How to Choose Pearls

Pearls typically are a very big purchase. After all, you are buying them for a loved one and you want to make sure they are perfect for her. So it’s a good idea to educate yourself before purchasing them so you can make the wisest choice. When choosing pearls, special attention must be paid to quality. And the quality of pearl jewelry is determined by its surface flaws, color, shape, size, texture, and whether they are matched and blended accordingly.

We believe the saying; ‘Pearls are a gift from nature’ is so very true. Pearls are one of those rare jewels that are developed from an organic gem - they do not require any cutting, or other type of work by man once they are removed from their shell. To us, they are the perfect gems.

Luster: The thickness of a pearl's nacre, or its outer coating, determines the intensity of the luster of a pearl. Luster is the deep shine produced by pearls' internal reflected light. The depth of the nacre coating depends on the type of mollusk involved, the water it lives in, and how long the bead is left in place before being harvested. The thicker the nacre, the deeper the luster becomes and the higher quality and longer durability of the pearl. A high quality pearl necklace is normally full of luster - it shines with dazzling brilliance.

Luster is rated from very high to very low. Pearls with high luster give sharp reflections, and present high contrast between the reflections of light and dark with a high degree of transparency. A pearl with low luster is dull, the contrast is low, and it has no transparency. Thus the price would be cheaper when all other factors are equal. Depending upon affordability, try to buy pearls that have a luster rating of medium to very high, as this will ensure that the pearls have a beautiful shine.

Cathaygems is all about quality. All of the pearls you purchase from us contain outstanding nacre with a very high luster that gives them the beauty and glow we are known for. You need not be concerned about the frequent occurrence of thin nacre wearing off over time with the freshwater pearls you purchase from Cathaygems.

Surface flaws: When a pearl is being formed in its shell, it can acquire marks, blisters, or spots, known as surface flaws. Each pearl is unique and usually has small surface imperfections on its "skin" that are commonly described as blemishes or indentations. Just like a person's skin, a pearl is rarely flawless. When purchasing pearls, you should try to look for pearls with flawless to slightly spotted surface flaws – and price will play a big part in this. Yet, the most expensive pearls still aren’t blemish free. However, pearls that have too many blisters and surface flaws can lose some of their beautiful appearance. Therefore, a pearl with fewer and less visible surface flaws is rare and more valuable.

With Cathaygems, since our pearls come directly from farms, we can sell pearls that have less visible surface markings at much better prices as compared to other retailers and online stores.

Color: You might not know it, but there are more colors than the traditional white you’ve always seen. So, what color will you choose? That will depend more on personal taste and the skin color of the woman you are buying them for as some pearls work better with certain skin colors. White rose pearls compliment fair complexions; black pearls are flattering to dark hair. The second most important thing to consider is its close match in color, along with quality and shape. That is especially important for pearl strands and earrings.

The main colors of pearls are pink, milky white, peach, lavender, silvery white, cream, white with a rose overtone, golden yellow, and black with lavender overtones. Generally, pearls assume the color of the shell in which they were formed. The most valuable overtone color in light pearls is rose, and in black pearls, green is most desirable.

Shape: There are many shapes of pearls, including: round, pear, egg, drop, button, and Baroque. The shape of the nucleus and its position within the mollusk determines the shape of the cultured pearl. The most desired pearl, however, is round in shape. The rounder the pearl, the more valuable it becomes, hence the more expensive its price tag. Acceptable ranges for round pearls are "all round" to "slightly off round."

Matching and blending: When creating a strand of pearls, they need to be sorted one by one according to size, shape, color and luster. Pearls are evaluated for their uniformity, that is, how well each pearl matches the others. Matching pearls is a labor-intensive process in which a pearl's size, color, luster, surface markings, and shape are visually compared to, and arranged with, other pearls in a strand. This process can drive up the price.

Size: Pearls come in a range of sizes, from 1mm to 14mm. Their diameter is measured in millimeters. Size is an important value factor. Large cultured pearls can be difficult to produce because they stay longer in their shell, which increases the likelihood that they will emerge with large blemishes and surface flaws, thus decreasing its value.

Pearls on your classic pearl necklace measure 6.5 or 7 millimeters. For every 1mm increase in the size of pearls above that, there is a 100% to 200% price increase. When choosing pearls as a gift, the size of the woman receiving them is important. A smaller woman would probably look best with small to normal size pearls and you can give a larger boned woman pearls that are larger.

Another important consideration is the affordability. Luckily at Cathaygems, we can provide you with the most outstanding pearls at the most outstanding prices. Compare for yourself! See our products