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Pearl
Grading Pearls
are the birthstone of June. They are one of the classic gems that
symbolize everything from virtue to chastity, purity and wisdom. Although
there is no official quality grading system for pearls (like the 4C¢s for diamonds), there are several major
elements to grade a pearl for quality
and price. If you would like to
shop for pearls, it is important that you know more about it before making
your decision. 1.
Size Since there are so many important factors to
consider when you want to buy pearls, size is normally a good jumping off
point for your decision-making. Pearls can range from under 1mm to 20mm or
more. For most round pearls, the
most popular size resides somewhere between 7mm and 7.5mm. The larger the pearl, the more
valuable it is. Each of
the main types of pearls has a common range of sizes: Freshwater pearls :
3 mm – 12 mm Saltwater pearls : 8 mm – 18mm or larger. 2.
Luster The surface shine that gives pearls their
unique glow is known as its luster. The quality of a pearl’s nacre
gives the lustrous quality for which pearls are renowned. The
sharper the reflection of light on a pearl’s surface, the more luster it
has. a) Low
luster pearls appear milky or chalky. b) High
luster pearls reflect light well and show mirror-like reflections. Put your
pearls on a white surface or a white cloth near a window on a reasonably
bright day and see how the pearls reflect the window frame. The clearer the
reflection, the more lustrous the pearls. Since a very lustrous baroque pearl is probably
more desirable than a round milky pearl, lustre is generally
considered to be one of the most important aspects of a pearl’s grading and
valuation. 3. Nacre
Quality Nacre, also known as
mother-of-pearl, is the basic substance which is secreted by oysters and
mollusks to form the inside of their shells. When nacre secretions are deposited around a foreign
substance which has invaded the mollusk's body, they build up to form a pearl. The structure of the nacre is composed of layers
of calcium carbonate crystals and conchiolin. This distinctive nacre
structure influences the color, luster, durability and elasticity of the
pearl. The
thickness of the nacre, which often determines how durable the pearl will be
over time. The thicker the
nacre, the stronger and longer lasting the pearl provided that it is taking
good care. 4.
Shape No two pearls are the same! Pearls come in a fascinating variety
of shape because they are organic gems.
However, round shape is generally the most popular shape even though only about 1% is a actually perfect
sphere. The rounder the pearl, the more valuable it
is. There are three shapes which experts use
to categorize Pearls. a)
Spherical Pearls – They are round or almost round
in shape, which is traditionally the most desirable shape. b) Symmetrical Pearls – They have shapes that have symmetry from one
side to another, e.g. pear, button or oval. But they are not round. c) Baroque Pearls – They are irregularly shaped. They are often the least expensive
category of pearls, but are still unique and beautiful. 5. Surface Quality Like gemstones, pearls have imperfections. The fewer blemishes a pearl has, the more valuable it is. Blemishes are marks, bumps or little
potholes which, in reality, give each strand its unique identifying factors. To find pearls without
blemishes is rare and their price is
likely to be astronomical, given other quality factors being high. One has to
remember, pearls are organically
grown and just like the human body, no two are exactly alike. Think of blemishes on pearls as moles
or fingerprints. 6. Color Pearls come in a wide range
of natural colors/shades. The major color classifications are
white, pink, silver, cream, gold and black. Besides the body color, in more expensive
pearls you will usually find color overtones. Finer quality pearls have an overtone, which usually
appears toward the outside edge of the pearl. This can be rose, green or blue. Regardless of the color or shading, you should look for
pearls with a deep, rich color that seems to come from within the gem. Color is a matter of
personal taste and is often selected on the grounds of whether it suits the
wearer’s skin tone or not. Cream and gold colors are believed to suit dark and olive skins,
while some feel whites and pinks are more suitable for Caucasians and Asians. 7. Matching It is critical that the
pearls in any strand or piece of jewelry be evenly matched in terms of their
size, shape, color, luster, etc.
Visible variations of these qualities not only affect the piece¢s beauty, but its value. Contact Us For any further queries, please feel free to
contact us by email, cs@supreme-gems.com. |