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.
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.
How Much Are Real Pearls Worth? A traditional strand of white pearls can range from $100 (Freshwater pearl necklace) to $10,000 (Akoya pearl necklace). A strand of large, flawless South Sea pearls could even be valued as high as $100,000+ .
No, most pearl jewelry doesn't hold its value.
Unless you have a very expensive string of pearls (like South Sea or Tahitian pearls), experts don't recommend buying pearls for their resale value. However, pearl jewelry can be a great family heirloom, especially if you take care of your pieces.
Pearl necklaces should almost always be knotted between each pearl. The knots prevent the pearls from rubbing against one another and they also protect your investment. If your necklace were to break, your pearls wouldn't scatter. The only exception to the knotting rule is with small, graduated strands.
Price of Pearls
Typically sourced from the South Sea, they come in vibrant white, gold, and pink. $500 to $25,000: Incredible luster. Usually Tahitian pearls, which come in dark colors from black-lipped oysters. $300 to $10,000: These are your classics.
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.
Gold, Silver, Platinum, Diamonds, Gemstones, Pearls - you name it! At Pawn America, you can choose to pawn or sell us your unwanted and unused jewelry for cash on the spot! Pawn America pays you more for your gold, silver, platinum and gemstones and the process is quick and easy. We accept all jewelry in any condition.
Astrology says that the people whose zodiac signs lords are Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Rahu should never wear pearls. Pearls harm the natives of these zodiac signs. This means that people of Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Capricorn and Aquarius ascendant should not wear pearls.
Low quality freshwater pearls can be bought for as little as $20, while average quality pearls sell for anywhere between $30 and $50. Fine quality freshwater pearls can fetch between $65 and $5,000, or more in certain cases.
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. South Sea pearls grow in a large pearl oyster native to Australia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia.
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.
A jewelry appraisal can cost anywhere from $50 to $150, so if you have reason to believe that your pearl or pearl jewelry isn't worth that much, it might be better to forgo the appraisal.
Rub the pearls to check surface feel
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.
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.
Pearls do not typically have much pawn value because one needs to be an expert in order to valuate a pearl. There are not standards like there are with diamonds and other gemstones. You might want to spend some time on a site like Pearl Paradise to gather a bit more knowledge of pearl prices.
You can expect to receive anywhere from $20-$500 for a pearl necklace. Like any item you bring into a pawn shop, the amount you receive for your pearls is determined by: The demand for pearls at the time.
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.
Due to their rarity and the difficulty of collecting them, they were considered more valuable than gold. The value of pearls depends on many aspects, such as: size, shape, color, luster, surface smoothness, transparency, and if you buy more – their price is also influenced by the fit and similarity of each piece.
Scallop pearls are among the rarest pearls in the world. Similar to Melo Melo and conch pearls, scallop pearls are classified as non-nacreous natural pearls. This means that instead of being composed of nacre or aragonite, they are formed from calcite. Scallops, a type of mollusk, form these pearls.
Pearl jewellery and pearls are not traded like gold or silver. They are considered elite gemstones and do not have a high resale value, at least as of now. Used pearl jewellery, which is sold for higher prices, is usually that which has been worn by celebrities, queens or antique pieces.
Pearls tend to be significantly less expensive in comparison to diamonds, offering a more affordable option for budget-conscious couples.
When comparing both these pearl qualities, natural pearls rarely lose their value with time. On the other hand, cultured pearls like South Sea pearls may start losing their worth after some time. If you do not take proper care of your gemstone, even natural pearls can lose their charm and value over time.