Appearance | Perfect Engagement Rings

How to Tell the Difference between Real and Fake Pearls

Pearls come in many shapes and sizes whether they are real or not, and it’s not always easy to tell the difference between those that are genuine and those that are imitations. Even amongst genuine pearls there are many different classes of both natural and cultured varieties, all with their own different properties and all valued very differently as pearl jewellery. Before buying any pearls it’s important that you know what you’re getting, so here are a few ways to help differentiate between a genuine pearl and a fake:

The Tooth Test
It’s said that if you rub a pearl against the biting edge of your front teeth, the texture of the surface will tell you whether or not it is genuine. Real pearls normally have a more rough, irregular texture whereas fakes are glassy and perfectly smooth. This isn’t really the most reliable method of testing, as fakes are often made to appear completely genuine and cultured pearls in particular can often be very smooth, especially if they are dyed.

The Sun Test
A slightly more reliable method is to take the pearls out in the sun and take a close look at the appearance of the lustre, or shine, that you see on the surface. Apart from extremely unusual and rare specimens, genuine pearls won’t be perfectly matched under the sun and have clear differences in shine, iridescence and colour.

Surface Magnification
Don’t underestimate the power of a magnifying glass – a closeup look at the pearl earrings, necklace or brooch can tell you a lot, and is one of the most effective ways of distinguishing between genuine and fake pearls. The surface of a real pearl is crossed with hundreds of tiny almost invisible crooked lines, giving them an almost scaly look when placed under the microscope. Whilst there you could also take a look at the small drill holes at either end of the pearl, which in a real pearl will be as tiny as they can be because larger holes devalue the gem. Real pearls usually have holes drilled from either end, making the passage narrower at the centre of the pearl.

Shape
One of the most obvious ways to identify real pearl sets is to look closely at the shape of each pearl and whether or not they are close to being identical – real pearls are hardly ever perfectly round, and it is almost unheard of to find a whole string of pearls of exactly the same size, shape and weight. Real pearls that are regular in this way are extremely expensive, and if not they are probably fake.

X-Ray
The best way to be absolutely positive of a pearl’s authenticiety is to have it verified and certified by a qualified gemologist. For a fee they will be able to x-ray the pearls, showing any variations in density and identifying the nucleus to determine how the pearl was originally formed. To be worth paying the price you need to first be fairly sure that the pearl is genuine, but many imitation pearls look very real and without damaging the pearl it really is the only way to be completely sure.

Selecting Perfect Engagement Rings

Narrowing down choices for engagement rings is always important especially since this ring is more than just a piece of jewelry. From this narrower choice you can then move forward in picking the absolute best that is based on the personal taste and preference of the couple. Since engagement rings are used to show your commitment to each other, getting the right ring is a big decision

Solitaire rings are very popular since they are striking and elegant but also match well with most wedding band styles. Typically these styles of engagement rings have larger sized diamonds, however with the right cut and type of diamond it is not the size but rather the brilliance and cut of the diamond that adds to the beauty of these elegant rings .

Princess cut engagement rings are a good match with solitaire rings if you want to try something different than the more traditional round cut. This cut is square in shape and has many different facets or angles within the cut that make light reflect, giving a dazzling appearance to the stone.

Matching the size of the diamond to the size of the band on engagement rings can make smaller diamonds look larger and larger diamonds look huge. Generally the smaller the band the larger the diamond will look, however it is important to keep this in balance. Adding a few diamond chips or gemstones around the diamond or grouping diamonds can also make the main diamond appear larger and more brilliant .

Other options for making smaller stones look bigger include considering one of the more distinctive cuts. Pear shaped diamonds, marquis cut and emerald cuts are ideal for many types of engagement rings and look larger than the same carat of diamond in a round stone.

Choosing engagement rings goes beyond just selecting a style, it also includes selecting the type of ring design as well as the metal that the ring is made out of. While silver and gold simple band styles are classic and popular there are also interlocking styles that are unique and very striking in appearance. The bands can be made out of many different types of metals including platinum, palladium and titanium .

Matching the band and the diamond will make the perfection combination for any style of engagement rings. To get a hint on what the bride-to-be likes, consider asking her about ring styles or checking the types of rings she currently wears to get an idea .

Looking around at all the various types of engagement rings is really the best possible option. This will provide you with ideas of traditional and non-traditional engagement rings, plus you can also determine what wedding band may work best with the engagement ring you select .