Have you ever considered buying pearl jewelry and wondered what affects its price?
Cultured pearls come in a variety of qualities. Shopping for pearl jewelry can be a daunting task for many people.
By understanding the characteristics used to assess a pearl's beauty and value, you can confidently search and find the pearl that's right for you.
There are seven factors of value in judging the quality of a pearl: luster, size, shape, color, surface, nacre quality, and fit.
Luster
Luster is essentially the intensity and sharpness of light reflected from the pearl's surface.
The more lustrous the pearl, the brighter and clearer the reflection, and the better the quality.
Luster is probably the most important value factor in judging pearl quality.
GIA divides the luster of pearls into 5 categories, ranging from "excellent" to "poor."
Factors such as nacre quality, rate of nacre deposition, type of mollusk, and its health can all affect a pearl's luster.
At Nendine, all of our pearls have a very high luster, ranging from "very good" to "excellent".
Size
The pearl's size is one of the important factors that drive the pearl's value.
The size of round and near-round pearls is indicated by their diameter in millimeters, other shapes are measured according to their length/depth and diameter/width.
The size of a pearl depends on its type, rarity, and growth period. All other factors of value being equal, the larger the pearl, the greater its value. A quick guide to common sizes for different pearl types is shown below.
Shape
Round pearls are the most valuable, as oysters rarely produce a (nearly) perfect round shape and thus command a higher price than other-shaped pearls.
GIA divides pearls into seven basic shapes: round, near-round, button, drop, oval, semi-baroque, and baroque.
Round and near-round are more common in saltwater pearls than in freshwater pearls, thanks to a nucleus implanted in the oyster. Therefore, between Akoya pearls and freshwater pearls, all of the same quality, freshwater pearls can cost more than saltwater pearls.
Color
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Color is usually a personal preference and will not affect the quality of the pearl. However, pearls with natural colors are usually more valuable than dyed ones.
Pearls come in a stunning array of colors. From white, cream, pink, yellow, green, and blue to black with many shades in between. Additionally, pearls often come in delicate shades such as greens, blues, and pinks.
High-value colors for Akoyas are silver and white. Freshwater pearls are white and lavender. Peaco*ck and fuchsia are prized colors of Tahitian pearls. For South Sea pearls, the most prized color is dark gold.
Surface
Surface quality affects the durability and luster of pearls.
All other factors of value being equal, pearls with fewer blemishes and smaller sizes are more valuable.
Most pearls have some degree of imperfection such as bumps, pits, spots, and wrinkles. Minor irregularities are acceptable.
GIA grades the surface quality of pearls as clean,lightly spotted, moderately spotted, or heavily spotted.
Naturally flawless pearls are hard to find, which is why saltwater pearls, especially South Sea and Tahitian pearls, can be expensive. They have clean smooth pearls of such a large size.
Nacre Quality
Nacre is a natural substance produced by mollusks to form pearls.
The thicker the nacre, the more valuable the pearl. The quality of the nacre affects the durability and luster of the pearl and indicates how long the pearl has been cultivated. Generally speaking, the longer the pearl stays in it, the thicker the nacre will become.
The thicker the nacre, the more durable and lustrous the pearl.
GIA defines three categories. They are acceptable, nucleated, and chalky in appearance. Pearls with a thin nacre usually have a low luster and can appear chalky in color.
Natural pearls and most freshwater cultured pearls do not contain pits; they are made almost entirely of nacre. This distinction makes freshwater pearls more durable than saltwater pearls.
Matching
Matching is an important value factor when evaluating more than two pearls.
It needs to take into account all other factors of value and achieve harmony in size, shape, color, luster, surface, and nacre quality.
Matching pearls is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process that requires a great deal of skill and labor.
This is why the more uniform the pearls in a piece of jewelry, the more expensive it will be.
It is important to note that sometimes pearls are deliberately paired to create a casual and fun look. Jewelry is still very desirable as long as the design achieves a balanced and harmonious look.
When you're ready to buy pearl jewelry, you can always trust Nendine to help you get the perfect pearl jewelry that suits you and your budget. You can visit our website, or contact us to make an appointment or to inquire further.
