearl shapes fall under one of three categories: symmetrical, spherical, and baroque. The spherical shaped pearl is the rarest and most desirable. These perfectly round pearls are the most popular pearl jewelry today, although they are harder to find, which elevates their worth. Symmetrical pearls include teardrop or pear-shaped pearls, and button (also known as the mabe shape), which are desirable but usually less expensive than spherical pearls. Baroque pearls are irregularly shaped and often the least expensive.

For a pearl necklace, most women prefer round shaped pearls, but in pearl earrings and pearl pendants, a button or teardrop may be a better style.

• Round – traditional, available in all colors. These are usually knotted between each pearl.
• Button – flat, disk shaped, very high luster, available in most colors
• Potato – not quite round, but smooth and very versatile, available in all colors
• Biwa – from Ago Bay in Japan, “tic-tac” shaped, can be center drilled, or top drilled and strung into a zigzag pattern.
• Baroque – very natural looking with deep ridges and grooves, most common in larger sizes very fashionable and highly popular.
• Nugget – irregular shaped, like small pebbles, used mostly in dyed pearls as accents to larger pearls or other gems, traditionally a B grade.
   

Pearl Surface
When picking out a pearl necklace, the pearls' surface is one of the most important things to consider. Because they are natural gems, like diamonds, perfect pearls are rare, although high quality pearls are those that have very little imperfections, such as spots or bumps.

Blemishes are surface defects found on a pearl that may or may not affect durability and price. Non-damaging blemishes, such as spots, bumps, pits and wrinkles don't harm the pearl jewelry and won't make the pearls weaker and more fragile. Damaging blemishes that affect the price include cracks, holes and chips, which may worsen over time and eventually ruin the pearl.

When examining a pearl's surface for blemishes, it's best to check on a dark background. This is contrary to how you check for other pearl characteristics. Examine under both intense and diffused light. Pearls are imperfect by nature and small blemishes can be overcome by more important qualities like nacre and luster. Higher luster in pearls will conceal blemishes easier.