Pearl Surface:
Surface: The smoother the better
- Pearl lustre and surface smoothness are equally important criteria.
- A pearl is created by a wild mollusk. Because it is made by a living creature in the natural environment, most pearls have surface characteristics or irregularities. The flaws or marks indicate that the pearl is naturally formed and adds to the uniqueness of the pearl. One mollusk in a million may produce a perfectly smooth, flawless pearl. Because of its rarity, this pearl would be of great value and therefore, very expensive. (Also, no two pearls are exactly alike)
- The surface condition of a pearl is judged by the size, number, location, visibility and type of blemish.
- Obvious flaws, such as discolorations, pits, cavities, and rough spots can decrease the value of the pearl.
- As well as affecting appearance, blemishes can affect the durability of the pearl.
- You should expect to pay less for low lustre, blemished pearls.
- You can have a clean looking pearl, at a lower cost, if it is mounted in such a way as to hide its flaws.
- Blemishes on single pearls and more obvious than those on pearls in a strand.
Pearl Reject:
- Pearls that exhibit excessive amounts of blemishes, such as bumps and pits.
- Pearls exhibiting signs of damage from bleaching or dyeing or are judged to be unstable in terms of permanency of appearance and quality
- Pearls with visible cracks in the nacre or on the nuclei
- Pearls that display any signs of nacre peeling or chipping
Note: Even though most flaws can be seen by the naked eye, grading a South Sea pearl generally is more lenient than grading an Akoya pearl.
In baroque pearls, flaws may not be noticeable and therefore not affect value too much, if at all.
