How to Buy Freshwater Pearls

Natural or cultured freshwater pearls come from mollusks living in lakes and rivers or farmed in Japan and China. All pearls including freshwater natural or cultured pearls are graded according to certain criteria and when buying freshwater pearls it is important to be aware what particular criteria indicate quality. Grading pearls takes many years of study and practice, but a knowledgeable consumer can determine what qualities are most important and use grading criteria to find the best pearl for them.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Evaluate the Freshwater Pearls

1. Decide what color pearl you want. Pearls come in a wide variety of colors from pure white to black. Low quality pearls may be treated to hide the imperfections and are not desirable. You can check to see if a pearl has been dyed to change its color by looking at the drill hole to see if there is a concentration of color at the drill site.

2. Look for luster or shine in a pearl. The more a pearl reflects light the more quality it possesses. There should be depth to the luster with no chalkiness. You want the pearl to be shiny and brilliant.

3. Consider the matching of the pearls in the piece. Matching does not mean the pearls should be exactly identical, that would not be possible or desirable but rather that the pearls in the piece work together according to their the luster, color, size and shape and are pleasing to the eye.

4. Determine what shape of pearls you want--baroque, spherical or asymmetrical. Round or spherical pearls are considered the most valuable. Symmetrical are more desirable than baroque or non-symmetrical shapes. Many people prize baroque shapes for their uniqueness.

5. Find the largest size you can afford. Larger freshwater pearls are more desirable because it takes them longer to form especially into a round shape.

6. Inspect the pearl for chips, cracks or gaps on its surface. These flaws can weaken a pearl and cause it to break. Some flaws such as bubbles, wrinkles or small scratches are not as serious, sometimes virtually undetectable and won't effect the strength of the pearl.

7. Ask for the weight of the pearl if you are buying a large freshwater pearl. Most pearls are measured according to diameter but particularly large pearls will also be weighed. When buying many strands or wholesale lots instead of an individual piece the pearls will be sold by weight.

Buying the Freshwater Pearls

8. Find a reputable jeweler. You get what you pay for in freshwater pearl jewelery and most experts don't recommend buying them from mall chain stores. Famous name jeweler, Tiffany's, and the most exclusive pearl producer and seller, Mikimoto, are good places to start.

9. Compare prices. Jewelery has one of the largest mark-ups of any other product you buy so knowing comparable prices from several jewelers is wise.

10. Buy your freshwater pearl jewelery. Plan ahead and come prepared to pay with your credit card, knowledge of store payment plans or cash.

11. Ask about getting a Gemological Institute of America, Certificate of Authenticity. The GIA is the most respected institution in the gem grading world and this certificate will help guarantee you are buying a quality piece of jewelery.

Resources

• Forbes favorite online pearl jeweler
• Find the nearest location of Mikimoto the finest retail store for pearls.
• Find quality freshwater pearls at this famous jewelers site.

[annajacobs]

on 11/13/2008 You do not always get what you pay for with pearls. Sometimes you just pay for a brand name. I recommend purepearls.com, pearlparadise.com or pearlsofjoy.com. Getting them online cuts out the high priced storefronts. You just get gorgeous pearls at a great price.