We all know what the 4Cs are when it comes to diamond jewellery. But nothing beats the natural hue of a string of pearls when it rests next to your skin to offset the glow in your complexion.
With the range of choices when it comes to pearl jewellery out there, do you know how to make the bext choice when buying your next strand of pearls?
Mr. Charles Chan, General Manager & Director of Larry Jewelry, provides some pointers.
Q: What types of pearls are there?
A: The quality of pearls relies greatly on their lustre, surface quality, shape, tone and hue.
South Sea pearls are very precious and have the reputation of being the ‘queen of
pearls’. South Sea pearls have high quality and luminosity.
Akoya pearls are saltwater pearls from the Akoya oyster. Akoya pearls are generally
round in shape and their colours range from light pink to white or creamy. Round Akoya
pearls larger than 10mm are very rare.
There are also freshwater pearls from China and they tend to be more irregular in
shape and varied in colour as compared to the saltwater pearls.
The grading of freshwater pearls is also more variable than that of saltwater pearls because freshwater pearls are more colorful and come in various shapes.
South Seas Pearl of size 11mm to 15mm is most popular for jewellery setting.
Q: What should a consumer be aware of if she is buying her first set of pearl
jewellery?
A: Look out for the luster, texture and shape of the pearls when purchasing jewellery containing pearls.
Pearls should be blemish-free and smooth. Rounder and heavier pearls are often of a better quality.
The quality of pearls can also be prolonged by ensuring that they do not come in contact with chemical substances such as perfume and talcum powder.
Check with your sales representatives on choosing the right pearls for you.
Q: Are bigger and rounder pearls better?
A: Bigger and rounder pearls are usually slightly pricier compared to the rest.
However, they are not necessarily the best when it comes to uniqueness. Pearls with distinctive shapes usually provide designers with more room for creativity when it comes to designing a jewelry piece.
The more unique a design is, the higher the value.
Q: What colours do pearls come in?
A: South Sea pearls come in a wide variety of colours that can be classified under three
categories.
The whiter group of pearls ranges from silver-white to dark gold, which
includes colours like cream, champagne, yellow and pink in between.
The darker group of pearls has a wider kaleidoscope of colours including jet black, peacock green, grey and brown.
Lastly, the Akoya pearls usually consist of colours ranging from pink, white, to silver.
Consumers should refrain from buying pearls that are colour-treated as the colour may run over time.
Q: What qualities affect the final price of pearl jewellery?
A: South Sea pearls command higher prices than regular pearls because of their relative
scarcity, large sizes, thicker nacreous coating and the natural colour they exude.
The price range for the Akoya pearls however, is based on its availability, the size and the quality.
Consumers should always check the following before they decide if a piece of pearl
jewellery is worth its value: lustre, surface quality, shape, tone and hue.
