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Five Ways to Test Whether a Pearl is Real or Fake
There are many varieties of pearl, both real and fake, 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. Before buying any pearls it’s important that you know what you’re getting, 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 whereas fakes are glassy and perfectly smooth. In reality this test is far from foolproof, as many fake pearls are created to feel as real as possible and cultured pearls in particular can often be very smooth, especially if they are dyed.
The Sun Test
A slightly more reliable method is to take the pearls out in the sun and look closely at the lustre, or iridescence, on their surface. Unless they are extremely rare and expensive, 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 under magnification. It also helps to look closely at the drill holes in the pearl, which are normally as small as possible in a real pearl as the gems are valued by their weight. Real pearls usually have holes drilled from either end, making the passage narrower at the centre 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, and if not they are probably fake.
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, showing any 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.
DIY: Pearl necklace as a statement piece
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