How To Tell Real Pearls From Fake

How to know if my pearls are real? How to identify the real pearls?

Now pearl jewelry is getting popular among people, but there are too many fake pearls in the market, and most of the friends have no idea about how to tell the real pearls from fake. Today Feliz Pearl is so happy to share you some key points to tell if the pearls are real or not.

We discuss from two main aspects: Fake pearl types &Fake pearl (material)

As we all know pearls can be divided in to freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls. So here is the problem, your tahitian pearls maybe it's actually just a dyed color freshwater pearl necklace. Or sometimes the seller tell you the black color freshwater pearls are rare, so you got a black freshwater pearl with the price extreamly high.

Dyed Color Freshwater Pearls

Sometimes you may get the pearls with fake material, like the plastic pearls, shell pearls, shell powder pearls and etc.

No matter which situation you met, please follow the pearl quality standard, which feliz pearl is following strictly. The pearl size, pearl color, pearl shape, pearl surface, pearl luster, pearl nacre, pearl matching, these 7 factors not only can be the quality standard, but also can help you learn how to tell if the pearls are real.

1.Pearl Color

Pearls from different pearl type, they are with totally different color range. And just a color range, even when we talking about the lavender freshwater pearl, the authenic pearls are with different lavender color. For example, freswhwater pearls are mainly with white, lavender, champagne color. When you see a black or red freshwater pearl, then they must with color treatment or they are even dyed color plastic pearls.

2.Pearl Luster

Pearl luster is the main characteristic of authentic pearls. Authentic pearls will show the different luster from different angle, and looks more vivid, while the fake pearls are always with same dull luster when you check with different angle.

3.Pearl Size

Common authentic pearls are with size rangle 2-18mm. And if a authentic pearl with size bigger than 18mm，it's rare and expensive (of course based on the pearl quality not too bad). Fake pearls can be with any size you need and with cheap price.

4.Pearl Shape

As we all know authentic pearls are not machine produced, they are the natural artworks. Each piece of pearls actually is unique. So for a round shape pearl necklace, actually each piece of the pearls on the necklace is not with the exact same round shape. But for fake pearls, they can perfectly 100% copy each other.

5.Pearl Surface

Please don’t always pursue flawless pearls. This is one of the reasons why you get scammed. Real pearls are the artwork of nature, blemishes are their characteristics, which make the pearls are unique from each other. A piece of pearl necklace with flawless surface will be with very high price when fake pearls can be with very clean surface and keep all the pearls same and with very cheap price. Of course, if you have enough budget, you can choose the pearl jewelry with less blemish.

6.Pearl Nacre

Where do pearls come from? When foreign particles, such as grains of sand enter into the soft tissues of oysters or mussels, the mollusks secrete layers of a substance known as nacre to coat the sand and alleviate the discomfort. Nacre is composed primarily of calcium carbonate and conchiolin, a protein substance, and is responsible for the pearl's characteristic iridescence and luster.

So a authentic pearl can be rubbed and get the pearl powder. (Of course we don't suggest you to do that, it will damage the pearls.）

Till now i think you already know how to distinguish the real pearls from fake pearls. Let's make a conclusion to help you make everything clear.

 And here are some testing methodds that we see on the internet, which actually we don't recommend.

The Tooth Test: Gritty Texture (It may cause the irreparable damage）

One of the method to tell real pearls from fake ones is the tooth test. Gently rub the pearl against your teeth, paying attention to the texture. Real pearls have a slightly gritty texture due to the layers of nacre that form their surface. Imitation pearls, on the other hand, will feel smooth and may even exhibit a plastic-like texture.

Fire the pearls: Burn the pearls with fire

They believe that fake pearls would melt when exposed to fire. But in fact things are more complicated. Because there are many types of fake pearls, some may not melt when exposed to fire. On the contrary, real pearls will damage their luster and skin when exposed to fire.

So what is our recommendations to know if your pearls are real?

1. Check your pearls with your senses based on the factors that we already share above.