How to choose a good pearl
How to choose a good pearl
To help you make an informed choice, we will introduce how to distinguish between good pearls.
Shine
The "luster" of a pearl generally refers to its luster, and is an important indicator for judging its quality, to the extent that it is said that "a pearl's beauty is determined by its luster." The stronger the luster of a pearl, the clearer the shadow cast on the pearl when held in the hand, and conversely, if the luster is weak, the shadow will appear blurred.
Roll
The "coil" of a pearl refers to the thickness of the nacre that forms around the nucleus; the thicker it is, the better the "coil." It is also an important factor in terms of the pearl's durability. In the case of Akoya pearls, the nacre is made up of over 1,000 extremely thin crystals, each just 0.35 to 0.5 microns thick (1 micron = 1/1000 mm), stacked together, and the better the coil, the more durable the pearl will be and the more powerful its luster will be.
Scratches
"Flaws" on pearls refer to the natural protrusions and depressions that form on the surface during cultivation. Because pearls are gemstones created by nature, they cannot be hidden like other gemstones that are polished and finished. Flaws are ranked as no flaws, small flaws, medium flaws, or large flaws depending on the number, size, and location, and the fewer the flaws, the better. In order to choose pearls with few, inconspicuous flaws, it is important to first consider the impression when wearing them.
shape
It is said that the closer to round a pearl's shape is, the better, but the thicker the nacre, the more distorted the shape tends to become, so pearls that are thick and close to round can be said to be quite valuable.On the other hand, jewelry that makes use of unique shapes such as semi-round, drop, oval, baroque, twin, and circle is another way to enjoy pearls.
Size
The "size" of pearls harvested from Akoya oysters is typically 7 to 8 mm in diameter, with those over 8 mm being called large pearls. The size of the pearl is determined by the size of the nucleus placed inside the Akoya oyster and the thickness of the nacre, with the larger the size, the more expensive it becomes. Recently, necklaces with small pearls placed inside small nuclei have become popular among young women.
Renso (connected)
The term "renso" (the balance of the pearls that make up a necklace or a pair of earrings) refers to the balance of the pearls, with the more uniform the arrangement, the better the renso. The "renso" process of assembling a necklace involves rolling the pearls on a stand called a rendai to match their size, color, luster, etc., and placing the largest pearl in the center and arranging them on either side in a balanced manner, a process that requires skilled technique.
color
Pearl colors are broadly divided into nine types: the standard silvery white, as well as pink, white, cream, blue, green, gold, gray, and black, but some pearls have complex blends of these colors, creating unique shades.These unique shades of pearls are also closely related to the nacre, and the thicker the nacre, the more beautiful the color.