Quality of Pearls

Presented by:Sharafat AliQuality of Pearl

1

Table of Content

Pearl Type ------------------------------------------------- 03Pearl Size ------------------------------------------------- 05Pearl Shape ------------------------------------------------ 06Pearl Colour ----------------------------------------------- 08Pearl Luster ----------------------------------------------- 09 Nacre Quality -----------------------------------------------10Pearl Matching---------------------------------------------- 12References ------------------------------------------------ 13

2

2

PEARL TYPE

There are three main pearl types used in jewellery:FreshwaterAkoyaSouth Sea (White, Golden and Tahitian)

3

ContiThe qualities that determine the overall value of a natural or cultured pearl or a piece of pearl jewelry are size, shape, color, luster, surface quality, nacre quality, andfor jewelry with two or more pearlsmatching4

Pearl Sizelarger pearls are rarer and more valuable than smaller pearls of the same typepearls can be smaller than 1mm, while South Sea pearls, as large as 20mm, have been foundThe average pearl sold today is between 6.5mm and 11mm

5

PEARL SHAPE

Within these three broad categories, pearls can be classified into seven basic shapes:the highest quality, rarest pearl shape round. Shapes that are not spherical or even symmetrical are considered lower qualityAkoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearls found in jewelry have a tendency to be the roundest, while Freshwater pearls can be oval or slightly off-round6

Conti...Round Near-roundSemi-roundOvalButtonDropBaroqueSemi-Baroque

7

PEARL COLOUR

A pearl's colour contains three basic componentsBody-colour- the dominate overall body colour of the pearl.Overtone- one or more translucent colours that appear over a pearl's body-colour.Orient-iridescent- rainbow colours shimmering on or just below a pearl's surface.

8

PEARL LUSTRE

Excellent -reflections are bright, sharp and distinct.Good -reflections are bright but not sharp and they are slightly hazy around the edges.Fair -reflections are weak, hazy and/or blurred.Poor -reflections are dim and diffused.The highest quality pearls have a sharp, mirror-like lustre showing a high level of reflection.

9

Nacre qualityLuster and nacre quality are closely related. If the nucleus is visible under the nacre, or if the pearl has a dull, chalky appearance, you can assume that the nacre is thin. This affects the luster as well as the durability of the pearlAcceptable -nucleus not noticeable, although slight blinking might be present. No chalky appearance.Nucleus Visible -the pearl shows evidence of its bead nucleus through the nacre.Chalky Appearance -the pearl has a dull chalky appearance.

10

Nacre quality

11

PEARL MATCHING

Pearl matching is more important when considering a strand of pearls. Minor variations between pearls within a strand should be expected as no two pearls are identical. When considering pearl matching, uniformity of pearl factors such as size, shape, colour and lustre should be taken into account.

12

Referenceshttps://www.rawpearls.com.au/pearl_knowledge/determining_pearl_qualityhttp://www.bluenile.com/education/pearlhttps://www.gia.edu/pearl-quality-factor

13