The better the quality of pearls you select, the greater value they will hold over time. The following are quality factors that should be evaluated while choosing a piece of cultured pearl jewelry.
Luster- The luster of a good pearl should be bright. You should be able to see your reflection clearly on the surface of a pearl. If a pearl appears to be white, dull, or chalky, it is of lesser quality.
Surface- When evaluating a cultured pearl, look for spots, bumps, pits, or cracks on the surface of the pearl. It is rare to find a pearl without any blemishes, due to the nature of how they are grown. The best thing to do is look for a pearl that has the fewest blemishes. A pearl that displays fewer blemishes has greater value.
Shape- Cultured pearls usually come in oval, pear, or baroque shapes. It is very rare to find a perfectly round pearl, which holds the greatest value.
Color- The colors of cultured pearls vary from a wide range of pink to black. Though the preference of color is up to the purchaser, many believe that fair skinned people look best in slightly pink or silvery white, while darker complexions look best in cream or golden pearls.
Size- Cultured pearls are measured by their diameter in millimeters. Larger pearls are generally more expensive than smaller ones. Pearls can be smaller than one millimeter, or as large as 20 millimeters. The most popular size of cultured pearls is 7 millimeters.
Matching- When buying a strand of cultured pearls it is best to match pearls in terms of luster, surface, shape, color, and size. Matched necklaces are in the higher price range because pearl growers must produce 10,000 pearls for just one 16-inch strand.