Before purchasing quality pearls, it is important that consumers educate themselves about what to look for. Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder, but you also want to pay the right price and have your new piece survive the test of time. Below are the most important aspects to use when judging the value and quality of pearls.

Luster

The first thing that will strike you when you see a fine pearl is the brilliance with which it shines. This is the luster. This is not only a surface brilliance, but a glow almost from within. In a very high luster pearl, you should be able to see your reflection clearly. When the many layers of nacre align perfectly and reflect back the light, what you get is a fantastic deep glow. Luster is the most important factor in determining pearl value.

Size

All other things being equal, pearl size determines the price. The larger the pearl, the higher the price. The size of a pearl is its diameter measured in millimeters (mm). Pearls generally range in size from 1-15mm, with exceptional pearls surpassing 15mm. The average size of pearls sold today is 7-7.5mm in diameter.

Shape

Round pearls have also been the most sought after and are still valued as such. They are the most expensive simply because they are so rare and demand is very high. However, beautiful pearls come in many different shapes and great deals can be had buying off round pearls. There are also many non-round pearls that may fit your individual taste and may be had for a lower price.

Color

Although certainly a matter of personal taste, the color of a pearl can be important too. Cultured pearls come is almost any color from white to black, including yellow, blue, and rose. It has long been thought that rose and white pearls complement fair skinned women best while gold and cream-colored pearls complement darker skinned women best.

Surface Markings

A pearl free of any surface blemishes is the most valuable but is extremely rare. Just as our own skin is rarely completely free of little imperfections, so it is with pearls. Almost all gem quality pearls have small blemishes such as spots or bumps that are not easily noticed but will nevertheless lower their value. Low quality pearls will have larger flaws or even small cracks. All other things being equal, the cleaner the surface, the more valuable the pearl.

Nacre Thickness

Nacre thickness is very important to the long term quality and luster of your pearls. The thickness of the nacre determines how the light reflects off of the pearl and also determines how easy it will chip or break. A pearl with very thin nacre may chip and break very easily and its lifespan will be shorter than a pearl with thicker nacre. To have a lustrous pearl, the nacre must be thick. Any pearl that exhibits a rich luster is one that has thick nacre.

Matching

No two pearls are the same, which makes this step of the process so important to the overall look of a pearl strand. It takes a very refined eye and a lot of time to properly match up one of a kind pearls to make strand. Often a skilled worker must sort through thousands of pearls in order to find enough that match perfectly and will make up a uniformly beautiful strand.