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.
Real pearls will feel incredibly smooth and have a unique texture. The pearls are likely fake if they are rough or have an uneven surface. You can also look for any blemishes or ridges on the surface of each pearl. Real pearls will typically be perfectly round with no visible flaws or irregularities.
One very simple way to tell if a pearl is real is by lightly rubbing it against the biting edge of a tooth. A real pearl will feel gritty, sandy or slightly rough. A fake pearl will feel smooth and glassy.
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.
Real Pearls are Heavier than Fake Pearls
One of the very first differences between real and fake pearls is no other than their weight. If you grab a real pearl necklace in one hand and a faux pearl necklace with the same amount of gems in the other, more often than not, the real pearls will feel heavier.
Bumps or welts are pearl flaws that you can easily see with your naked eye. They are irregular bumps that appear when a lot of nacre is secreted to form a pearl.
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.
Synthetic pearls are usually either coated plastic, glass or crystal beads, and generally are visually perfect with very little to no variation in shape, size, luster or color/overtone.
Like everything else Mother Nature creates, no two pearls are identical. Looking closely, you'll see small ridges on real pearls resembling fingerprints. These ridges give each pearl its unique character and make authentic pearls slightly rough to the touch.
The acetic acid in vinegar reacts with the calcium carbonate in the nacre of the pearl, creating calcium acetate, water and carbon dioxide. To try it for yourself, put a drop of vinegar on the pearl or submerge the pearl in a small cup of vinegar.
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.
No matter the temperature, a set of real pearls will have a coolness to them. They may not necessarily feel cold, but they should feel cool. A set of fake pearls will have a sticky feeling when you roll them around in your hand.
Pearls are natural gemstones built with layer upon layer of nacre to create the characteristic pearl lustre. They're quite fragile, dropping them can crack the surface and they can become dull with time but with proper care both the Pearls and their lustre can last a lifetime.
Not just because of the unique color, size, shape, and place of origin, but also accounting for the fact that these gems are made by living oysters. The price of a pearl now averages between $300-1,500, and there are a few factors to consider when questioning both quality and value.
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.
Baroque pearls are pearls with an irregular, non-spherical shape. Shapes can range from minor aberrations to distinctly ovoid, curved, pinched, or lumpy shapes.
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.
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.
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.
As you exercise your body will produce quite a large amount of sweat that is very dangerous for your pearls as it is very acidic. If sweat is allowed to come into contact with your pearls and remain in contact with them over time, it will start to eat away at the nacre and cause the pearls to lose their shine.
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.