When selecting a strand of cultured pearls, it’s best to buy them from a
knowledgeable jeweler. Your local jeweler can explain how to make the
most of your purchase and insure that you are getting the best quality
pearls within your price range.
You can evaluate any
piece of cultured pearl jewelry on the following quality factors. But
always remember that the better the quality of pearls you select, the
more beautiful and valued they will be over time.
LUSTRE:
Lustre is a combination of surface brilliance and a deep seated glow.
The lustre of a good quality pearl should be bright and not dull. You
should be able to see your own reflection clearly on the surface of a
pearl. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky indicates low
quality.
SURFACE:
Cleanliness refers to the absence of disfiguring spots, bumps or
cracks on the surface of a pearl. The cleaner the surface of the
pearl, the more valuable.
SHAPE: Since
cultured pearls are grown by oysters in nature, it is very rare to
find a perfectly round pearl. However, the rounder the pearl, the more
valuable it is. Baroque pearls, which are asymmetrical in shape, can
be lustrous and appealing, and often cost less than round pearls.
COLOR:
Cultured pearls come in a variety of colors from rosé to black. While
the color of a pearl is really a matter of the wearer’s preference,
usually rosé or silver/white pearls tend to look best on fair skins
while cream and gold toned pearls are flattering to darker
complexions.
SIZE:
Cultured pearls are measured by their diameter in millimeters. They
can be smaller than one millimeter in the case of tiny seed pearls, or
as large as twenty millimeters for a big South Sea pearl. The larger
the pearl, other factors being equal, the more valuable it will be.
The average sized pearl sold today is between 7 and 7-1/2 millimeters.
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