Types of Cultured Pearls
Akoya - This is the most familiar type of pearls sold in necklaces. Akoyas from Japan and China are known for their shimmering beauty and warm colors, which range from rose, cream and gold to silvery white and blue/gray.

South Sea – Large (10 mm and up) cultured pearls grown in tropical and sub-tropical oysters in the south seas and around the coast of Australia. Color ranges from silvery white to gold. They are expensive due to their rarity.

Tahitian Black – Large (10mm and up) cultured pearls grown in black-lipped oysters in French Polynesia. Colors range from silvery gray and green to deep purple and black, their large sizes and unique colors command premium prices.

Mabe – Large hemispherical pearls grown against the inner shells of oysters. Due to their half-round shape, they are most popular in earrings, rings and brooches.

Freshwater – Pearls cultivated in mussels in freshwater lakes and rivers in Japan and China. Shapes can be freeform, rice shaped, spherical and off round. Colors range from milky white to peach, pink and lavender.

Keshi – Also knows as seed pearls, these tiny cultured pearls can be as small as a grain of sand and form accidentally in many cultured pearl oysters.

Baroque – These pearls are irregularly shaped, yet often lustrous and appealing. Due to their shapes, they are often less expensive than other costly varieties.

How to buy cultured Pearls
It is best to buy pearls from a knowledgeable professional jeweler. The following factors affect the price of pearls:

Lustre – A combination of surface brilliance and a deep glow that emanates from within the pearl. The luster should be bright, enabling you to see your reflection on the surface.

Surface – Good quality pearls do not have any blemishes. Blemishes can include spots, bumps, pits and cracks on the surface. The fewer blemishes on the surface of a pearl, the more valuable it will be.

Shape – It is very rare to find a perfectly round pearl. Generally the rounder the pearl, the more valuable it will be.

Color – Cultured pearls come in a wide range of colors, from white to pink to black. The color of a pearl is often a matter of personal preference.

Size – With all the other quality factors being equal, the larger the cultured pearl, the more valuable it will be. This is because it is difficult for an oyster to grow a pearl larger than 5mm.

Caring for Cultured Pearls
- Apply all cosmetics, perfume, and colognes before putting on any pearls. When taking off pearls wipe it carefully to remove any traces of these substances.
- You can wash your pearl with mild soap and water. Do not clean cultured pearls with any chemicals, abrasives or solvents.
- Always lay cultured pearls flat to dry. Hanging a strand may stretch the threads.
- Do not toss your pearl jewelry carelessly into a purse, or jewelry box. A pearl's surface is soft and can be scratched by hard metal edges or by the harder gemstones of other jewelry pieces.


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