Pearls: All You Need to Know – A Buyer’s Guide
Technically organic, pearls form inside shelled molluscs through concentric layers of calcium carbonate. Let’s set imitation pearls aside—they’re usually plastic or glass and easy to spot by their smooth surface, which lacks the signature gritty texture. As with all gemstones, be cautious of anything simply labeled “real.”
People have treasured pearls in jewellery for centuries. Traditionally, oysters formed them spontaneously as a defense against parasitic irritants—not grains of sand, as commonly believed.
Before the early 20th century, the only way to find pearls was by diving to the ocean floor. Pearl divers often had to descend over 100 feet on a single breath, collecting more than a ton of oysters just to find three or four high-quality pearls—a dangerous and exhausting task.
Natural pearls have always been exceptionally rare. Legend says Cleopatra dissolved one in a glass of wine to prove to Marc Antony that she could consume the wealth of a nation in a single meal.
One story claims a famous jeweller traded a string of natural pearls—painstakingly collected over time—for his flagship building on Fifth Avenue, New York. The deal reportedly valued the pearls at $1,000,000 back in 1917.
Most pearls that we see today are cultured.
Cultured pearls
are to all intentions the same material as natural pearls, but the irritant is placed in the molluscs rather than by chance in nature. Think of cultured pearls as farmed pearls. Originally produced by Mikimoto in Japan in the Early 1920’s, having spent many years unsuccessfully trying to simulate the pearl production. His discovery of the technique of culturing pearls made pearls available and affordable to all. Pearls all you need to know, a buyers guide to pearls
Pearls are now produced in numerous localities around the world, in both fresh and salt water. Until recent times it was easy to tell freshwater from marine pearls, but further developments in production have meant the differences harder to spot.
Like all other materials, the value of a pearl is based on a few things.
Whether natural or cultured, larger pearls generally command higher prices. Surface quality, shape, colour, and depth of lustre all factor into their value. The lustre—also known as orient—depends on the time between nucleation and harvest, as well as the cleanliness of the water. The longer the pearl stays in the mollusc and the purer the environment, the higher the lustre.
Only a small percentage of pearls meet the highest standards. Many show surface imperfections, irregular shapes, or a chalky finish. While some people find these unique features appealing, perfection always carries a premium. I love to use AAA-grade pearls.
Pearls rank just 2.5–4.5 on the Mohs scale, making them too soft for everyday engagement rings. However, they’re ideal for classic cocktail rings, necklaces, and stud earrings. I always advise applying perfume or hairspray before putting on pearls, as these products can dull their lustre over time.
I love pearls, and use them a lot in my jewellery, a couple of things I’m particularly proud to have produced, this pearl tube necklace, and a Tahitian pearl ring.
