Evaluating Pearls : Pearls - An Introduction
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Evaluating Pearls
The quality and price of a particular pearl is determined by its size, luster, shape, color, and blemishes. It is also important to take the “nacre” or skin of the pearl into consideration when you are evaluating the quality of such a jewel. Of course, if a pearl is left in an oyster for a long period of time, the pearl will develop a more desirable thicker pearl skin. This thicker nacre is desirable because pearls with this trait do not lose their luster as readily as pearls with a thin nacre.
Size – The larger pearls are more expensive than the smaller pearls, as these smaller pearls are much more common than the larger ones. This situation occurs because it is difficult for an oyster to grow a pearl larger than five millimeters. However, the most popular size of pearls sold around the globe is approximately seven millimeters.
It is important to keep in mind that the size of the oyster directly affects the size of the pearl it creates. Smaller mollusks, for example, create smaller pearls with fewer surface defects. However, large cultured pearls also require a larger nucleus to be implanted into the oyster. The larger nucleus does increase the chance of the mollusk rejecting the nucleus, or dying though.
Additionally, different shaped pearls are measured differently. Round pearls, for instance, are measured according to their diameter in millimeters, while their length and width in millimeters measure baroque pearls.
Surface - Since oysters in nature grow cultured pearls, it is rare to find a pearl whose surface is free from imperfections. Imperfections include pits, spots, bumps, circles, wrinkles, and cracks on the pearl’s surface. As you may think, the fewer surface impections that a pearl has, the more valuable that particular pearl will be.
It is also important to keep in mind that a high degree of luster on the pearls will often make these tiny surface imperfections less visible.
Luster – Unlike other types of jewels though, pearls do not require polishing, and instead exhibit a wonderful natural luster. Luster is mainly defined as the combination of the unique surface brilliance of a pearl and the glow that appears to emanate from the pearl’s center. In pearls of excellent quality, you should be able to see your own reflection, and there should be a clear contrast between the light and dark areas. Conversely, pearls of lower quality appear to be quite dull and chalky in appearance.
Shape – Most pearls harvested by pearl farmers are irregular in shape, and are known as baroque pearls. In general, these types of pearls are the least expensive ones, but these gems are still beautiful nonetheless. Perfectly round pearls or spherical pearls are rare though, and thus, the higher price for the round pearls reflects this rarity. Pearls additionally can be pear-shaped. Since these pear-shaped pearls have symmetry on both sides, these pearls are known as symmetrical pearls. Symmetrical pearls can include other shapes as well.
Color - Pearls come in many wonderful colors. In fact, pearls can range from the palest cream and white to gold, gray, rose, lilac, green, and even dramatic black. More exotic natural colors are more expensive. While the color of a pearl is a matter of personal preference, people with fair skin tend to look best in slightly pink or silvery white pearls, while cream, yellow and golden pearls look best on those with darker skin tones.
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