Real pearls can be identified by their unique surface, which is often rough or bumpy. They also have a lustre that is more subtle than other gemstones. Additionally, when rubbed against the front teeth, real pearls will feel slightly gritty.
The simplest way to tell if a pearl is natural or fake is to take the pearl and rub it against your teeth. “If the surface of the pearl feels grainy, then it is real,” explains Whitten. “If the surface feels smooth, then it is an imitation.”
To perform the tooth test on a pearl, take the gemstone and rub it along your tooth's biting edge. A real pearl will feel rough and gritty on your tooth. Faux pearls will feel almost perfectly smooth.
In fact, you'll be surprised to learn that a pearl's surface is actually not smooth at all. While all high-quality pearls will appear smooth and reflect both light and the objects around them clearly, the nacre that coats them is actually gritty. In fact, pearl surface is made up of tiny crystals.
Both natural and cultured pearls have textured surface due to their layered nacre structure. So when you rub the pearls lightly against each other or on your front teeth, they feel a little gritty. Fake or imitation pearls, however, usually feel smooth or glassy.
It's pretty much impossible to tell the difference between a natural and cultured pearl by just looking at its outer appearance. The only way to make absolute certain whether a pearl is natural or not is to perform an x-ray of the internal structure of the pearl.
Real pearls wear out and age, what is visible in getting mat, cracking, peeling, chipping off, and finally scattering into a fine powder. The life of a natural pearl is estimated at about 100-150 years, but there are few specimens up to several hundred years.
If it feels slightly rough, sandy or gritty, it's likely a cultured or natural pearl. This texture you feel is the layers of nacre that have formed over time. If the pearl feels smooth or glassy, it is likely an imitation.
Simply lightly rub the pearl on the front of tooth – if it feels smooth and glassy, then it is an imitation. If your pearl has a slightly gritty feel to it, then you are looking at a real, natural beauty.
Freshwater pearls have no core and are made up entirely of mother-of-pearl – so 98% of these stones are not round but oval, buttoned, drop or baroque in shape. Freshwater pearls are cheaper because they are easier to extract, making sea pearls more valued.
Worn often and properly cared for, pearls can look as good in 50 years as they did the day they left the store. Pearls are not the most durable of gems. Most everyday items at home and in the office are tougher than pearls, so careless contact can cause damage them over time. Chemicals are the primary threat.
The cleaner the surface of the pearl, the more valuable it is. Look for an absence of disfiguring spots, bumps or cracks on the surface of a pearl, also known as "cleanliness." Notice that the highest quality pearls have a sharp, mirror-like reflection.
Should You Wear Pearls Every Day? There's a straightforward answer to this question. It's really up to you and what you're comfortable with. If you're someone who takes very good care of their belongings and is cautious with how you handle them, then wearing your pearls every day shouldn't be a problem.
This is because a real pearl has small ridges on its surface. These ridges may not be visible to the naked eye. However, experts and jewelers can check the “natural flaws” in a pearl using a magnifying object. In real pearls, these same ridges can be felt using the teeth.
Real pearls vary in weight depending on size and type. Generally, they are light but range from 0.5 to 6 grams. Akoya, South Sea, and Tahitian pearls are heavier than freshwater pearls. Larger pearls will also be heavier than smaller ones of the same type.
Drawbacks to the Tooth Test, and Alternatives
The tooth test, while often useful, may not always be accurate. Makers of some fake pearls have started adding a special coating to their faux pearls, so that they feel gritty when rubbed against a tooth, just like a real pearl would.
Natural pearls have tiny irregularities and ridges on the surface when examined closely due to the natural formation of the pearl's mother. Even when well-matched, you can always see tiny differences in top-quality cultured pearl necklace. However, if the pearls look identical, then they are probably fake.
Wetting pearls is never a good idea, as it begins to destroy the jewel. Pearl necklaces are damaged when they get wet, because the water damages both the thread and the pearl . When wet, the thread that holds the beads together begins to stretch and lengthen, so it quickly loses the desired shape.
It is very important that you take your pearls off before going to bed or before participating in any sports. It is also important that you limit its contact with water, and remove them before showering or going to the pool. This will prevent the pearl from falling off prematurely and degrade the mother of pearl.
Leaving pearl jewelry in a security box for long periods may cause pearls to dehydrate, so enjoy them frequently. There is a saying that “pearls want to be worn,” and it is true. In the case of pearl rings, please be aware that these are only to be worn for dress and are not intended for everyday wear.
The qualities that determine the overall value of a natural or cultured pearl or a piece of pearl jewelry are size, shape, color, luster, surface quality, nacre quality, and—for jewelry with two or more pearls—matching.
Natural pearls are formed in oysters when an irritant enters their shell. The pearl begins to form a sheen around the foreign substance as an act of defense against it. In a similar way, freshwater pearls are created when an irritant enters the oyster, but this irritant is put into the shell by a human.
Perhaps the best-loved gems of all time, pearls—both natural and modern cultured pearls—occur in a wide variety of colors. The most familiar colors are white and cream (a light yellowish brown). Black, gray, and silver are also fairly common, but the palette of pearl colors extends to every hue.
Whereas saltwater pearls are investment- grade quality, most freshwater pearls are closer to commercial-quality jewelry in their prices. Regardless of their price or rarity, freshwater pearls are nonetheless beautiful.