how to tell the difference between natural and cultured pearls

Though natural pearls are considered priceless, they are also rare. Natural pearls form in the bodies, or mantle tissue, of certain mollusks, usually around a microscopic irritant, and always without human help of any kind. However, there aren’t any synthetic pearls. In fact, there are over 12 main types of baroque pearls to choose from, including Keshi, twin, potato, coin, baroque and rice pearls. Natural pearls occur randomly in nature, without the aid of human intervention, and are quite rare. One might argue that the reason we have cultured pearls is because natural pearls are so much rarer and simply cannot meet consumer demand as they need to be formed spontaneously by nature. On the other hand, a cultured pearl is grown on a pearl farm with human intervention. Difference Between Cultured Pearls & Natural Pearls Cultured pearls are real pearls grown inside real oysters at pearl farms in Japan, Australia, Indonesia, China and many more locations. Cultured freshwater pearls range in size from about 3.0–13.0mm, Akoya pearls range from about 6.0–8.5mm, and South Sea and Tahitian pearls can reach sizes as large as 13mm. Grab a magnifying glass (at least 10x magnification works best), and take a close look.Examine the Shape. The difference is more akin to the difference between wild-caught and farm-raised fish. The majority of bought pearls are cultured. That said, natural pearls have regained popularity in recent years. See this exquisite pendant here. Farmers insert a tiny bead inside the oyster to mimic the natural irritant and jumpstart the release of the coating substance. One of the very first differences between real and fake pearls is no other than their weight. Both types of pearls grow in the same way inside oysters. First and foremost, both natural pearls and cultured pearls are 100% authentic pearls because both are produced by mollusks such as oysters and mussels. The second step that will help you identify fake pearls is to look at the overtone color. For their soared price, few people can afford natural black or golden pearl, treated pearl is undoubtedly a great invention to fit different tastes and trends. A cultured pearl results from the process by which a pearl farmer induces pearl formation by inserting an irritant into the mollusk and then “cultivating” the pearl. Yes! How to Tell If Pearls Are Real in 5 Steps | Who What Wear Best www.whowhatwear.com. When a real pearl is rubbed against another real pearl, a pearl powder is produced. • One notable difference between natural freshwater pearls and cultured pearls is that while natural pearls have growth of concentric rings, there is no such growth in cultured pearls. There are no visible differences between cultured and natural pearls, but there are differences in the way they are harvested and the price. Cultured pearls are real pearls that were not formed by accident of nature. The only difference is that it begins by inserting a shell bead nucleus inside the oyster and irritating the oyster to produce the layers of nacre. This is why pearls are also cultured and the technology has become very advanced to produce them both in freshwater, as well as saltwater. Read More: Cultured Pearls vs. Real Pearls South Sea pearls are farmed in salt water, and the pearls are grown in a large oyster shell – the Pinctada maxima.They are mainly produced in Australia using wild oysters, and in Indonesia and the Phillipines using hatchery-reared oysters. Real pearls are classified as either cultured or natural. Because natural pearls are rare and difficult to find, they are typically quite expensive. Real or cultured pearls may also be treated, either with dyes or special coatings, and can come from a variety of mollusks in addition to oysters. ... A natural pearl is thus born. Cultured pearls have a solid center with … Cultured Akoya pearls are known for being perfectly round … baroque Akoya are of course available, but they’re rare, and more of a collector’s item at this point in time. Cultured pearls can also be expensive, depending on their … Tahitian black pearls have the same layers of color. Many natural gemstones have lab-made counterparts. Of course, with an ideal environment and conditions, natural pearls can grow to be much larger. Something that could be done by a trained eye, but with the difference in price between natural pearls and cultured pearls widening making the distinction has become more important. Over time, the layers of nacre form what we know as a pearl. You might have to open 10,000 oysters to find a single decent quality natural pearl. Cultured vs. Natural Pearls. Similar to natural pearls, cultured versions are created in an almost identical process. There are two types of cultured pearls: freshwater pearls from mussels and saltwater pearls from oysters. How to Tell if Pearls Are Real: Rubbing Two Pearls Together. South Sea Pearls. What is the difference between natural and cultured pearls? Cultured pearls are made by implanting a piece of sand in an oyster and waiting for the pearl to grow. Natural or wild pearls are typically found by shellfish harvesters purely by accident. The main difference between natural pearls and cultured pearls is that the formation of the latter is aided by human intervention. The only difference is a person carefully implants the irritant in the oyster instead of leaving it to chance. From the shape and size of real versus fake pearls, to the subtle, but noticeable dissimilarities in texture and temperature, here are the 10 most effective ways to tell the difference. Pearls have traditionally been used to make medicines, paints, and cosmetics too. Freshwater pearls can also be cultured. Pearls that are considered natural pearls are ones that are formed when a mollusk protects or soothes itself from an irritation such as a grain of sand, minute parasites or other small foreign bodies. Take a Closer Look. The primary difference between these two types of pearls is how the pearl formation process begins. Basically, in the case of fake pearls, they all look the same. Unless you're the Prince of Monaco, cultured pearls are what you're looking for. As a rule of thumb, any pearls (both cultured and natural) that have thick nacre will last a lot longer than those with thin one. They look the same as cultured pearls, the only difference is that they were grown cultivated in a wild oyster. However, testing with the teeth is not accepted by many retailers. What’s the Difference Between Natural Pearls and Cultured Pearls? Another interesting difference between the two lies in nacre thickness. Under a black light cultured pearls usually have a milky, bluish-white look to them, plus there will be a uniformity in color of cultured pearls in a necklace. Real pearls will tend to be cold to the touch, and slowly warm up as you wear them. The same effect is seen if a real pearl is lightly scrubbed using a knife. However, natural pearls are those that are found growing naturally in the wild without any help from humans. Natural pearls usually have thicker nacre. One feature of authentic pearls that’s virtually impossible to imitate is the texture. Most pearls sold today are cultured. They even have various names to describe their colors including pistachio and aubergine. The biggest MAJOR difference between the Freshwater and Akoya pearl type is … SHAPE. Natural pearls in a strand will have variations in color intensity from pearl to pearl and will usually appear tan or yellowish under a black light. They fulfill people's desire of special fashion in different occasions while cost less. Baroque pearls come in all shapes and sizes. As a result, this is a great and easy way to tell the difference between imitation and real pearls. As a reference point, a strand of natural pearls could sell for $1.0 million+. 2. When shopping for pearls, it is important to understand the differences since saltwater and freshwater pearls vary greatly in price and luster. Commonly found synthetic gemstones include: Pearls – Usually called Cultured Pearls, these pearls are formed by introducing a foreign substance into an oyster with the sole purpose of having the oyster form a pearl.Nearly all, some estimate up to 99%, of the pearls currently on the market are cultured pearls. Cultured pearls are real pearls grown inside real oysters at pearl farms in Japan, Australia, Indonesia, China and many more locations. However, one question that we get asked repeatedly is about the difference between natural and cultured pearls. Cultured Pearls Versus Natural Pearls. All other types of pearls are produced with human intervention – they are classified as farmed or cultured:. Pearl—natural or cultured—is a US birthstone for June, together with alexandrite and moonstone.. Natural Pearls vs. Cultured Pearls Natural Pearls. (photo c/o shutterstock) There are two main categories of cultured pearls: saltwater cultured pearls and freshwater cultured pearls. For most people it will be impossible to distinguish between cultured and natural pearls, simply because cultured pearls are still real pearls and grown organically in the same way as natural pearls. Both cultured pearls and natural pearls are made by mollusks such as oysters and mussels. As the mollusk deposits layers of nacre, the pearl gradually grows in size. Cultured. The main difference between cultured and natural pearls is that cultured pearls form when an irritant is inserted inside a mollusc shell, with human intervention, while natural pearls form organically when an irritant enters a mollusc’s soft tissue muscle accidentally.. Pearls hard, shiny, spherical masses that are usually creamy white in colour and highly prized as gemstones. These look identical to natural pearls… Real Pearls are Heavier than Fake Pearls. There are a few different ways to distinguish a fake pearl from a real pearl, and even to distinguish a cultured pearl from a real pearl, some of which are more effective than others. A Cultured Pearl is formed in the same process as a natural pearl. Pearls are the only gemstone to be made by a living creature. In real pearls, these same ridges can be felt using the teeth. Both natural and cultured pearls are formed when a foreign object enters a mussel or oyster, coating it with nacre. You can tell the difference between a real and fake pearl with your hands, too. 2. Cultured pearls are cultivated by man when technicians instigate nacre formation process. Baroque pearls come in a variety of shapes from tiny to large. Freshwater Pearls Are Cultured Pearls, But They Are Not Akoya The reason so many buyers distinguish cultured pearls from freshwater pearls, is because "cultured pearls" is a trade term still used by many today to describe akoya pearls. Natural pearls are considerably more expensive than cultured pearls. So, how can we tell the difference between dyed freshwater pearls and the natural colors (as in they came out looking this way) of Tahitian black pearls… Anyway, dyed pearls are not fakes, but people can get them much easier than pearls of natural color. All pearls, both natural and cultured, are created biologically, not in the laboratory. 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