HOW TO BUY PEARLS
The good news is there has never been such a bountiful variety of cultured pearls on the market as there is today. One can choose from pearls of just about every size, shape and color, and there are attractive and high-quality pearls available in just about every price range. There are Chinese freshwater cultured pearls in a stunning array of body colors and bright overtones never seen in the traditional round Akoya pearl strands. Small, attractive baroque fresh water cultured pearls can be found for under $10 a strand at the major wholesale trade shows. Even South Sea and Tahitian cultured pearls, the largest, rarest and most expensive of them all, are relatively affordable just now as increased supply has softened wholesale prices on these items. Whether your budget is $20, $200, $2000 or $20,000 here are some general guidelines in shopping for pearl strands: In pearls, quality differences can be seen with your own eyes -- you don't need a laboratory. It's important to shop around for a good selection before making a decision, however. Many stores will stock only one quality, and it is by comparing a variety of colors, shapes and qualities that you will develop an "eye" for pearls and a sense of your own preferences, and where to buy for the best value. COLOR There are actually two colors to consider when looking at pearls, the body color and the secondary overtone color that is usually, but not always, present. The overtone color isn't always obvious, especially when it is similar to the body color itself. It can sometimes be seen as a sheen or a "pool" of secondary color on the crest of the pearl or pearls. 
The most common naturally occurring body colors in Akoya cultured pearls are white, cream and pink. (In pearl parlance, "rose" is often used for the word "pink".) A silver, cream or pink overtone is considered most desirable in these colors. In black pearls (whether dyed or natural), including gray and blue hues, blue and green overtones are considered most desirable. A yellow body color in pearls has traditionally been considered undesirable, probably due to a cultural preference for pink pearls on the part of the Japanese, but these pearls can look absolutely fantastic on certain darker skins. Color preference is subjective, and there's no such thing as a "bad color". Most people choose the color they feel flatters their natural skin tones. Whatever the body color and overtone may be, the pearls within a strand should match one another. When examining and comparing pearl strand, lay them flat on a white or champagne-colored non-reflective surface, such as a velvet-covered tray. The best vantage point for comparing color is to hold the tray just below eye-level with the strands next to each other. Diffuse full-spectrum light is best for judging color. A black background is dramatic but obscures the fine quality points. LUSTER A pearl should have a bright, even, reflective surface. Examine several strands. How clear is the reflection of your own image in the surface of the pearls? The clearer the reflected image, the higher the luster. High luster is high quality and often (but not always) indicative of good nacre thickness. COATING This refers to the amount of nacre on the nucleus. Most commercial pearls these day are "thin coat", meaning they were not left in the oyster long enough. Thin coat pearls are not as lustrous, and may chip or even peel. To check for thin coat, hold a length of strand just under a strong light source and roll it back and forth between your fingers. If you see the "wink" of the mother-of-pearl (shell) bead through the nacre, the coating is thin. SURFACE A pearl with a "clean" surface will reflect light more evenly and is therefore more valuable than a pearl with a blemished surface. Most pearls have blemishes, and the smaller and closer to the drill hole a blemish is, the better. Blemishes on the crest of a pearls are least desirable. SHAPE Round pearls should be just that, round. Even the best strands may contain the occasional off round bead, however. Pearls are described as being round, semi-round, off-round, or baroque, in order of descending desirability (and price). As with color preference, a preference for round vs. baroque-shaped pearls in a personal thing. Good new for those who prefer round pearls, In recent years the Chinese have successfully cultivated near-round white fresh water pearls. you really have to look closely to notice that they are not absolutely spherical. At this writing these pearls are not readily available in sizes above 6 or 7 mm. they typically have a softer, diffuse luster and are quite white with little overtone. But they are very good looking and also very inexpensive compared to their Akoya cultured pearl counterparts. SIZE In strands, pearl sizes are expressed as a size range, 7 x 7.5 mm means that every pearl in the strand will fall somewhere in that range. The pearls will generally have been graduated so the ones closer to 7.5 mm. are in the front. All other factors being equal, the larger the pearl, the more expensive it will be. Strands 9 x 8.5 mm. or larger will be significantly more expensive. DRILLING AND OTHER PROCESSING The look of a strand can be spoiled by the inclusion of pearls that have been drilled off-center. "Eccentric drilling" gives a pearl a slightly askew look that is worse when a strand is freshly (tightly) strung. to check for eccentric drilling, roll section of a strand between your fingers. The eccentrically drilled beads will bob up and down like pistons. WORKED PEARLS These are pearls that have been made round by the grinding off o a knob or bump near a drill hole. Oftentimes the grinding will remove the nacre and leave the nucleus exposed. Because the integrity of the pearl is compromised, worked pearls are undesirable. |