Color:
Cultured pearls come in a spectrum of shades from
rose to black. These shades may be created by the
oyster or dyed by man. Dyed pearls are far less
expensive. Whatever the color, it should appear to
emanate from deep within the pearl.
Lustre and
nacre thickness: Lustre is a
combination of surface brilliance and a deep-seated
glow. That's why the thickness of the iridescent
layers surrounding a pearl's nucleus dramatically
effects its lustre. Quality pearl lustre is created
by heavy nacre and fine surface polish.
Shape: Perfectly
round pearls are the rarest and most valuable.
Baroque pearls, which are asymmetrical in shape, can
be lustrous and appealing, and often cost less than
round pearls.
Size:
Cultured pearls are measured by millimeter. They can
be smaller than one millimeter, like seed pearls, or
as large as twenty millimeters for a big South Sea
pearl. As with diamonds, size influences price.
Surface:
A clean, smooth, blemish-free surface is preferable
and more valuable.
