A basic buying guide to Pearls
Author: Michelle
Before we go into how to select the best pearls for you, it is important to firstly learn about the different types of pearls available on the market today. There are various types of pearls, including both faux (imitation), cultured and natural pearls. Prices also range widely, so it is quite possible to purchase lovely pearls within any budget.
Types of Pearls -
Glass Based Pearls. Glass pearls are very inexpensive, however can still look very nice. The benefit of glass pearls is that you can have extra large, perfectly round pearls at a very affordable price. Even within the category of glass pearls there are variations in quality. Glass pearls are usually a made from a solid white glass beads, coated in a pearlised paint. Cheaper glass pearls will often have their coating peel off very quickly, while better quality glass pearls will remain lovely for years. Look for glass pearls where the coating around the hole is not peeling at all, and test the paint with your fingernail to test how easily it will scratch off. If you can peel off paint with your fingernail, the quality is not very high. It is easy to distinguish glass pearls from other types of pearls, as they are lighter in weight and will be perfectly round with no surface blemishes.
Shell Based Pearls. A step up from glass based pearls, shell based pearls are also faux pearls at a fraction of the price of natural pearls. Shell based pearls are made from the oyster that the shell forms in. The shell is crushed down and reconstituted to form a perfectly round pearl with a very high lustre. Shell based pearls can be quite difficult to tell apart from natural pearls, as they are very similar in their basic chemical structure. The weigh the same as natural pearls, and also wear the same. Like natural pearls, shell based pearls should be worn often as if they are not worn often they will lose their lovely lustre. The easiest way to tell if pearls are natural or shell based is to look at the price. Shell based pearls are perfectly round – a strand of perfectly round natural pearls is usually anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Shell based pearls are usually under $100 per strand.
Cultured Freshwater Pearls. Hugely popular, cultured freshwater pearls are quite affordable. They are a natural pearl that has formed in an oyster, however the process has had a helping hand from man. Small 'seeds' are inserted into the oyster, usually made from small pieces of shell or plastic. These imitate the natural pearl formation process in which a piece of grit enters the oyster, causing irritation to the oyster and thus resulting in the oyster forming a pearl around the grit. Cultured freshwater pearls vary in price widely, anywhere from about $2.00 for low quality, irregular pearls, up to hundreds of dollars for round pearls with high lustre. Cultured freshwater pearls are commonly used in costume jewellery, as they add an element of class with the hefty price tag.
Natural Pearls. These are pearls that have formed in nature, without the assistance of man. These are far less common than all the above types of pearls, and again the quality widely varies. Pearls that are round, with high lustre and no blemishes are most prized.
The above lists the most common types of pearls available as jewellery in the market today. When choosing your pearls, you must firstly consider your price range. The first three categories are very affordable (glass pearls, shell based pearls and cultured freshwater pearls). Shell based pearls and freshwater pearls are not hugely more expensive than glass pearls, so in my opinion they are the best options. If you are looking for the classic perfect round pearl, opt for shell based pearls. If you are looking for a less formal look, nugget shaped freshwater pearls are very popular. I am often asked whether or not to buy a particular freshwater pearl. My answer is always the same and very simple – if you like the look of the pearls, buy them! Freshwater pearls are not expensive, and not an investment for the future like natural pearls once were. Small blemishes, rings or dimples are quite unnoticeable and actually give the pearls character. With China producing so many freshwater pearls, prices have dropped dramatically and you can afford to own several different strands – one for each day of the week!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/a-basic-buying-guide-to-pearls-5334002.html
About the Author
Michelle owns My Beads a specialty bead shop in Australia. She has been purchasing and selling pearls for many years, including the types mentioned in this article.
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