Pearls are an enduring class of romantic beauty and sophistication suitable for almost any occasion or celebration. Pearls may be worn with formal evening wear, with a business suit, or casually with a sweater and jeans. The official June birthstone provides an ideal choice for brides, young women looking for a touch of elegance, a cherished gift, or just to say “I love you.”

Once rare and expensive, modern cultured pearls have become an affordable luxury. To choose, consider the six factors that contribute to the value of a pearl: luster, nacre thickness, shape, surface texture, size, and color.

Luster: The Essence of Pearl Beauty. Pearls gain their unique beauty from the play of light reflecting through layers of fine crystalline nacre gradually deposited by an oyster. Nearly transparent nacre gives the deepest luster and the highest reflection. A high-quality pearl will have a brilliant, even reflection with a fine warm glow or radiance. Lower quality pearls have a dull sheen.

High-quality Akoya salt water pearls have a higher luster than South Sea or Tahitian pearls, which tend to have a softer, more diffuse reflection.

Color and Overtones. The dominant color of a pearl comes from the main reflection from the pearl surface. The deeper reflected light draws the inner color from the pearl, called the overtone.

Light-colored pearls are available in shades of white, cream, and golden. White with pink or silver overtones are generally the most valuable. The most desirable dark-colored pearls are black with green or blue overtones. Color matching is also important when buying pearl jewelry. Perfectly matched pearls in color and size are more valuable than poorly matched pearls.

Shape and Surface Texture. The highest quality pearls are perfectly round with smooth surfaces, very few surface imperfections, and even coloration. Lower quality pearls may be nearly round or show more surface imperfections.

Pearl Size and Necklace Length. The pearls in a strand are measured in range, such as 7-7.5 mm. They are strung with the largest pearls at the center of the necklace and gradually smaller towards the clasp. Larger pearls are more valuable, and they create a more dramatic look. High-quality pearls larger than 9 mm are scarce and very expensive.

Pearl Types. There are four types of pearls: (1) classic Akoya pearls, (2) large

exotic black Tahitian pearls, (3) large golden or white South Sea pearls, and (4) inexpensive decorative fresh water pearls. The four types are all cultured pearls. Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearls grow in ocean salt water, so they are also called salt water pearls. Akoya pearls are the most popular type for their appealing high luster, luxury, and affordability.

Pearl Quality. Pearls usually have four grades: A, AA, AAA, and AAA+ quality. AAA and AAA+ quality are the highest quality and most desired pearls for gifts. They have high luster and very clean surface skins.

AA quality pearls have medium luster and slight-to-medium surface imperfection. They are ideal gifts for someone who will be happy to own a piece of fine pearl jewelry. A quality pearls have low luster and medium to heavy blemishes. They are not popular gifts due to their low quality.

Pearls can be bought from retail stores, online shops, or online auctions. When shopping for pearls, it is recommended to buy from stores that grade pearls carefully and provide certificates and offer money-back guarantees.

For more information, visit www.premiumpearl.com. Reprinted from valuablecontent.com.