Determining Pearl Quality ~ What are high quality pearls?
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PEARL SURFACE
The cleaner the surface of the pearl,
the more valuable it is. Look for an absence of disfiguring spots,
bumps or cracks on the surface of a pearl, also known as "cleanliness."
Notice that the highest quality pearls have a sharp, mirror-like
reflection.
PEARL SHAPE
A perfectly round pearl is very rare.
The rounder the pearl, the more valuable it is. Baroque pearls are
not symmetrical in shape, and can be lustrous and appealing, but
cost less than round pearls.
PEARL COLOR
Pearls come in a variety of colors,
from white to black and every shade in between. It is important
to distinguish between color and overtone. For example, some naturally
occurring colors are white, champagne, aqua, green, golden, and
black. Within each color category, there are a number of common
overtones, or subtle variations in the surface iridescence. Choosing
your preferred overtone is a matter of taste, although rosé or white
overtones tend to look best on fair skin, while cream and gold-toned
pearls are most flattering to those with darker complexions.
PEARL SIZE
Pearls are measured by their diameter
in millimeters. Tiny seed pearls can be smaller than 1 mm, while
South Sea pearls as large as 20 mm have been found. If all other
quality factors are equal, the size of a pearl will determine its
value. Only a 1 millimeter increase in pearl size is a substantial
jump in both appearance and value. The average pearl sold today
is between 6.5mm and 7.0mm.
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