How to tell if a Pearl is real or fake?

Pearls have been around since our grandmother’s time, or perhaps even before that. The coveted gem of the sea has enjoyed its status as a preferred choice of jewelry for years. In the current fashion scene, the ever-growing demand for pearls has resulted in increased production of fakes. That said, finding the difference between real and fake pearls is difficult, which often lures buyers into buying the inexpensive fakes that bear the perfect shape, luster, and symmetry. But unfortunately, real pearls are rarely perfect spheres. Yes, you read that right. Putting your hands on a necklace of perfectly round pearls is tough. In that case, how do you, as a buyer, know how to identify real and fake pearls? The answer is a bit tricky and requires careful examination. But before you shed light on it, let’s get acquainted with the basics of pearls:

Firstly, What are Real Pearls?

As the name suggests, real pearls are formed within a living organism, i.e., an oyster or a mollusk, as a natural response to a foreign irritant such as a morsel of food or a fragment of a shell that makes its way to it. As a way to protect itself from the irritant, the organism releases layers of nacre that eventually result in the formation of real pearls. In the simplest terms, real pearls are products of nature that develop fully without any human intervention.

What are Fake Pearls?

The fake pearls emulate the natural process of the emergence of genuine pearls. What differentiates them from their natural counterparts is that they are the outcome of human efforts. Simply put, the foreign irritant is embedded within the living organism, which results in its creation.

Essential Points of Distinction Between Real and Fake Pearls

Weight:

The first and foremost difference between real and fake pearls is their weight. Usually, natural pearls feel heavier in your hands than fakes. The composition of calcium carbonate makes the genuine pearls somewhat heavy; on the other hand, the pearls made of glass materials weigh lighter than the reals. The reason is that the man-made materials like glass or plastic used in fake pearls give them an insubstantial feel.

Thus, the answer to the frequently asked question, “Are real pearls heavy?” is a big YES!

Shape:

If you really believed that pearls are perfectly round, here is a revelation: a round pearl is a very rare sight to witness. A real pearl is anything but perfect. Because it is a creation of nature, minor blemishes and imperfections are part of its attributes. If a pearl is perfect and cylindrical, it is too good to be true.

No two real pearls look alike; thus, you will always see a slight variation in all-natural pearls. Whereas the fakes look exactly the same in size, shape, and symmetry as they are man-made.

Texture:

Hold the pearls in between your top and bottom teeth for the biting test. Bite into them gently, if you are comfortable; otherwise, rub them against your teeth. A real pearl will have a gritty feel due to its natural outer cover. If you pay attention, it feels as if sandpaper is being rubbed against your tooth in the case of an authentic pearl. The plastic or glass pearls, on the other hand, are nearly smooth. Thus, the way a pearl feels can make a big difference.

Temperature:

If you touch real pearls against your skin, they will initially feel cool before they begin to warm up. The fakes, on the other hand, have a room temperature in their surroundings, and they warm up quickly.

Make sure to perform this test on pearls that you are not wearing at the moment because the heat released by the human body might affect the temperature of the gem.

Check for little hints around the drill holes:

Pondering how to tell if old pearls are real? The answer is to examine the drill holes. Typically, jewelers drill holes in pearls before crafting them into a strand or necklace. If your pearl items have well-defined and sharp edges to the drill hole, there is a good chance that they are real. The fakes, on the other hand, have rounded or rough edges to the hole.

It is crucial to understand that old pearls that are worn well also have rounded edges around the drill hole. So, a person who is not familiar with these details can draw the wrong conclusions. It is recommended to take the pearl items to an expert who understands their nature and characteristics.

Look for a clear luster:

Luster is what makes a real pearl stand out from a fake. Jewelers define luster as the way light reflects from a piece of stone. It is said that if a pearl is real, you can see its reflection on its surface. While fake pearls have a cloudy or dull luster. However, this is not a sure-shot test to spot real pearl jewelry from imitations. Thus, consider two or more tests before arriving at any final decision.

Lastly, many of you might wonder whether real pearls are expensive. Genuine pearls are rare and glorious. They are quite reasonably priced, hence they are a popular choice in fine jewelry.

Some more tips:

Do the simple rubbing test to tell whether your pearls are real or not. Gently rub two pearls against each other and carefully observe them. Usually, real pearls generate a little friction when rubbed this way. This is because, like the fakes, they do not possess a smooth outer layer. It is advisable to look at your hands after this. You will notice powdered nacre after the rubbing. The fine powder is an indication that the pearls are real.

Final Verdict -

Is it not easy to spot real versus fake pearls? All you have to do is keep a mental note of the above points, and you are good to go. Start with the pearls that you already have or that are in your jewelry case. Then be more mindful while you go pearl shopping. Ask the jewelry outlet or the jeweler for a valid certification to ensure that you invest in only real pearls.

If the jeweler is reluctant to give you proof of authenticity, try to look for pearl stores that furnish you with the relevant details. We hope you find the blog useful. Feel free to connect with our jewelry consultants if you have any questions.