Pearl Guides: Real or Fake, Value, Grading, Care and History
Plain guides to pearls: how to tell if pearls are real, what they are worth, grading, how they are made, care, sizes, necklace lengths and history.
How to tell if pearls are realHow to tell if pearls are real or fake: the tooth test, the drill hole, magnification, weight, temperature and matching, which checks are r…
Fake pearlsWhat fake pearls (faux or imitation pearls) are made of, how they are coated, how to spot them with a loupe and at the drill hole, and what…
How much are pearls worth?What makes one pearl worth more than another: type, size, shape, luster, surface, nacre, color and matching, plus real prices readers paid,…
Pearl grading explainedHow pearls are graded: GIA's seven value factors (size, shape, color, luster, surface, nacre and matching), the terms GIA uses for each, an…
How are pearls made?How pearls are made: how a mollusk builds a pearl from nacre, how natural pearls form, how cultured pearls are started with a bead or tissu…
What are pearls made of?Pearls are made of nacre: calcium carbonate in layers bound by organic material. What nacre is, why it shines, why it is soft, and why nacr…
Mother-of-pearlMother-of-pearl is the nacre that lines the inside of some mollusk shells. How it relates to pearls, mabe pearls and pearl imitations, and …
Cultured vs natural pearlsNatural pearls form without human help; cultured pearls are started by people with a bead or tissue. Both are real pearls. How they differ …
How labs test pearlsHow GIA tests pearls: X-ray microradiography to see inside, micro-CT when needed, how labs separate natural from cultured, and how they det…
Pearl treatmentsCommon pearl treatments explained: bleaching, dyeing, irradiation, coatings and the bleached "chocolate" pearls, how stable each is, how to…
How to clean and care for pearlsHow to clean pearls safely: a soft cloth after each wear, warm soapy water now and then, never ultrasonic or steam, plus storage, perfume, …
Pearl size chartPearl sizes in millimeters: typical sizes for freshwater, akoya, Tahitian and South Sea pearls from GIA, plus an actual-size chart and what…
Pearl necklace lengthsPearl necklace lengths in inches: choker 14 to 16, princess 17 to 19, matinee 20 to 24, opera 26 to 36 and rope over 36, where each sits an…
Pearl shapesThe seven basic pearl shapes GIA uses, which are most valued, and what each shape is good for in jewelry.
Pearl, the June birthstonePearl is a June birthstone, alongside alexandrite and moonstone, and the gem of the 3rd and 30th anniversaries. Meaning, history, gift idea…
Pearl meaning and symbolismWhat pearls have symbolized: purity, humility and innocence, "teardrops fallen from heaven," wealth and royalty, and the June birthstone's …
The pearl anniversaryPearl is the gem of the 30th and 3rd wedding anniversaries. Pearl gift ideas by budget and type, and how to choose quality.
Famous pearlsThe stories behind famous pearls: La Peregrina from 1513 to Elizabeth Taylor and its 2011 Christie's sale, the natural pearls Cartier trade…
A pearl history timelineA short history of pearls: the first written record, La Peregrina, Mikimoto's first cultured pearl in 1893, Cartier's mansion trade, Lake B…
How to buy pearlsA pearl buying checklist: the right type, the FTC questions to ask, the seven quality factors to check, treatments, matching, returns and p…