Imitation Pearls are not natural, they are not cultured and they are certainly not pearls. Virtually every conceivable material, has been used to imitate pearls. Most imitations are made to look like expensive 8mm akoya cultured saltwater pearls. These imitations used to be an affordable alternative. However, now that Chinese cultured freshwater pearls are so reasonably price, most women can afford a strand of cultured pearls. However, even if this is true, some people prefer the versatility of owning several different lengths, colors, and size of imitations especially in longer lengths, 24 or more inches.
Generally with pearls, as with almost everything else in life, you do get what you pay for. If you want imitation pearls, make sure that you pay a price that is for imitations and not for cultured pearls. The following list will give you some information to think about when buying imitation pearls:
Imitation Pearls made of Glass:
The inside of a hollow glass bead is painted with a paint made from fish scales. Then this beads is filled with wax and placed in a drying kiln before being highly burnished. No synthetic material came close to the lustre of nacre until this paint was developed.
You have probably heard of Majorica pearls. They are not pearls. They are glass beads dipped into a iridescent fish scale and an adhesive paste. They are priced well above other imitations and well below Japanese akoyas.
These Majorica pearls are usually finished better than other imitations and that is what you are paying for since the beads themselves are not valuable. Sometimes 8mm Akoya imitations can be a fairly uniform strand, finished with a gold clasp and are knotted as if they were cultured pearls. South Sea imitations ranging from 10mm-20mm are available in imitation pearls.
Glass beads are heavier than pearls, which is usually a tip-off. They are also breakable, so be careful not to drop or subject them to hard knocks.
Imitation Pearls made of Plastic:
Plastic is cheap and easy to fabricate, can be painted or coated any colour, and made solid or hollow. Because of these reasons, plastic is the material of choice when making imitation pearls. Looking down the drill hole will reveal if the bead is hollow or solid, coloured plastic, painted or coated. They glow evenly when backlit and are uniform inside. Plastic beads require very little care or concern. Their string is weak and is neither knotted nor silk. Their clasp is usually made of a cheap metal. Because of these things, the strand will probably not last long.
Imitations Pearls made with Shell Bead Nuclei:
There are imitations that have a shell bead nuclei. These are the same nuclei that are used to produce culture pearls in mollusks. However, they are not covered in nacre but are coated in paint, lacquer or other material and have the appearance of cultured pearls. They have the right weight and sometimes even pass the x-ray and backlit tests. However, they do not pass the tooth test. Cultured pearls, when pass along the front teeth, will feel gritty. These imitations have a uniform rather than gritty surface. The true nature of the coating can usually be seen with magnification
