November 3, 2009
How to Tell the Difference between Real and Fake Pearls
Pearls come in many shapes and sizes whether they are real or not, and it can be hard to distinguish between those that are genuine and those that are imitations. Even amongst genuine pearls there are many different classes of both natural and cultured varieties, all with their own different properties and all valued very differently as pearl jewellery. Before buying any pearls it’s important that you know what you’re getting, so here are a few ways to help differentiate between real pearls, whether they are natural or cultured, and fakes
The Tooth Test
Many people say that by rubbing a pearl against your teeth you can tell whether it’s real or fake by the feel of its surface. Genuine pearls usually have a rougher, more irregular texture in contrast to imitation pearls which are usually very smooth or even glassy. In reality this test is far from foolproof, as fakes are often made to appear completely genuine and cultured pearls in particular can often be very smooth, especially if they are dyed.
The Sun Test
Another indicator is to take the pearls into full daylight and look closely at the lustre, or iridescence, that you see on the surface. Unless they are extremely rare and expensive, real pearls hardly ever appear perfectly matched in full daylight and have clear differences in shine, iridescence and colour.
Surface Magnification
Don’t underestimate the power of a magnifying glass – a closeup look at the pearl earrings, necklace or brooch can tell you a lot, and is one of the most effective ways of distinguishing between genuine and fake pearls. The surface of a real pearl is crossed with hundreds of tiny almost invisible crooked lines, giving them an almost scaly look under magnification. It also helps to look closely at the drill holes in the pearl, which are normally as small as possible in a real pearl as larger holes devalue the gem. The holes are usually drilled from both ends and meet in the middle, so the hole is much smaller in the middle of the pearl.
Shape
One of the most obvious ways to identify real pearl sets is to look closely at the shape of each pearl and whether or not they are close to being identical – real pearls are hardly ever perfectly round, and it is almost unheard of to find a whole string of pearls of exactly the same size, shape and weight. Real pearls that are regular in this way are extremely expensive, or they are more than likely imitations.
X-Ray
The best way to be absolutely positive of a pearl’s authenticiety is to have it verified and certified by a qualified gemologist. You can have the pearl x-rayed for a price, showing any variations in density and discovering how the pearl was first formed and what the nucleus was. To be worth paying the price you need to first be fairly sure that the pearl is genuine, but many imitation pearls look very real and it’s the only way to really be 100% sure without damaging the pearl.
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