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Elegant and affordable, pearls give a touch of luxury and class to all types of jewelry.
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| Judge a Good Pearl |
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Six factors determine a pearl's value:
- Luster: A pearl's shininess. The higher the luster, the greater the pearl's value.
- Nacre Thickness: A pearl's external layer. The depth of the nacre is a measure of pearl quality. Generally, bigger pearls have thicker nacre layers and greater luster. Thin nacre can be prone to chipping and peeling.
- Surface Texture: Natural pearls can have a wide variety of abrasions. Minimal flaws do not severely detract from a pearl's value. However, more obvious surface imperfections will reduce a pearl's value. Drilling holes and stringing pearls on a necklace or mounting pearls can help deemphasize such imperfections.
- Color: The color of pearls is called "body color." Color is not a significant factor in determining a pearl's value as pearls can be found in gray, blue, gold, pink, white, black and all shades of cream. Pearls can also be dyed, though reputable sellers should alert buyers of any such treatments. Some pearls have a secondary color or overtone. For instance, a white pearl may have a blue or pink tint upon closer inspection.
- Shape: Pearl shape can vary widely. Perfectly round pearls tend to command the greatest prices. Drop and pear shapes can be particularly suited for earrings. Many jewelers use the irregular "baroque" pearls as accents in jewelry.
- Size: Similar to diamonds, larger pearls are more expensive. Round pearls are measured according to their diameter in millimeters; baroque pearls by length and width.
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Types of Pearls |
When a small foreign object gets introduced into the body of an oyster or mollusk the organism produces a soft coating of calcium carbonate (nacre) around it, creating a pearl. Small foreign objects don't wander into mollusks very often so pearl cultivators insert microscopic objects into the organisms to create cultured pearls. You will probably shop for one of the four common types of cultured pearls.
Freshwater Cultured Pearls
- Origin: Freshwater lakes and rivers in China
- Size: 3.5 - 7.0 mm
- Luster: Medium to high
- Shape: Less symmetrical
- Color: Mostly white; sometimes with pink or rose tint
- Pricing: Most affordable
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Akoya Cultured Pearls
- Origin: Saltwater pearls from China and Japan
- Size: 6 - 8.5 mm
- Luster: Higher luster than freshwater pearls
- Shape: Symmetrical, round with few blemishes
- Color: Light, ranging to cream and white/pink
- Pricing: Average
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Tahitian Cultured Pearls
- Origin: Farmed on the volcanic atolls and reefs of Tahiti
- Size: Large; 11 - 13 mm
- Luster: Rich and high luster
- Shape: Mostly round
- Color: Black to grayish-green
- Pricing: High given their scarcity and unique look
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South Sea Cultured Pearls
- Origin: Farmed in Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines
- Size: Large, up to 13 mm
- Luster: Ranges from medium to highly lustrous
- Shape: Perfectly round to slightly asymmetrical
- Color: Range from white to black
- Price: Can be expensive depending on luster
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| Maintenance |
Daily Protection
Pearls are not as hard as mineral gemstones. When dressing, put on pearls only after applying hairspray, cosmetics, perfume or other potentially harmful substances that might stain them. To prevent chipping, pearl jewelry should be stored in soft cloth, away from other jewels.
Regular Cleaning
Do not clean pearls with any type of solvent or abrasive. To best maintain them, wipe them after use with a soft cloth, like those used for eyeglasses.
Unlike chemicals, the oils from your skin actually help keep pearls moist, so even soapy water is unnecessary for cleaning pearls.
Professional Upkeep
It is recommended that you restring pearls every few years as strings can wear down and break if not maintained.
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