IMITATION PEARLS

The Queen of Gems

Absolute Pearls does not sell 'faux' or imitation pearls. We only sell Freshwater and Saltwater Cultured Pearls.

Unfortunately, many people still describe their ‘faux pearls’ as actual ‘pearls’ (‘faux’ is a French word meaning 'false'). Sometimes this is an honest mistake, sometimes not. It is all too easy for non-experts to be confused.

In the profession, the use of the word pearls on its own is recognised to refer to ‘natural pearls’, although it is accepted nowadays that cultured pearls account for most of the market.

Most imitation pearls are solid or hollow glass beads or plastic beads, quite often coated with a fish scale mixture called essence of the orient or pearl essence. Perhaps one of the most famous types of imitation pearls is ‘Majorca Pearls’ which are essentially solid glass beads covered with many coats of pearl essence and finished to a very high standard. These are often sold at higher prices than real pearls.

There are also what some people call ‘semi-cultured’ as a marketing ploy and is considered misleading. This is where either reject/discarded pearls or glass beads are covered with a powdered mother-of-pearl or similar coating to make them look real. These are classed as imitation.

Other matters to consider are all the factors for valuing and grading pearls. If the pearls are flawless, are perfectly matching, all the same lustre, size and colour, you can take it they are too good to be true!

The Tooth Test
This is the easiest, if not the most hygienic, test for telling if a pearl is an imitation or not. Simply, rub the pearl lightly along the biting edge of your upper front teeth. If it feels sandy or gritty, it is probably real. If smooth, it is probably imitation.

Although this test is not 100% foolproof, and other tests can be undertaken, you will probably be safe, unless somebody is seriously out to fool you.

You can further inspect the surface of the pearl with a magnifying glass (10x is industry standard). Real pearls typically have a smooth finish, whereas imitation pearls have a grainy finish. This is quite the opposite from the tooth test where a smooth look and a grainy feel indicates that the pearl is real.