Pearls have been enchanting generations of women and gemstone lovers for eons. The timeless charm and allure of pearls make them one of the most beloved and sought-after gemstones. The natural pearls are scarce in nature as they are produced in the living Mollusk and in limited quantity. This is the key reason why pearls are created in labs to satiate the ever-rising demand for pearl gemstones in the global market.
Only a few individuals have the expertise to distinguish effortlessly between natural pearls and synthetic pearls when they are out to rope in an excellent quality pearl stone. Scammers leverage this fact and rake heaps of money from customers by selling them shoddy quality pearls. Later, wearers complain that they barely experience any astrological benefits that come with embracing pearls. If you really want to save yourself from the embarrassment of owning a fake pearl and getting scammed by crook sellers, you must know how to tell if a pearl is real by performing some tests at the moment that determine the quality and authenticity of pearls.
The prime purpose of this blog post is to make our valued readers and customers aware of how to tell if a pearl is real by making them conversant with different time-tested methodologies to check the authenticity of pearls.
Table of Contents
Different Ways to Check if Pearl is Real
Feel The Temperature of Pearls
The first and foremost step is to grab those stunning pearls and give them a good touch and feel! Natural pearls are real treasures from the sea that are icy cold in nature. Whenever you touch natural pearls properly, they will shiver up your fingers before they steal your warmth and achieve the temperature equilibrium state. Fakes made of plastic are as lukewarm as the air around them, you won’t find any temperature change in plastic pearls.. Glass impostors act cool at first touch too, but they just don’t warm up as fast against your skin as the real mccoy. So touch and feel the pearl stones properly and let your senses tell you what’s right or wrong! The icy cool of the ocean is still possessed by natural pearls.
Perform the Tooth Test on Pearls
The classic pearl tooth test is one of the easiest ways to find out if a pearl is real or fake. To perform this test correctly, you have to rub the pearl lightly along your teeth a few times. A real pearl gemstone will feel a little gritty and may not get any dent on the surface. On the other hand, a fake pearl will feel very smooth on your teeth and may get scratched or dented. Some fake pearls are made from glass or plastic, so they don’t feel gritty at all. The test is simple but helps tell if a pearl is natural or man-made. However, the accuracy of this pearl testing is not quite high.
Use The Fire Test
The flame test is another surefire way to tell if a pearl is real or not. To perform this test, You have to hold the pearl close to an open flame. A real pearl will stay shiny and not change any color when put close to the flame and will make a small popping sound. On the other hand, a fake pearl will release a pungent smell when burned and will lose its shine as well. The flame test depicts that if a pearl is natural or artificial. Real pearls do not burn or change, while fake ones burn, smell bad, and look different.
Never Miss: – How To Wear Pearls
Rub Two Pearls Together
To determine if a pearl is real, you can also perform a rub test. In this test, you can rub your chosen pearl stone gently against another pearl. When two natural pearls make contact, they create a fine and powdery residue. This pearl powder is a sign that both pearls are real. Fake pearls, on the other hand, do not produce any powder when rubbed together. They remain clear and smooth.
Additionally, listen for the sound real pearls make when lightly tapped against each other. Natural pearls emit a soft, muted thud. Fake pearls tend to produce a hollow, empty noise in comparison. While examining a pearl under magnification or brushing its surface are acceptable tests, handle real pearls delicately. Rubbing them forcefully against another pearl may damage their nacre coating. With a light touch and an attentive ear, these simple methods can help distinguish real pearls from artificial ones.
Check Drill Holes
Only individuals with thorough knowledge of gemstones know that Genuine pearls typically have very small drill holes, whereas imitation pearls tend to have larger holes. When examined under a powerful magnifying device, the coating surrounding the drill holes of fake pearls is usually thin and appears like glossy paint. Flaking or chipped coating can often be observed around the drill holes of imitation pearls, which will eventually peel away over time. Always carry a magnifying lens when planning to buy a pearl stone. It will help you to test the originality of the pearl on the spot.
Experience The Weight
Every pearl stone enthusiast may know that authentic pearls are generally heavier than imitation pearls. Gently tossing them up and down in your hand numerous times can reveal a noticeable weight difference. This method can be used to identify fakes made from coated glass or plastic beads but the accuracy of this method is questionable. The one exception in this test is solid glass beads which are much heavier than real cultured or natural pearls. In that case, you’ll need to rely on other techniques to discern if they are genuine or not.
Also Check: – Side Effects of Wearing Pearl Ring
Meticulously Observe the Shape of Pearls
It’s a no-brainer that natural pearls come in a plethora of shapes, not just perfectly round. Oval, button, near-round, circled, coin, drop, and irregular baroque shapes are all common for real pearls. Though round pearls are typically more valuable, pearls of any shape can be genuine and equally valuable. In fact, if a strand appears to have identically shaped pearls, it may indicate they are artificial rather than natural. The subtle variations in pearl shapes, even on a strand advertised as round, are a sign of their organic origins. So if the pearls look completely uniform, they were likely mass-produced.
Examine Color
Genuine pearls have a natural, unenhanced color and smooth surface with a striking luster reminiscent of the interior of the mollusk shell. Their hues and sheen come from nacre deposited organically over time. In contrast, lab-created pearls tend to have an artificial-looking color and surface. They may appear discolored or covered in a glossy resin coating. Their synthetic materials also cause them to lack the depth of shine of a real pearl. So beware of pearls that look too uniformly bright white or that don’t have the same inner glow as a natural pearl. These are signs that the pearls are imitation rather than authentic.
Must Read: – Astrological Benefits of Pearl Stone
