How To Tell If Pearls Are Fake

Real pearls are beautiful and have been coveted since, well forever. Jewelry made of natural pearls has been treasured over all generations and as with anything precious, there is an industry in fake pearls.

Of course, if buy something labeled by the jewelers as imitation pearls, then that is one thing, but if there is any chance that you are not getting the quality pearl gemstones that you think you are, then that is another matter altogether.

Not many people know there are different types of pearls including

- Saltwater pearls
- Freshwater pearls
- Akoya pearls
- Tahitian pearls
- South Sea pearls
- Sea of Cortez pearls
- Blue pearls
- Mabe pearls
- Keshi pearls
- Cultivated pearls

(You may notice that mother of pearl is not on this list. This is because the mother of pearl is not a stone but is the iridescent lining of a mollusk shell.)

These different types of pearls can make it overwhelming and with high-quality examples, there can be very little visual difference between authentic pearls and synthetic pearls. But don’t worry, there are a few tricks of the trade that can give you good indicators of whether or not you are dealing with genuine pearls.

Here are some of the best tips and tricks for how to tell if the pearl jewelry that you are interested in is the ‘real stuff’ or not. We like to hope that all good retailers will give honest answers to the question ‘are these pearls real?’ question, but sadly that isn’t always the case! Follow our advice and you will end up with the perfect pearl necklace or pearl earrings!

Are They Round?

Because of the way they are manufactured, fake and imitation pearls are always going to be perfectly symmetrical. When you look at a pearl choker or pearl bracelet you may see round pearls but they are not perfectly so.

Examine the pearls under a magnifying glass. A real pearl will maybe off-round, slightly oval, or even slightly elongated. This is the result of the way the layers of nacre form and none of these small asymmetries affects the value. It is an endorsement of their authenticity.

Check For Small Irregularities

Natural pearls will have several tiny irregularities, ridges, and blemishes on their surface when they are examined close up, and this is due to their natural formation. Even when they are well matched in sets, you will always be able to distinguish small differences in a cultured pearl necklace. If they look completely identical, then you can suspect human intervention.

Consider The Size

Real pearls come in a range of different sizes, and on the other hand, fake pearls in a single piece of jewelry tend to all have a very uniform size and shape that fits perfectly. In addition to this, fake pearls are much more likely to break when you try to give them a good feel with your fingers.

Scrutinise The Pigmentation

Genuine pearls possess an iridescent glow, and this is reflective of the color spectrum with different pearls varying in different levels of visibility. An artificial pearl will produce less of a glistening look, and more of a rough dullness.

Some retailers will hide their artificial pearls by mixing them in with other pearl-like stones and adding an overtone coat that makes them appear more uniform and appealing. You can tell the difference if you look close enough.

Inspect The Luster And Natural Color

A real pearl should possess a natural, unaltered color that features a smooth surface and luster. A fake pearl is likely to have a somewhat discolored surface and will be covered with a clear protective coating to make it look more real.

Fake pearls tend to look much duller compared to their true reflection because of the synthetic material that has been used to create them.

Try Out The Tooth Test

One of the most helpful tricks for testing out pearls is the tooth test.

The tooth test involves taking a pearl and rubbing it along the edge of your front teeth to determine whether it is soft or durable. If you feel a grittiness, the pearl is likely to be real. Fake pearls, on the other hand, will feel very slippery and artificially smooth. Some fake pearls might even not massage well because they will have been created using synthetic materials or even glass.

Rub Two Pearls Together

Another simple test to perform is getting two pearls that you want to try and rub together. With real pearls, nothing is damaging about rubbing two together, and you should get a magnifying glass to have a close-up look after you have done so.

When two natural pearls are rubbed together, the result will be the production of a fine pearl powder. If there is no powder present after rubbing, then you can assume that the pearls are not authentic.

In addition, when two real pearls are knocked against one another, they produce a soft, thudding-type sound, whilst two fake pearls will produce more of a dull, empty sound.

It is easier to perform this test on a pair of pearl earrings than on a necklace.

Get Knotted

A real pearl necklace is expensive. To make a necklace of pearls of equal or graduating size means taking the time to sort through a large pile of pearls. A necklace of true pearls will be strung on silk or high-quality microfiber and each pearl will be separated by tiny knots. These knots hold the pearls in place and also prevent excessive scraping and loss of all the pearls if the string breaks.

This is not a foolproof test because good fake pearl necklaces will have knots. Just know that real pearls will never be strung without knots. Don’t just rely on this test.

Check the Drill Holes

A feature of real pearl jewelry is the hole made to attach the pearl. Look at any piece of pearl jewelry, even one using freshwater pearls which lack any of the uniformity of saltwater pearls and you will see very small and neat drill holes.

A skilled jeweler will look to preserve the integrity of the pearl so will make the smallest most delicate holes possible. Not much care is taken with fake pearls so holes are larger, less neat, and may also feature chipped paint, cracking, or material around the edges.

The Temperature Test

Regardless of the weather, real pearls should always feel cool to the touch until they are worn when they will adjust to your body’s temperature. Fake pearls will always adjust to the environmental conditions, i.e. room temperature whether they are worn or not.

You might come across high-quality fake pearls that are made from a type of glass that can mimic the thermic properties of genuine pearls. They are cool to the touch like natural pearls but they take longer to warm up to your skin than real pearls.

Conclusion

In conclusion, determining the authenticity of pearls can be a daunting task, but with the right knowledge and tools, it's possible to identify genuine pearls. One of the most reliable ways to ensure the authenticity of pearls is to purchase them from a reputable jeweler, such as Frank Jewelers, which is known for offering only real and genuine pearl jewelry. Whether you're looking for a classic pearl necklace or a trendy pearl ring, Frank Jewelers is a great destination for finding high-quality, authentic pearls.