Dark spots on the surface of a pearl can be subtle, but they can also concentrate in one area and can be very visible. Luckily, they can be removed during the bleaching process.
this might be a dark spot or hole where either there is a black spot and a lack of nacre. These black spots appear to be some sort of "dead" spot. They are a sign of no nacre, poor nacre development, some sort of occlusion or a place where the pearl did not develop well.
An authentic pearl displays fluoresce under ultraviolet light because of the presence of natural organic compounds in its nacre. On the other hand, fake pearls are typically made out of glass or plastic and don't contain these natural organic compounds. As a result, they won't display fluoresce under UV light.
A natural pearl may show growth lines where concentric layers of nacre have been added. Cultured pearls on the other hand will appear to have a perfectly rounded nucleus that's surrounded by a halo of conchiolin and finally a thin outer layer.
Usually they will have slight imperfections, small blemishes or an irregular shape. The outer layer of the pearl, or the nacre, will reflect light differently as the pearl is turned. Conversely, imitation pearls are usually too "perfect." They will be perfectly round and the surface will show no imperfections.
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.
A real pearl will usually have a slightly rough or gritty texture from tiny scale-like imperfections in its outer layers of nacre. Fake pearls made from glass or plastic will usually be almost perfectly smooth. You may want to brush your teeth before attempting this test to make sure they're clean.
The luster of good quality pearls is sharp and bright. You should be able to see your reflection clearly on the surface of a pearl. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky, is of low quality.
To try it for yourself, put a drop of vinegar on the pearl or submerge the pearl in a small cup of vinegar. If you can see bubbles forming from the release of carbon dioxide in the chemical reaction, your pearls are authentic.
Fake pearls will often have a very polished and shiny appearance with no markings on them. Pearls are naturally not as smooth and may contain some imperfections in their surfaces, such as tiny scratches, spots of colors, or bumps called “pearling.” The more perfect the pearl, the less likely it is to be real.
It's often assumed that because something's old it must be valuable. That's rarely true and certainly not for pearls. Advances in technology and culturing techniques mean you can buy a much better set of pearls for far less money than in grandma's time.
Some pearls develop with one or more grooves or rings encircling them. These pearls are known as ringed or circled. The primary shape of a pearl is, therefore, described as circled round or ringed oval.
Black pearls are formed when that piece of sand gets stuck in the body of a very specific type of oyster, the Tahitian black-lipped Pinctada margaritifera. The interior shell, called the nacre, of most oysters is usually a glossy white or silver but the Tahitian black-lipped oyster features a thick band of black.
The genuine diamond will have some internal or external flaws, known as inclusions. If the other stone is cubic zirconia or moissanite, it will have no internal flaws, and probably no external flaws either.
Gold Pearls
One of the largest and rarest pearls found around the world is Gold in color. They are Golden South Sea pearls, cultured in the Philippine Islands. Golden South Sea pearls have only been available to pearl lovers since the late 1970s, and are known as the “Rolls Royce” of cultured pearls.
While the white pearls are also priced by jewelers, the gold pearl variety is the most coveted color. The gold South sea pearl's color can range from creamy white to deep gold, and the darker the color, the more expensive it becomes.
Freshwater pearls are cheaper because they are easier to extract, making sea pearls more valued. Why? Sea pearls are larger, more beautiful in shape, luster, smoother surface and, of course, much more expensive than freshwater pearls.
Well, there's a way to confirm that- the Pearl Tooth Test. Simply press the piece you have against your teeth. If it's made of plastic, the sound will be muffled. However, if you hear a "click" or "clank," you should know that the item is genuine.
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.
The luster of good quality pearls is sharp and bright. You should be able to see your reflection clearly on the surface of a pearl. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky, is of low quality. Within a pearl type, when other value factors are equal, the higher the luster, the more valuable the pearl.
South Sea. South Sea pearls are often referred to as the Rolls Royce of pearls. They are the largest and most valuable pearls grown today, with average sizes ranging from 10 to 15 millimeters.
Keep pearls away from chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, ammonia, hairspray, perfume, and cosmetics, as these substances will damage the pearl surface. Make sure to put pearls on after finished spraying perfume or hairspray and putting on makeup.