What is the best type of pearl jewellery?

Throughout history pearls have been worn by the rich and glamorous, and given as rare and expensive gifts. Traditionally worn by new brides, they have long been a symbol of love, purity and perfection. Nowadays pearl jewellery is available to more people than ever before, and you no longer need to be royalty to afford it. Pearls of all shapes, sizes and colours are ‘cultured’ on farms and with so many varieties to choose from any bride-to-be can find the perfect pearls to suit her wedding gown. In fact there are so many varieties that it can be difficult to know which to choose, so here are a few things to look out for:

Pearl type – There are two types of pearl, saltwater and freshwater. Saltwater pearls are farmed in the sea, and are usually larger, rounder and clearer than their freshwater cousins. For this reason they are also usually more expensive. Freshwater pearls are farmed in lakes and rivers, usually smaller and often less regular in shape, though they come in a large range of different colours.

Size – When buying pearls, size really does make a huge difference. The bigger the pearl, the more desirable it is and the more expensive it will be. Saltwater pearls are generally bigger than freshwater, and are more highly sought after.

Nacre – Pearls take a very long time to form inside an oyster shell. When an irritant is introduced into the shell the oyster produces nacre, which builds up in layers forming the pearl. The thicker the nacre coating, the more durable the pearl will be as jewellery. Some cultured saltwater pearls are ‘beaded’ with a larger nucleus which speeds up the process and ensure a round shape. Most farmed freshwater pearls and all natural pearls are composed entirely of nacre, so their shape is less likely to be perfectly round.

Luster – No pearl is as smooth and shiny as a mirror but they do have a certain reflective sheen to them, called the lustre. Pearls with this shimmery effect on the surface are the most popular type.

Colour – Pearls in their natural state come in various shades of white, pink and lilac although nowadays you can now get cultured pearls dyed in almost any colour. A pearl necklace made of matching naturally-coloured pearls will cost more than dyed ones, as it can take a long time to collect enough matching pearls for a whole string.

Shape – When we think of the ideal pearls, we normally imagine that they are all perfectly round and shiny. In reality this is rare, and perfectly round pearls are highly in demand and so can be very expensive. Small cultured pearls are more likely to be round and some larger ones are formed around a bead to help the shape develop. Irregular pearls are still used to make unique jewellery and pendants.

Matching – It can be hard to find enough pearls of the same size, shape and colour to make a whole necklace, so a string of regular pearls is more desirable and will be more expensive.