How to tell a fake pearl from a real one

What do you need to watch out for so that you actually invest your money in real pearl jewelry and not a similar looking cheap industrially manufactured substitute? We recommend the following procedures to determine the authenticity of pearls. By following them, you should purchase guaranteed genuine cultured pearls.

Buy from verified sellers

First and foremost, we recommend buying pearl jewelry from verified jewelers and pearl specialists. Then take the time to make the purchase yourself. For online purchases, be sure to monitor reviews and customer experiences with the store in question. Also look at the store's history, how long it has been in business, whether it publishes terms and conditions, returns policy and whether it guarantees a money back guarantee. The company's headquarters or store or establishment should also be traceable. We definitely don't recommend that you buy pearls from marketplaces, resellers, or online based on an irresistible price offer. Avoid buying in a time crunch.

Quality and authenticity of pearls

The quality of pearls is judged on several parameters (shape, lustre, percentage of natural defects, etc.). There are two systems of pearl quality rating used around the world, AAA-AA-A or A-D (sometimes referred to as Tahitian rating). However, the quality of pearls cannot be measured objectively, and it is up to the merchant to determine how to mark the pearls. In general, the highest quality and most expensive pearl will be perfectly round, free of natural flaws and with perfect luster. However, such pearls are few and relatively expensive. If you are shopping for such perfect pearls, any honest seller will be happy to offer you a certificate of authenticity. Avoid buying expensive pearls without a certificate.

The authenticity of pearls can also be verified in a layperson's way. Do not assume that the seller will allow you to cut up a pearl to trace the different layers of the pearl in a genuine pearl. There are, however, non-destructive amateur methods by which even a careful layman could distinguish a genuine pearl from a non-genuine one.

To distinguish a real pearl from a fake pearl, you can mainly tell by sight and touch

Examine pearls in sufficient light. On the surface of genuine pearls it is possible to see small imperfections, uneven surface, different luster. So, paradoxically, real pearls are less perfect - non-real pearls are absolutely perfect on the surface. Because true pearls are created in a limited space, they have only a certain maximum size. The larger ones are slightly more than 1 cm in diameter. Exceptionally, the size can be over 2 cm, and this is only for South Sea pearls or Mabe pearls. So if someone offers you an oversized pearl, or perfectly good quality pearls with no natural flaws, be wary, such a pearl may not be genuine.

We can tell genuine pearls from imitations by touch. The surface of real pearls is not perfect. If the seller allows you to do so, try lightly rubbing the pearl on your tooth. With a real pearl, you can feel the grainy texture; a non-real pearl slides smoothly over the tooth. If you don't have the opportunity to do such a test on your tooth, at least try it with your fingernail - you can feel the fine, grainy texture of the surface of the real pearl when you swipe it. Unfortunately, even this surface can be imitated by industrial production in so-called shell pearls.

Beware shell pearls are neither genuine nor natural

Shell pearls are also referred to as natural by some large jewellers. Which is a misleading name. While they are made from natural materials, these pearls do not actually grow in pearl beds. Simply put, they are ground up seashell shells, bonded with a binder, molded into perfect shapes (round, oval, and other shapes), and a pearl coating is added at the last stage. They look and feel very similar to very high quality real pearls, but cost a fraction of the price, as they are produced industrially and in unlimited quantities.

The surface of shell pearls, like freshwater pearls, is coarser and more porous, which causes the pearl coating. The way to identify such a fake pearl in layman's terms (unless the seller has admitted that it is a shell pearl) is to look for minor flaws and imperfections in the shape or surface of the pearl. Such imperfections can be found on a genuine pearl that has been grown in a pearl factory. This is not the case with the finest pearls, where the price is already so high that you should demand a certificate of authenticity from the seller. Another clue can be the weight, genuine pearls are relatively heavy, industrially produced pearls tend to be much lighter (you may not be able to tell the difference on earrings, but with necklaces the weight is already significantly different).

Ask the seller for a certificate of authenticity for pearls

Of course, you can increase your confidence that you are actually buying genuine pearl jewellery if you ask the seller for a certificate confirming the authenticity of the jewellery. Our e-shop will automatically attach it to your purchase.

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