HOMEBuying a Pearl First of all, lets' agree that we will only buy natural non-cultivated pearls if it has a certificate, to exclude the gambling. Yes, it is expensive and we should accept that. If you buy a cultivated pearl, ask yourself, how often you are going to wear it. How long should it hold? Pearl is not, or usually is not a long-time investment; it has a lifespan, so you need to decide how much you are planning to spend. Yes, when treated properly, it can live as long as 300 years, but if you wear it often, you should not count on it. The freshwater pearl costs less. But even in this case, don't buy it from unreliable sources. Now-a-days the quality of a freshwater pearl is very high and sometimes it can be sold (to you, if you don't do your research) as a saltwater one. For example, the white freshwater pearl can be sold for a saltwater akoya, white with pink shade. For this reason, if you don't have an expert "at hand", you better buy from the reliable sources, from the stores that can guarantee the quality. like we do. (www.nnj.com.au) Usually, the saltwater pearl has a better luster than a freshwater one. The South Sea or Tahitian pearl is larger and with thicker layer of the mother of pearl, than Akoya. As you already know, the quality and price are based on the combination of few parameters, like size, shape, luster, smoothness of the surface, color... As the pearl is an organic gem, created by a living creature, these parameters can vary a lot. Some of them influence the final price of a gem; some are more the matter of personal preferences or fashion. For example, every type of a pearl has its own range of colors, but as some colours are only recently introduced to the market, they are more expensive. The type of the pearl is the first parameter to take into consideration. Is the pearl freshwater or saltwater? Akoya, South Sea or some other type? Every type is created by different oysters living in the different parts of the world, which affects the process of pearl formation. Harvesting some types of pearls is more difficult as they are rare or it takes them longer to grow, which increases the price. Other types, for example, Chinese freshwater pearl, are easier to produce, and more stable, so the price is lower, and will be affected by offer and demand, as well as by quality, rather than by "exotic" reasons. The 'Mother of Pearl' is the substance that makes the pearl. The quality of it and the thickness of the layer are directly related to the lifespan of the pearl and to the quality of it. Usually, the thicker it is, the higher the price. The luster of the pearl is the ability to reflect things around it. If the luster is high, you should be able to see your own reflection in a pearl. Sharper the reflection, the better it is. The smoothness of the surface of the pearl is probably one of the most important parameters. It should be smooth and clean, without bumps, scratches, fractions, spots and other unpleasant details. The shape of the pearl affects not only the quality of a pearl, but also the quality of the piece of jewelry made with it. If the pearl is shaped as a perfect sphere, it is very valuable, as it is extremely rare, and the demand is high. However, pearl may take many unusual shapes, and some of them may look very attractive, too. The color of a pearl is another important parameter. Keep in mind, that the most expensive color may not attract you due to your personal preferences. The range of colors include almost the entire spectrum, from black to white, light brown, pink, gray (silver), yellow (gold), green, blue... Regardless the fact that one color can be rarer than the other, and therefore the color contributes to the price but is still not the most important thing. A lot of types of artificially colored pearls are available in the market, and a correct choice is the one that suites you the most. Finally, the size is a very important factor. Most of the pearls sold today falls within the 6.5 - 7.0 mm range. 'Size does matter'. The size is measured as a diameter, in mm. Akoya pearl is usually within 5 - 7 mm range, while South Sea, Tahitian and freshwater pearl can be larger. The smallest pearl can be 1 mm in size, or even smaller.