Choosing the Right Pearl Strands For You

There is nothing prettier than creamy, lustrous pearl strands.  Of course, there are many types of pearls to choose from.  After you’ve decided to take the plunge and get some for yourself, how do you choose the right ones for you?  Cost is often he determining factor, so I will outline the different types of pearls and their cost relative to one another.

First, what are pearls?

Pearls are deposits of hard calcium carbonate that form naturally in the soft tissue of shelled mollusks.  The calcium forms in concentric layers around a small, often microscopic foreign object that lodges in the inner soft tissue of the mollusk. Pearls formed naturally in the wild are extremely rare, and are very valuable.  Since the cost of natural pearls is prohibitive for most people, I will not include them in this article.

Most pearls sold today are cultured pearls, or pearls that have been grown in farms.  To create a cultured pearl, a small piece of tissue from a donor shell is placed inside a recipient shell.  A pearl sac forms and calcium carbonate begins for form around the sac, eventually forming a new pearl.  Sometimes a small bead is placed inside the shell also, to help with the formation of the pearl.

Types of Cultured Pearls

Saltwater pearls – The nacreous pearl oyster is most used for growing saltwater pearls.  Nacre is the iridescent coating on the inside of certain mollusks, which also forms the pearl.  Most saltwater pearls are created with beads, and they tend to take on the shape of the shell bead used.  Usually only a few layers of calcium carbonate are formed around the bead before they are harvested.  Akoya pearls, white and golden South Sea, and Black Tahiti are trade names used for most saltwater pearls.

Freshwater pearls – Nacreous freshwater pearl mollusks are used for growing cultured freshwater pearls.  They are solid nacre, with no bead center to them.  They are not as round as saltwater pearls because of this, and they don’t have as much luster as saltwater pearls.  They are generally less expensive, and so are very popular for making designer costume jewelry.  Most freshwater cultured pearls today come from China, and are known as Chinese cultured pearls.

How is a Pearl’s Value Determined?

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) values pearls according to 7 standards, called the GIA 7 Pearl Value Factors: Pearl species, shape, surface, color, nacre thickness, matching and luster.  Luster, or the reflective quality, is probably the most important of those qualities.  As mentioned above, saltwater pearls have more luster than freshwater pearls.  When shopping for a pearl strand, ask to see the GIA report which will tell you how the pearls in the strand have been rated.

When you are choosing what type of pearl strand necklace you want, keep in mind the price you want to pay.  Natural pearls will cost the most, since they re very rare, and saltwater cultured pearls will cost more than freshwater pearls.  Of course all pearls are beautiful and will look marvelous with just about any other type of jewelry, such as cubic zirconia rings and even vintage jewelry. Have fun shopping, and my theory on this subject is, why stop at just one strand when there are so many beautiful pearl strand necklaces available?