Five Value Factors for Cultured Pearls...

by Julie Lee of Julie's Jewelry Design, LLC.

Luster  -  of the five factors, luster is the most important and has the biggest impact on determining the value of a pearl.  Luster describes the beauty of light being reflected from the surface of the pearl; it refers to the quality and quantity of that light.  Very high luster is a sign of fine quality nacre.

Complexion  -  The surface of a pearl is the second most important factor influencing a pearl's beauty.  Finer quality nacre is very smooth, and nearly blemish-free, however, blemishes are natural characteristics of real pearls and do not always detract from the beauty or value of the pear.  In general, the cleaner the surface, the more valuable the pearl is with all other factors being equal.

Color  -  Pearl color is made up of the body color, the overtone color, and a rare component called orient (iridescence seen on surface).  Color does not affect the quality of a pearl, but does affect the perceived beauty of the pearl according to the individual taste of the "beholder".  When purchasing a pearl, the best color is the one that looks most attractive on your particular complexion.  Selecting pearl colors that complement the wearer:

• Dark Skin Tones  -  cream, golden
• Pinkish Skin Tones  -  cream/rose'
• Light Skin Tones  -  pink, white/rose', light cream/rose'
• Brunette Hair Color  -  cream/rose'
• Reddish Hair Color  -  cream/rose'
• Blonde Hair Color  -  white/rose'

Shape  -  Pearls cannot be shaped, only nature can determine the shape of a pearl.  As with color, the shape does not affect quality.  Pearls today are offered in a fascinating array of shapes.  However the popularity and/or rarity of particular shapes can place a premium on the price for these shapes.  The rarest and most sought after shapes today are perfect round and teardrop shapes.  There are eight basic pearl shapes:  round, drop, button, oval, circle, baroque, semi-baroque, and semi-round.

Size  -  an important value factor.  Three things determine the size of a cultured pearl:  the size of the mother-of-pearl nucleus, the size of the oyster, and the thickness of the nacre.  Rare larger sizes and those sizes which may be in fashion demand may command premium prices.

Julie Lee is a web designer and founder of Julie's Jewelry Design, LLC.  Julie's Jewels is a Texas based retail jewelry company specializing in high quality, affordable jewelry pieces created to be treasured for a lifetime. 

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