Every pearl is unique in appearance, as a living creature has organically created it over the course of many years. There are hundreds of recognized varieties of pearls, and a unique price range to each variety. Saltwater pearls come from the popular cliché sea creatures, oysters and mussels, out of oceans, seas, gulfs, and bays. Freshwater pearls are found in rivers, lakes, and ponds, and are the product of hardworking mollusks. Freshwater pearls exhibit more irregularities in shape than their saltwater counterparts do.

Natural pearls have become somewhat of a scarcity due to fashion. Over the past 150 years, natural saltwater pearls have been in constant demand. Overfishing has sadly eliminated many natural pearl beds permanently. For these reasons, the natural pearl has adopted a more expensive price tag.

Learn your pearls!

Akoya Pearls come from the akoya oyster and are relatively round in shape. Pale pink, white, yellow, green, and blue-gray tones are all in nature’s color palette for this pearl. Akoyas measuring over 7 mm are typically associated with Japan.

Tahitian and South Sea Pearls are cultured in a large mussel classified as Pinctada maxima. These pearls require a longer ‘growing’ time than akoyas. Light colored SouthSea pearls tend to lack the intense luster of darker pearls. SouthSea pearls are the largest type of cultured pearl; as the size increases, the price increases.

Black Pearls from Tahitian black-lip mussels are the only natural black pearls that are dark by nature, without introducing dye into the equation. Black Tahitian pearls often have a metallic appearance with pink or green overtones.

Keshi Pearls are tiny in size, and form when a larger pearl is cultured in an akoya, SouthSea, or Tahitian oyster, mussel, or mollusk. Keshi pearls grow without an artificial nucleus, and therefore are considered ‘natural’. The Keshi pearl’s distinguishing feature is its unpredictable and interesting shape tendencies.

Biwa Pearls are borne of LakeBiwa in Japan and are known for their high quality, smooth texture, and high luster. Biwa pearls do not normally have a nucleus, so they sometimes produce highly unusual shapes. The Biwa pearl color palette ranges from cream to pale rose, salmon orange, dark wine, and violet.

Chinese Freshwater Pearls are similar in appearance to Biwa pearls, but are formed of a nucleus created from the mantle tissue of a separate oyster, cut into a desired shape and implanted.

Mabe Pearls are a form of cultured pearl, and due to their artificial construction, they are not as durable as other types. The Mabe pearl’s nacre coating has a tendency to become damaged or discolored over time. A ‘blister mabe’ exhibits a rim around the pearl body.

Blister Pearls grow attached to the inner surface of a shell, not loose in the mantle. Blister pearls develop an iridescent nacre, taking on the properties of the shell’s inside surface.

Seed Pearls measure 2 mm or less, and fit into the natural category. Seed pearls are often drilled and strung in countries where labor is inexpensive.

Abalone Pearls and Conch Pearls are large, rare varieties produced by snails.

You sit in a secluded corner booth, with a few intimate friends, in your favorite dimly lit Italian restaurant. A handsome man, cloaked in darkness, saunters up to your party with confident strides, but muted steps, as huge and silent as his velvet vestments. He tosses a satiny pouch on your table and disappears, leaving your circle of friends in the wake of his awesome beauty. What treasure has he bestowed upon you?! Ungathering the cinched opening, gemstones of every hue and variation tumble onto the mahogany tabletop, flashing as they roll… How will you determine the value of your collection?

Clarity. The grade of clarity will determine how clean a diamond is. Miniature cracks and deposits will not affect a diamond’s brilliance and are very common. The higher grade of clarity a diamond possesses, the higher its price.

Color. Look through a stone’s pavilion for the best observation of color.

Proportion. The crown should measure 1/3 the depth of the pavilion in a brilliant cut diamond. Greater brilliance is created when proper proportions create reflections of light through the stone’s table. Poor proportions can create dark shapes to appear in the stone, which devalues the diamond by diminishing its inherent beauty.

Cut. The make of a diamond has the biggest influence on its brilliance. A good cut is also more durable. In addition to affecting reflected light, an error in cutting will cause difficulty in setting the diamond.

Fluorescence. A stone possesses fluorescence if it exhibits a color reaction when exposed to ultraviolet light. Blue fluorescence gives a diamond a whiter appearance in daylight. This particular characteristic is useful in masking a poor color grade.

Weight. Diamonds are weighed to one-hundredth of a carat and are a major determining factor in a stone’s price. Size affects weight, and weight affects price. For example, a brilliant-cut 1-carat diamond will have a diameter of 6.5 mm. A shallow diamond of this weight would be wider; a deep diamond will have a smaller diameter.