How to Buy Good Pearls
Pearls are an elegant addition to any outfit, but they’re not just for formal wear. They’re also prized for the way they reflect light onto the skin and give the wearer a luminous appearance. Pearls are either natural or cultured. Both are formed by layers of nacre around an irritant inside an oyster, but natural pearls are formed organically and cultured pearls are created by someone implanting a irritant. Natural pearls also have a thicker nacre than cultured pearls. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Decide on the shape and size of the pearls you want. Most pearls are not perfectly round, so the round ones are significantly more expensive. Pearls range from 1mm to 20mm, but most consumers buy pearls that are between 7mm and 8mm.
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Look at the pearls against a neutral, matte background. Gray is the best color, but a white non-shiny surface, such as tissue paper, will also suffice. Do not use a black background as it enhances the look of pearls and may deceive you into thinking that a pearl looks better than it actually does.
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Examine the surface of the pearls under fluorescent light or daylight. If possible, examine all your pearls at the same time of day in the same place. Pearls often look different when you examine them under another type of light.
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Use your naked eye or a jeweler’s loupe to look at the pearl from a variety of angles. Examine the pearl for pits, scratches, discoloration or any other flaws. High-luster pearls can disguise these flaws, so examine those pearls even more carefully.
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Check the luster of the pearls. Good pearls are shiny and appear to be lit from within. They also reflect light better than flawed pearls. Low-luster pearls often appear chalky because the nacre is thin.
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Check the orient of the pearl. The orient is the rainbow-colored glow on the pearl’s surface. Antoinette Matlins, author of The Pearl Book: The Definitive Buying Guide, says the orient’s “lustrous glow and soft iridescent quality produced by the nacre is what gives a fine pearl its unique beauty and character.”
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Examine the color. Put the pearls next to each other to check for uniformity of color. Pearls that still have their natural color are more expensive than dyed pearls. Hold the pearl against your face to see how the color looks next to your skin. The coolness or warmth of the pearl’s overtone can affect how its appears when you wear it. The pearl’s overtone is either a cool blue or warm pink.
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Tips & Warnings
Shop for unstrung pearls because you’ll have more control over the selection. Have them strung by a professional jeweler.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit pearls image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com
