How To Buy Pearl Jewelry Without Getting Taken

By Author: Michael Price
Total Articles: 114
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Unfortunately it is not hard for the average shopper to make mistakes in acquiring pearl jewelry. When mistakes are made, they generally fall into one of three categories:

1. Mistaking artificial pearls for real pearls.
2. Failing to identify quality deficiencies that should be reflected in the price.
3. Weighting the wrong criteria in selecting the piece to buy.

Some pearl jewelry is actually made using dyed shell beads made to look like Tahitian pearls. These so-called shell-pearls may look like pearls but they are not and the prices for these items should reflect the fact. Prices higher than $20-$30 for these items should make you pause. Another slightly more expensive pearl look-alike is called a Majorca pearl. These imitation pearls are generally made using glass beads that are coated with a substance made from fish scales and lacquer intended to capitalize on the iridescent quality of fish scales.

There is nothing wrong with buying imitation pearl jewelry, per se, as long as you know what you are buying and it is priced appropriately. I recently went into an airport pearl jewelry ...
... shop, and saw a lot of nice jewelry that at first look; appeared to be made with Tahitian pearls. Upon closer inspection of both the pearls and the prices I saw that something was wrong. When I inquired I was told that the entire inventory was made with Majorca pearls. To someone who didn't know better, they might think; Oh; Majorca Pearls must be some kind of pearl, but in fact a Majorca pearl isn't a pearl at all, it is a glass bead painted to look like a pearl. The point is that it is easy to see how a typical shopper might have been fooled into thinking that they got a great deal on a pearl when in fact they paid too much for glass or shell beads.

If a pearl has no blemishes what-so-ever, that too should be a red-flag which leads you to evaluate the pearl more closely. One trick for identifying a genuine pearl from a fake is to run the edge of your front tooth (gently) over the surface of the pearl. A real pearl will feel subtly gritty or rough whereas an imitation pearl will feel perfectly smooth.

As for quality, the goal is to get the right quality at the right price. Notice, I didn't say the best quality. The reason is; the best isn't always the most appropriate for every budget. Just as; not all people spend their limited cash on a top-of-the-line Mercedes; not everyone needs the absolute best quality pearl jewelry. Its really a matter of what you can afford and what will do the job. For example, few people are likely to know if the metal in your jewelry is sterling silver or 18kt white gold, but there's a huge difference in price. Likewise not everyone will be able to tell if you are wearing a white Freshwater pearl earrings vs. much more expensive Southsea or Akoya pearl earrings.

Ask the jeweler about any metal used in the piece. Is it silver or gold? If gold, what weight? Find out what type of pearl is used. Freshwater pearls should cost less than Akoya pearls which, in turn, should cost less than white Southsea pearls. Take careful look at the pearl's quality. Look for blemishes which if present should help reduce the price of the piece without significantly detracting from the overall appeal of the piece. Perhaps more important than minor blemishes is; luster - the shininess of the pearl. Pearls with the highest luster will be like mirrors. You will be able to see your face in the pearl. The sharper the reflection - the better the luster. Less luster should cost less. If present at all, iridescence (also called orient) is a characteristic of pearls that gives them a mesmerizingly beautiful quality. Iridescence is sometimes compared to the colors that one might see on the surface of oil if it is caught in the light just right. Not all pearls have it, but when its there, its magical.

Shape and size are also important considerations but really quite subjective. It's really a question of proportion. The right setting can make all the difference in accommodating an irregular shape. Regarding size; what looks good on one person may not look good on another - it's really a matter of taste. However, the larger the pearl; the more the cost. As pearls approach the upper limits of their potential size range their prices rise rapidly.

When it comes to picking your pearl jewelry based on the right criteria, your budget plays a major role. For example, assuming you have a budget, and most people do, you may wish to trade-off things that don't detract from the looks of the piece such as choosing sterling silver in stead of white gold in order to be able to afford nicer or larger pearls.

If you are buying a white pearl strand necklace, you may wish to consider high-quality Freshwater pearls in stead of more expensive Akoya pearls that may have very thin nacre. However if you are purchasing a piece with a solitary show pearl such as ring or a pendant, you may want to splurge for a nice Tahitian or Southsea pearl. Great color, luster or orient may be a fair trade-off against minor blemishes, shape (not perfectly round) or size. If you like the looks of Tahitian pearls but are on a tight budget; you may wish to go with a colorized Freshwater pearl. If done correctly, it can be hard for even an expert to tell the difference.

Ultimately the most important thing is that you like the piece and consider it worth the money to you. If you buy from a company has an expertise in pearls that you think can trust, like www.MermaidPearls.com, then you need not necessarily be an expert yourself, you can just shop for what appeals to you and be confident in knowing that the price is commensurate with the quality and that your interests are being taken care.

87-PEARLS-4-U
www.MermaidPearls.com
Dave Battles is the founder and owner of www.MermaidPearls.com and is a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America's Pearl Certificate program.