Pearls | 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.

Saltwater or Freshwater Pearls? How to Tell the Difference

When most people think of pearls they picture perfect large round spherical gems, creamy white in colour with a shimmery iridescent surface. The reality is that pearls are usually irregular in shape, each one is different and to find one that is completely round is almost unheard of, let alone a whole string that are all identical. Natural pearls are the rarest and most highly valued variety, but nowadays most pearl jewellery is made from cultured or farmed pearls, which are grown on pearl farms across the world by inserting a bead nucleus inside an oyster or mussel shell to encourage the formation of a pearl. Aside from whether a pearl has formed naturally or been farmed the other major varieties are the saltwater or freshwater pearl, each of which have their own qualities.

Saltwater pearls are found in pearl oysters which live in the ocean, and produce the classic round white or cream pearls that have remained so desirable and sought after throughout history. Comparing farmed pearls, saltwater pearls are often rounder than those grown in freshwater farms as they are made by inserting a bead into the oyster to encourage the shape. The Japanese Akoya is the most popular type of cultured saltwater pearl and is much sought after for its large size and relatively regular shape, meaning that this type usually costs more than cultured freshwater pearls. It is still possible to find natural saltwater pearls in the ocean, but they are much less common nowadays because of increased levels of pollution.

The most common type of pearl available today are freshwater pearls, which are mostly produced in China using freshwater mussels and come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes and colours. The natural colours of freshwater pearls are various shades of white, pink, cream and lilac but they are available as jewellery dyed in every colour of the rainbow. It is easier to farm freshwater pearls than saltwater, making them cheaper to buy as jewellery, though it is rare for them to be perfectly round and a necklace of cultured freshwater pearls will hardly ever be all the same size and shape.