Five Ways to Test Whether a Pearl is Real or Fake
Pearls come in many shapes and sizes whether they are real or not, and it can be hard to distinguish between the genuine article or a fake. Even amongst genuine pearls there are many different classes of both natural and cultured varieties, all with their own different properties and all valued very differently as pearl jewellery. You don’t want to be fooled when buying pearls, so here are a few ways to help differentiate between a genuine pearl and a fake:
The Tooth Test
It’s said that if you rub a pearl against the biting edge of your front teeth, you can tell whether it’s real or fake by the feel of its surface. Genuine pearls usually have a rougher, more irregular texture in contrast to imitation pearls which are usually very smooth or even glassy. In reality this test is far from foolproof, as fakes are often made to appear completely genuine and some real pearls can sometimes be smooth, particularly if the surface has been dyed.
The Sun Test
Another indicator is to take the pearls into full daylight and look closely at the lustre, or iridescence, on their surface. Apart from extremely unusual and rare specimens, genuine pearls won’t be perfectly matched under the sun and you will be able to see slight imperfections in the colour and lustre.
Surface Magnification
Don’t underestimate the power of a magnifying glass – a closeup look at the pearl earrings, necklace or brooch can tell you a lot, and is one of the most effective ways of distinguishing between genuine and fake pearls. Genuine pearls are covered in tiny, almost indistinguishable lines, making it look almost scaly when placed under the microscope. It also helps to look closely at the drill holes in the pearl, which in a real pearl will be as tiny as they can be because the gems are valued by their weight. Real pearls usually have holes drilled from either end, so the hole is much smaller in the middle of the pearl.
Shape
One of the most obvious ways to identify real pearl sets is to look closely at the shape of each pearl and whether or not they are close to being identical – real pearls are hardly ever perfectly round, and it is almost unheard of to find a whole string of pearls of exactly the same size, shape and weight. Those which are will be very expensive, or they are more than likely imitations.
X-Ray
The only truly reliable way to be sure a pearl is authentic is to have it verified and certified by a qualified gemologist. For a fee they will be able to x-ray the pearls, allowing you to see inside to any imperfections or variations in density and discovering how the pearl was first formed and what the nucleus was. You need to be pretty certain that the pearl is real before paying the price for a validation, but some fakes can be very convincing and without damaging the pearl it really is the only way to be completely sure.
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