Knotting

We knot with Japanese pearl thread all our strung necklaces and bracelets between each pearl unless the design calls for them to not be knotted.

Pearl Colour

Pearls are categorised using ‘body colour’ and refined with ‘overtone’ and ‘orient’.

Overtone is the minor second colour/glow often seen on the surface pearls, in particular silver and pink overtones.

Iridescence or orient (a rainbow of colours) can sometimes be seen on baroque pearls and is an optical effect much like oil films. (The same on the inside of an oyster shell i.e. Mother of Pearl).

Pearl Lustre

The ability to reflect light or the shininess of the surface of a pearl.

Baroque and South Sea pearls tend to offer a more satiny lustre.

We use a combination of descriptive wording and lettering for our symmetrical pearls. Description and GIA Terms refer to the Gemmological Institute of America’s pearl grading system.

Pearl Overtone

Pearls are categorised using ‘body colour’ and refined with ‘overtone’ and ‘orient’.

Overtone is the second colour/glow often seen on the surface pearls, in particular silver and pink overtones.

Iridescence or orient (a rainbow of colours) can sometimes be seen on baroque pearls and is an optical effect much like oil films. (The same on the inside of an oyster shell i.e. Mother of Pearl).

Typical overtones for white pearls are: silver, cream and pink/rose.

Typical overtones for black pearls are: Aubergine, blue, green and peacock.

Pearl Size

Most pearls are measured in half millimetre sizes e.g. 7-7.5mm although baroque pearls and large Tahitian and South Pearls are often measured in full millimetres e.g. 9-10mm.

The ‘average’ pearl size of Freshwater and Akoya pearls is 6.0mm to 7.5mm although the typical popular size range is from 6.5mm up to 8.5mm. Prices rise exponentially from 7.5mm and up.

The ‘average pearl size of Tahitian and South Sea pearls is 9mm to 11mm with the popular size range being similar. Prices rise exponentially from 10mm/11mm.

Pearl Shape

Typically, round pearls are far more expensive than other shapes.

Keshi, coin, flat, circled and ringed pearls may be symmetrical, semi-baroque or baroque depending on their nature.

GIA = Gemmological Institute of America’s pearl grading system

Pearl Surface

As pearls are cultivated in ‘live hosts’, the vast majority have some sort of natural marks much like humans. The number and severity of those marks reflect the grading and the price. It is rare to have perfectly spotless pearls however as even a very minute mark could be found on most.

We use a combination of descriptive wording and lettering for our pearls. Description and GIA Terms refer to the Gemmological Institute of America’s pearl grading system.

As pearls vary somewhat, we may also put written qualifiers for additional description.

Precious Metal

Absolute Pearls offers a range of precious metals including:

(These are world-wide standards and specifications for silver and gold jewellery).

Silver Mark

For items under the UK legal limit for official Assay office hallmarking, our precious metals bear the production factory marks of: