A Guide to Pearls

At Karat, our goal is to assist you with information needed to understand the mystery of the orient; cultured pearls. There are many time-honored traditions surrounding pearls. They represent powerful emotions and serve as a traditional gift to the bride on her wedding day; establishing a tradition for her to pass her pearls down to her daughter, generation to generation.

Cultured Pearl or Natural Pearl?

Both are genuine, however, the rare improbability of finding quality pearls in the wild makes them almost impossible to create and sell. The cultured pearl, as you may have gathered from its name, has been assisted by man. The oyster has a tiny seed planted within it. The oyster begins the natural process of coating the seed with a layer of protein known as nacre. The quality of the pearl is determined by factors discussed later in this section.

What is the Right Pearl?

There are several types of pearls to choose from. Some examples are Freshwater, South Sea, and Tahitian cultured pearls. They are traditionally mounted in a variety of different styles including studs, fashion earrings, strands, necklaces, pendants and bracelets. At Karat, we offer a vast selection for any occasion or budget.

Quality of a Pearl

Although the pearl industry has no established standard for pearl grading, we, at Karat, select only the finest for our customers. The information below is designed to educate you on the investment or purchase of fine pearls.

Color of a Pearl

The primary color or hue to a pearl is referred to as the body color. Traditional body colors for a pearl are white, cream, yellow, pink, silver, or even black. Pearls traditionally also have an overtone or secondary color such as pink or gold in various lighting situations. The overtones become more apparent when the pearls are placed next to each other as in a long strand.

The Luster of a Pearl

Light reflecting off the tiny crystals embedded in the many layers of nacre creates a warm glow that is unique to pearls. The greater the number of layers, the greater the glow or luster within the pearl, therefore larger pearls with their more layers possess more luster. High quality cultured pearls will not only be well color matched they will exhibit a uniform luster throughout the strand.

A Pearls Shape

At Karat, we take great care to select the finest pearls that are the most desirable in the world, the south sea round. Fresh water or akoya pearls are primarily oval or off-round shaped and are considered of lesser quality.

A Pearls Surface Markings

As the pearl is formed inside the mollusk imperfections can become embedded in the pearl and some layers may not perfectly adhere creating less than perfect pearls. Since all genuine pearls are created in nature we pursue only the finest for your loved one.

Pearl Sizes

Pearls are traditionally measured or sized in millimeters. The type of pearl greatly influences the sizes available. Freshwater pearls are generally smaller, in the 3 to 7 mm sizes. Typically, akoya pearls are produced in the larger 6 to 8.5 mm sizes. Finally, south sea pearls are the largest with sizes up to 13 mm.

Caring for your Pearls

Pearls are the gift for generations. Wearing the pearls adds to their luster as they absorb the wearer’s skin oils that enhance their beauty with age. You must take caution however with the chemicals you come into contact with. Specific caution must be taken with hairsprays, perfumes and make-up, as these can permanently stain or dull you pearls beauty. Pearls should be the last item you put on and stored carefully to ensure that they do not come in contact with your other fine jewelry. Care should be taken to prevent the pearls tender surfaces from becoming scratched or dented during storage.