Pearl Buying Secrets - Pearl Surface
by Lise Lepa, President and CEO, Pearls Only
Welcome to the Pearl Surface part of Pearl Buying Secrets. I will talk about the pearl surface and the impact it has on price and its looks.
Since pearls are made my living organisms, they will often exhibit small imperfections. In the last few articles, I have already talked about the size of pearls, round and off-round pearls and the lustrousness of pearls. One last aspect of a pearl is its surface markings.
Just when you think the poor little pearl has so much going against it to reach perfection (shape, size, luster) we now add one more hurdle - surface quality.
In short, surface quality is the surface of the pearl and any dips and small marks that may be on the surface. Before going further, let me tell you that the surface of the pearl is not as important as luster. Some of the most beautiful sets I have seen have been extremely lustrous pearls with a blemish in each pearl! Although the surface of the pearls was not perfect, the pearls were so lustrous that you didn't even notice the blemishes until you focused and paid attention to the surface of the pearl - from 1 to 2 inches away!
What is a blemish? Webster defines blemish as "An imperfection that mars or impairs; a flaw or defect." Sounds harsh, doesn't it!
Fortunately, in pearls it's a much more gentle term and its used to describe a small imperfection. These can be small bumps the size of a grain of sand, small divots, a slight line, or a slight inconsistency in color.
| When you look at your pearls from a distance of about 1 to 2 inches and study each pearl bead you will notice small blemishes. You will likely find a small depression or streak in the pearl. These are perfectly normal. For example, 10mm white pearls with great luster and good roundness could sell for the same price as 7mm pearls of the same luster and roundness if the 10mm pearls have significantly more blemishes. This is an extreme example, but worth noting as it illustrates the difference extreme surface markings can have. |
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Tip #1: Surface of the pearl may impact the price or beauty of the pearl. Determine if the surface blemishes impact luster or are extremely pronounced.
Tip #2: Blemishes are natural and you will find some, depending on the quality of your pearls. You may not be able to see these blemishes right away, so inspect the pearl at 1 to 2 inches or use a magnifying glass to look for them. For AAAA quality sets, expect to see only the the smallest and nearly impossible to see blemishes!
We have now discussed how to select good quality pearls and pick pearls for their value. Now the big question is where to buy your pearls - online store or a regular retail store. I will let try to help you make this decision in the next section.
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