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Pearl Grading
Unlike other gems, there is no official or even universally accepted pearl grading standard. There are however commonly accepted rating standards and a universal set of qualities all pearls are graded on. These are Luster, shape, size, nacre thickness, and matching. At Cathay Gems we abide by strict grading requirements accepted by the world's finest retailers, so you can be certain that when you shop with us you're getting the best cross section of price and quality available anywhere.
Luster
Ever notice how pearls can light up a whole room? That distinct glow is the pearl's luster. Pearls with a high luster will have a mirror like surface while low grade pearls will appear very opaque and chalky.
Shape
Pearls come in a variety of shapes, from baroque to perfectly round. Rounder pearls hold a higher value in most casesPearls come in a wide variety of shapes including Baroque, round, rice, coin, keshi, and so on. Generally speaking the more round a pearl's shape is the more it's worth.
Surface Quality
Since pearls are made by a living creature they'll almost always have some sort of surface imperfections or flaws. Only a minute fraction of pearls harvested worldwide will ever be completely flawless.
Matching
When making any sort of jewelry that uses more then one pearl matching all pearls used is key. Each pearl must be carefully compared and matched based on all of the above criteria. The closer each jewelry piece's pearls match the better quality.
Nacre
Nacre is the actual name of the material every pearl is made out of and is secreted by the oyster or mollusk making the pearl. The thicker the nacre is the longer your pearls will last. It also generally means greater luster as well.
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