Real pearls will have a strong and iridescent shine, while fake pearls may appear dull or cloudy. Also, rub two natural pearls together; they are real if they make a gritty sound. Lastly, examine the surface of each pearl; real pearls will often have blemishes or small bumps on them that are not found on faux ones.
Natural pearls grow in the wild without human intervention. They are very rare, and most natural pearls in the market today are antique. Cultured pearls are grown in pearl farms, and are the direct result of human intervention.
Fake pearls only shine on their surface and their luster has no depth. Uniformity: A fake pearl necklace, for example, will have pearls that are all the same size and perfectly spherical. In addition, they won't have any blemishes or imperfections when examined very closely.
Genuine pearls are shinier than fake pearls. You can measure shine in luster, which is the intensity and softness of a pearl's surface, it generally has to do with how bright and clear a pearl looks. Natural pearls have more shine than artificial ones because they're made from natural materials.
Real pearls are heavy compared to most fakes. They should feel like they have some weight to them, compared to a hollow plastic bead. The surface will feel gritty. Gently rub two pearls in a strand together.
The most common color for pearls is white, cream, pink, purple, but they also come in colors such as champagne, chocolate, blue, gold, silver and lavender. Some pearls have stunning overtones that exhibit multicolors.
There's no doubt that pearls are one of the most popular and beloved gems in the world. They range in prices from a $100 or less all the way up to thousands and even millions of dollars.
Some of you may be concerned that if their pearls turn yellow, this indicates that they are fake. Contrary to popular belief, imitation pearls very rarely turn yellow due to their composition of plastic and ceramic. Pearls that begin to yellow indicate that they are organic and subject to change.
Naturally colored blue pearls are the rarest pearl colors in the world (with one or two exceptions, which we will get to below). The color has existed in pearls for decades, but only recently have naturally colored blue pearls gained popularity in the modern pearl jewelry markets.
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.
The most popular international pearl quality rating scale used by jewelers, is the classification using the following symbols: A, A +, AA, AA + and AAA, where pearls marked with AAA are of the highest quality. The rating is influenced by the size, shape, color, surface, luster and thickness of the mother-of-pearl.
Real Pearls Will Not Burn In Fire
A pearl will not burn or scorch. It also won't give off much of a smell. However, if the imitation pearl is made from glass, wax or plastic, you'll see a scorch mark and it will smell like burning plastic.
The surface of a pearl is soft and is easily damaged. Pearls set in rings and bracelets are more subject to scuffing and scratching than pearls set in brooches, earrings, necklaces or strands.
Like many things in life, pearls age. As these precious gems age, they go through a natural process that changes the composition of the organic substances that make them up. This causes them to change color. Yellow pearls typically indicate that pearls are real, since artificial pearls don't normally change color.
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.
Extreme heat can dry out your pearls leading to discoloration or brittle nacre, which can eventually cause cracking.
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.
Tahitian black-lipped pearls can be darker if they develop closer to the lips, and can also be a silvery gray color if they get wedged in a lighter portion of the oyster. If an oyster that typically produces white pearls has an unusual black coloring in its nacre, it too can create a blackish pearl.
The lip determines the pearl color. 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.
The most classic and widely preferred pearl color is white. The white pearl is considered a symbol of purity, and is often associated with wedding and graduation celebrations.
Real pearls will display fluoresce under ultraviolet light, meaning they glow. Press a small UV flashlight over a pearl to see if it glows. If the pearl glows, it's likely a real pearl. An authentic pearl displays fluoresce under ultraviolet light because of the presence of natural organic compounds in its nacre.
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.
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.