White Pearls
Every white pearl we sell, across all four pearl types. White is where most people start and it covers the widest price range on the site, from a freshwater strand you wear to work to a South Sea rope you leave to someone. The pearl type decides the size, the luster and almost all of the price. Filter by type, piece and shape below.
Which white pearl should you buy?
Four types make white pearls. They differ in size, in luster and in price, not in quality.
Freshwater
The most pearl for the money and the reason most people can own pearls at all. Larger sizes than akoya at a fraction of the price. Our Freshadama grade is the top of what freshwater produces and it holds its own against akoya on luster.
Akoya
The sharpest luster of any pearl and the strand people picture when they picture pearls. Usually 6 to 9.5 mm. The white is cool and even, often with a rose overtone, which is why it remains the default for bridal and for formal wear.
South Sea
The largest white pearls anyone cultures, commonly 10 to 16 mm, with nacre thick enough to glow rather than shine. This is the top of the white market and the strand most people buy once.
Overtone
White is not one color. Rose warms the skin and flatters most complexions. Silver reads cooler and cleaner. Cream is warmer again and sits well against yellow gold. On a screen these are almost impossible to judge, which is why we will photograph the actual strand for you.
Before you buy
Are these bleached?
Akoya and freshwater pearls are bleached as a matter of course. It is part of maeshori, the standard post-harvest processing that effectively every cultured pearl of those types goes through, and it evens the color rather than creating it. The white is the pearl's own. What we do not do is dye a pearl a color it never had, and where a pearl has been dyed, such as black freshwater, we say so on the product page.
Which white looks best against my skin?
A rose overtone suits most complexions and is the safe default if you are buying a gift. Silver reads cooler and works well on fair skin and against white gold. Cream is warmer and pairs naturally with yellow gold. If you tell us the skin tone and the metal, we will pick and show you the difference on camera.
Why is one white strand ten times the price of another?
Size and type, mostly. A 7 mm akoya strand and a 13 mm South Sea strand are both white and both excellent, and the South Sea took years longer to grow in far fewer oysters. After that it is luster, surface and how closely the pearls are matched to each other. We will happily tell you when the cheaper strand is the better buy for what you want.
Will white pearls yellow over time?
Well-kept pearls hold their color for decades. What ages them is contact with perfume, hairspray, lotion and sweat, which dries the nacre. Put them on last, wipe them with a soft damp cloth after wearing, store them away from heat and never in a sealed plastic bag, and never use an ultrasonic cleaner.
Can you match pieces to each other?
We already do. If you order a necklace, earrings, a pendant or a bracelet together, we match the pearls to each other before anything is strung or set. You do not have to ask and there is no charge for it. On white it matters more than people expect, because two strands of the same size and grade can still disagree on overtone.
Still deciding?
Our specialists will show you pearls on camera and talk you through what you are looking at. Most appointments run about twenty minutes.
