Real Pearls Have Imperfections There is almost always an imperfection such as an issue with the shape, a slight indentation or slightly off color to it (even if ever so slight). There is a reason why “perfect” pearl necklaces can set you back tens of thousands of dollars, if not more.
Look for slight imperfections.
"Real" pearls are very rarely perfect. Usually they will have slight imperfections, small blemishes or an irregular shape.
Common Freshwater Pearl Blemishes
Chalky spots are easily the most common of Freshwater pearl inclusions. They're exactly what they sound like: dull, chalky-looking areas on the pearl surface. Pits or pitting blemishes are similar to pin-prick inclusions found on saltwater cultured pearls.
Although fake pearls are typically very smooth and artificially perfect, a real pearl may often have irregularities such as pits, chips, bumps and scratches on its surface. Both natural and cultured pearls are formed by a mussel or oyster over months and even years.
Real Pearls Have Imperfections
There is almost always an imperfection such as an issue with the shape, a slight indentation or slightly off color to it (even if ever so slight). There is a reason why “perfect” pearl necklaces can set you back tens of thousands of dollars, if not more.
Pinpoints / Pits: These are tiny bumps and holes or pits that are usually not that visible from a distance. Dull spots: Very low lustre in areas of poor nacre quality. This can also be due to contact of the pearl with chemicals or cosmetics. Bumps: Raised areas or welts, either alone or in groups.
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.
How are natural pearls identified? Natural pearls have a thicker nacre or “skin” when compared to cultured pearls. When held against a concentrated light source, a pearl with a thick nacre will show concentric growth lines, where layer after layer of nacre was added over time as described above.
Mother Nature nearly always leaves its mark, so pearls with a completely clean surface are extremely rare. The more flawless a pearl is, the more expensive it is, but pearl blemishes and flaws on the surface actually indicate that a pearl is authentic.
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.
Your first test is to touch your pearls and feel the temperature. Real pearls are cold to touch for the first couple of seconds before adjusting to your body temperature. Fake plastic pearls will be room temperature to begin with and you won't feel the coolness when you touch them.
Wear your pearls often. Pearls benefit from the moisture from the body so wear them often to keep them looking their best. 9. If you wear your pearls frequently, you should restring them once a year to keep the string clean and strong.
*Pearls deteriorate over time, and even with proper care, the smaller ones generally last 150 to 200 years (depending on the thickness of that nacre)... but in 2012, scientists found a single pearl in a gravesite overseas, that was dated at 7500 years old.
Pearls are organic gemstones that are vulnerable to acid, alkaline and extremes of humidity. To preserve your pearls' radiance, avoid letting them come into contact with cosmetics, hair spray, or perfume. Always put on your jewelry as a final touch, after applying make-up and styling hair.
Use the Fire Check
Another method is the flame test, where you hold a pearl against a naked flame. Natural pearls remain shiny and intact while not producing any odors, and a consistent flame causes a light pop sound, whereas fake pearls held on a naked flame have a bad burning smell and quickly lose their shine.
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.
The Vinegar Test
A real pearl will dissolve in vinegar or show erosion where the vinegar drop meets its surface. This is because of the chemical reaction between the acid in the vinegar and calcium carbonate, the primary chemical that a real pearl is made of.
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.
The Perils of Wetting Pearls
As the thread begins to stretch and lengthen, the pearls lose their shape. Furthermore, as the thread runs through the pearl, water can also cause internal damage, leading to the breakdown of the pearl's internal composition.
Baroque pearls are pearls with an irregular, non-spherical shape. Shapes can range from minor aberrations to distinctly ovoid, curved, pinched, or lumpy shapes. Most cultured freshwater pearls are baroque because freshwater pearls are mantle-tissue nucleated instead of bead nucleated.
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.
Astrology says that the people whose zodiac signs lords are Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Rahu should never wear pearls.
If the previous two tests still have you wondering about your pearl jewelry, the friction test may be a good option. Hold the pearls in your fingers, and gently rub them against each other. A true pearl will create friction with another due to the grainy, imperfect surface.
Any pearl that looks too chalky or dull indicates low quality. Cleanliness of the cultured pearl surface refers to the absence of disfiguring spots, bumps or cracks. A cultured pearl with a clean surface will have a higher value than a spotted, bumpy or cracked one.