How to Buy Pearls

Whether you want to go for conventional look or a contemporary one, pearls add a classic grace to any occasion. Pearls are enduring and give a sophisticated look in all the cases. Easy to carry, pearls can give you a professional look and also be used to add grace to an elegant party dress. They can even be worn with casuals. While pearls were once the luxury of the richer class of people, they are today available at an affordable price and in much wider varieties. Go through this guide and get tips on buying pearls.

Image: Mercury Jane@flickr

How to Buy Pearls

The first factor to keep in mind before buying pearls is whether you want natural, cultured or imitation pearls. While imitation pearls are of no worth, natural pearls are a rare class and sometimes not of as good a quality as cultured pearls.
When you have decided what type of pearl you want to buy, the next step is to decide the shape of the pearl. The highest quality pearls are those that are perfectly round in shape, with a smooth surface. The other shapes include symmetrical or baroque and even irregular.
Pearl size is also very important to determine. The larger the size, the higher will be the price. Be prepared to shell out load of money if you want pearls of a large size.
While you have thought about the type, shape and the size of the pearl, it is now time to think about their look. For example - if you want a double strand necklace of smaller pearls, it would be less expensive than those of larger pearls.
To check the luster of the pearls, keep them under light, on a flat white surface. Pearls that are of high quality will have smooth shiny surface and would transmit short and crisp reflections. They would also have a contrast between light and dark areas. Do not buy pearls that are dull and have a cloudy look.
The best way to check the quality of the pearl is to see if it transmits a rainbow color. Pearls that have an effervescent shade of rainbow colors are the highest quality pearls.
The next step is to decide on the color of the pearl. There is a huge variety of colors available, like yellow, white, grey, and black. The color of the pearls can be natural or dyed. While dyed colored pearls are expensive, sometimes natural pearls that have an exotic color to them are even more costly than the former one.
You should also check the overtone of the pearls. Pearls that have a pinkish overtone will have a high price, while those with greenish or bluish tints are a little lower priced.
The surface of the pearl should be absolutely clean and smooth. Check for any cracks, nicks, pits or any discoloration.
After you have checked all the minute details of the pearls, just roll it down a flat surface to see if they spin smoothly.

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