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Pearl Facts – Surface Quality

Surface Quality: a pearl value factor

My last post was about colour and its importance as a value factor. As you can imagine, surface quality plays a very important role in determining value because of its direct impact on lustre.  A clean pearl (blemish-free) is a rare treat indeed.

Surface quality is divided into four classifications:

Clean – as mentioned above, blemish-free or blemishes so small that they’re very hard to see, even with a trained eye

Lightly Blemished – minor surface imperfections; still not easy to detect

Moderately blemished – noticeable imperfections

Heavily blemished – obvious imperfections; they jump right out at you

Here are some examples of Surface Characteristics (AKA flaws), most of which are self-explanatory:

• Abrasion
• Bump
• Chip
• Crack
• Flat (a small flat area that doesn’t affect the shape too much)
• Gap (where the nacre doesn’t completely cover the bead nucleus)
• Pit
• Scratch
• Spot
• Wrinkle (yes, pearls have them too)

Flaws such as chips, gaps and cracks are considered to be serious because they not only affect the beauty of the pearl, but may also affect durability. These flaws can lower the value of pearls significantly.

Unlike diamonds, pearls are always graded with the naked eye rather than under magnification. A pearl is, after all, the product of a living creature, and for that we allow a certain latitude.

Interesting fact: small imperfections are often located by the drill holes of pearls in a necklace so they’re not as noticeable, or hidden completely by the setting as in a ring, earrings or pendant.

Remaining pearl value factors will be discussed in future blogs. Stay tuned next month when I’ll cover Nacre Quality and how it relates to value. Until then, live long and wear pearls! (My apologies to Mr. Spock)

Jewellery

Our Classic Pearls line offers the finest freshwater cultured pearls.  They express elegance always.  Formal or informal?  It’s all in the way you wear them.  Our timeless designs are created with 14 karat gold, and are available in custom lengths.
Our casual and light-hearted Fun Pearls line is an ever-changing collection of one-of-a-kind pieces.   Available in a range of sizes, shapes and colours, this line will take you from girl-time in the mall to the beach and the barbeque with easy, cool elegance and just a touch of whimsy.

Stringing & Restringing

All thread stretches over time.  If your beloved pearl necklace requires re-stringing, we are pleased to offer Re-stringing services featuring hand-knotting by a GIA-trained expert.  But we do more than pearls!  Have you acquired some amazing beads, and would like to have them hand-knotted into necklaces or bracelets?   We will string your gemstones or vintage beads as you wish into a Custom Design.

Classes

For those who like to DIY, we instruct pearl-knotting Classes at venues in Victoria, BC.  If you prefer the comfort of learning at home, we provide individual and small-group Private Lessons to the CRD.