How to Identify Real Pearls

Determining real pearls from false ones can be done with close examination.

Pearls have been widely used in jewelery for centuries and they remain very popular in modern jewelery design. Pearls are naturally formed inside mollusks but their formation is relatively rare, forming in one of about 10,000 mollusks on average. One of the dangers in buying pearls is that there are a large number of false varieties on the market that can include glass and plastic. Identifying a real pearl is relatively simple if you know what to look for.

Things You'll Need

• Magnifier

Instructions

1. Place the pearl against the biting edge of your upper front teeth and rub it against the enamel to test the texture. A completely smooth surface indicates a forgery while a rougher textured surface is more likely to be the genuine article.

2. Rub two pearls together to again test for friction and a rougher exterior. Real pearls are not glassy smooth.

3. Examine the pearl's surface with a magnifier. A grainy-looking surface means the pearl is likely fake. A real pearl should have a scaly surface that resembles a maze when amplified under 64-power magnification.

References

• Beading Daily: Give Pearls a Try: 8 Popular Shapes for Modern Style
• Shecy Pearls: How to Tell Real Pearls From Imitation Pearls
• Kari Pearls: Test for Pearls
• American Museum of Natural History: What Are Pearls?

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish