How much are pearls worth? This is a question almost every individual in the pearl world asks while we go for pearl shopping and it can be answered pretty simply.
Pearl jewelry shopping is not only for the people living the riches but for commoners as well. It does not only hold materialistic value but some emotional and cultural value as well. Wearing or owning a pearl in several cultures is considered important for cultural and religious beliefs.
Pearls’ cost can start from a few bucks and be on sale for upwards of a price. To be more accurate about the pearl’s worth let’s dig into the depth clam pearl itself.
What are Pearls?
The very first thought one is struck with when he thinks of a chic jewelry piece is of the pearls. The perfectly round pearls, and smooth, shiny jewels could light up anyone’s luck and fortune as per Asian beliefs.
These are organic jewels formed inside the shells of mollusks like oysters and mussels. Since the old times their only worth has been due to their beauty and the features that could leave anyone awestruck.
These spherical jewels are in diverse shades, including white, black, pink, lavender, and even gold or blue. Their form can also vary largely depending on the mollusk that makes them.
Pearls require very solitary conditions and habitats for their formation irrespective of their origin, whether they are natural or cultured pearls.
Pearl Origin
Natural Pearls are pure pearls that originate in the wild without any human intervention of any kind. Generally, divers look for pearls in the sea and hand-pick them themselves, which makes their prices go up. These pearls can be found in retail stores easily but need to be checked beforehand if they are the most natural pearls or not.
Cultured pearls are also genuine pearls but many consider them as nothing but fake pearls. It is just that they need human help to start bearing pearls. These pearls are harvested in pearl farms which does not make them fake by any means instead reduce their value by a few bucks. Most of the pearls are hard to find, thus to cut down on that cost they are cultivated culturally.
Formation of Pearls
Inside the shell of some oyster and mussel species, pearls are developed when an irritant such as sand or parasite penetrates the shell and leads to the secretion of a material called nacre which is produced by the mollusk to defend itself. Over time layers are formed across this irritant forming a pearl.
Various variables determine the size and form of a pearl including the species of mollusk which created it. The length of the time it was allowed to be matured before being collected is also an integral factor as the longer the Pearl is undisturbed in its shell the larger the pearl grows and becomes more expensive.
Cultural pearls being a result of purposeful human intervention are of great cost as well. Small bits of mental tissue are injected by farmers from one oyster into the gonad of another host oyster where the formation of a sac-shaped structure known as pearl sac takes place the host oster secrets snacker accounts that eventually lead to cultivated pearls.
Pearls require certain circumstances to develop. These unique characteristics of round pearls are what make real pearls that are still considered the best to date.
While pearls can be found globally, the best quality pearls are cultivated on farms in countries such as Australia, Japan, China, and the US. These farms specifically raise oysters to produce pearls for pearl jewelry.
Where are they found?
Pearls can be found all around the world and their place of origin can determine the surface quality of their type. Some pearls can be found in freshwater while others could be found in saltwater.
Freshwater pearls can be found in rivers, lakes, ponds, and artificial bodies of water (water bodies created by humans). These pearls are often smaller than saltwater and freshwater pearls range, but they come in a variety of forms and colors like white, pink, lavender, and many more. Chinese freshwater pearls are more affordable and last pretty long compared to saltwater pearls.
Saltwater refers to the water in the water bodies with high saline content. the pearls that are formed in these water bodies are referred to as saltwater pearls. the Tahitian black Pearl is cultivated in one of these saltwater bodies near the coast of French Polynesia. South Sea Pearl which is a kind of round white pearl is grown along Australia’s coastline. Akoya pearls which are a unique Japanese pearl are also a popular form of saltwater pearl.
Factors such as luster, surface roughness, shape, and overall size have certain set standards to know a pearl’s worth. As a result, divers must use caution while picking them to avoid damaging their natural environment or harming the shellfish population.
Knowing the origin of the pearl can provide a lot of information about how much are pearls worth monetarily but culturally tells about its value and genesis story. It promotes sustainable methods that benefit both people and the nature they thrive in.
The Variance of Pearls in the Market
Pearls are available in large varieties in the market but their worth could only be determined based on the instincts of their origin
Formation of Pearls
We usually hear that pearls are worth a fortune. But what is the reason behind the higher value of a pearl?
It’s the origin. Naturally occurring pearls are way more costly due to the lack of any Human Intervention in them and are much rarer. Whereas on the other hand, cultured pearls are a little less worthy because they have a human touch to them which makes them less worthy. The pearl formation process in itself is a pretty complex process that takes a lot of time to occur.
Types of Pearls
Four types of pearls are mainly found in the market: Saltwater, Freshwater, Tahitian, and Akoya. The value is determined by the type of pearl being bought as each pearl has its instinctive features to cherish and cling to. Some other rare pearls such as conch pearls and Cortez pearls are hard to find but hold a lot of value.
Factors Affecting the Pearl Prices
There are certain pre-defined standards for the pearls to meet to end up with high-priced pearl jewelry. Even though the origin determines the looks of a pearl still some are most preferred. The question ‘How much are pearls worth?’ can be answered with the pearl quality and value of pearls which are directly proportional to the following factors-
Luster
Numerous factors govern the worth of the pearl. Most essentially its luster is considered. Lustre refers to its property of bouncing light off its surface. Higher the luster higher the profit whereas it’s not the same for pearls with a poor shine to them.
Size
Another aspect that is as valuable as the luster for determining monetary value is size. Rarer pearls are larger as they become mature with time adding a higher value to them. Perfectly spherical pearls are also uncommon and thus cost a fortune. The ideal size for a pearl is 6.0 – 6.5 mm up through 9.0 – 9.5 mm.
Color
The color of the pearls should also be eye appealing to justify their value. It can be anywhere starting from white, black, pink, or yellow, with overtones (secondary colors) such as greenish-blue or rose colors on top of the primary colored blue pearls. These variances make pearls even more appealing to purchasers, raising their prices.
How much are Pearls Worth?
It is very critical to investigate whether a person who is getting the Pearl is paying the actual price or the price that is higher than the actual price. Even though some pearls have high quality and expensive but they tend to keep their worth over a very long period.
Understanding the real value of a pearl of value is a very important aspect to enjoy the instinctive beauty of a Pearl whether one is investing in a chic piece of pearl jewelry or admiring the gorgeous jewel from afar understanding is a must.
The pearls are worth a fortune for a lot of people as the higher the value surface quality of clam pearls worth the pearl jewelry higher the price gets. On average a real pearl necklace can cost up to $100 to $1500.
Type-based Classification of Pearl Prices
Depending on where they are located inside water sources, persecuted pearls may be divided into two categories: those which are in fresh water and those which are in saline water.
Akoya clam pearls, south sea pearls, and taki-dyed black pearls are the three types of sea pearls that are often offered. Generally speaking, each form of pearl contains freshwater, specifically pearling oyster species, in a remote environment that is native to some regions of the world.
Generally speaking, saltwater oyster species of pearls are thought to be more expensive than freshwater oyster pearls. While freshwater pearl oyster species may create 50 pearls in one cycle of development, saltwater pearl-containing oyster species can only produce 1 or 2 pearls annually in Akoya.
Freshwater Pearls Worth
Freshwater pearls are pretty commonly known pearls that are available at a very affordable price. They are very valuable for jewels but have a dull sheen, an atypical form, and noticeable flaws. These usually cost around $50 to $200 per pearl. But if it is of high quality with good color and luster it can add up to the value of $200 and above.
South Sea Pearls Worth
These are some of the world’s most expensive pearls originating from pearl oysters found in the waters of Australia and the Southern Pacific islands. They cost a worth due to them being naturally colorful and accompanied by strong luster, spherical shape, and large size. South Sea pearl jewelry necklaces can range from $1,000 to over $100,000.
Akoya Pearls Worth
This beautiful high-quality pearl is the result of a mother-of-pearl bead being inserted into the Mental tissue of an Akoya oyster to start the pearl creation process which gives it distinct brightness and sturdiness leading to a higher price. The average price could from $150 and go up to $300.
Tahitian Pearls Worth
These dark-colored pearls are a treat to the eyes. These occur unusually in size and quality, thus leading to prices as high as $500 to more than $2500. Tahitian pearls’ beauty is achieved through the range of quality, size, and hues.
Conch Pearls Worth
Conch pearls are an extremely rare type of natural pearl. It may occur in a peach or a pastel pink color. It cannot be cultured and is found in the Tropical waters of the Caribbean Sea. It’s valued at the starting price of $2000 per carat.
Cortez Pearls Worth
It is a type of rarely cultured pearl that can is cultured only in the Sea of Cortez using two different types of pearl oysters. It can cost thousands of dollars depending on the characteristics.
How Much Are Cultured Pearls Worth?
In contrast to genuine pearls cultured pearls are cheap. Despite their less market value compared to naturally occurring pearls the pearl farmers bear tremendous loss. This is because the average cost of setting up a pearl farm in the US is $19,267 on an average including various other utilities.
In some cases, the value of cultured pearls is also more than that of natural pearls because high-quality pearls can also be produced by cultured oysters which are determined by the factors. Natural pearls do not always have perfect features, sometimes they could be average-quality pearls too. On average price of cultured pearls can start from $50 and end anywhere.
How to Buy Good Pearl Jewelry Pieces?
A large portion of overall prices is influenced by the jewelry style and the setting in which the Pearl is being used. As various factors listed above affect the pearl jewelry price but what matters the most is how much one can afford. To get more real pearl necklaces in jewelry one should always purchase it from a brand or a company that provides returns on them and the retailer should specifically specialize in pearls. Pearl grading is done for pearls as well to identify their price.
Still, if you are not sure if you are buying the purest of pearls there is a simple test known as the tooth test. To do so gently slide the pearl with your front teeth if it feels grainy then it is real otherwise be careful you might be getting cheated upon with imitation pearls made of plastic or glass.
What Is The Most Valuable Pearl Shape?
Pearls are quite worthy in any round shape, irrespective of their kind. The variation in the diameter of wild pearls when measured from different angles should not be more than 2%. Which is extremely rare to occur in cultured and natural pearls. What one may not recognize is that salt pearls like Akoyo, golden and white South Sea pearls, pearls, and Tahitian have more roundness than freshwater pearls.
What could be the reason behind this? The bead is placed to stimulate pearl growth in natural saltwater pearls, whereas in freshwater pearl cultivation tissue is used. But if we look back at history some of the most expensive and rare pearls of all time were the ones that were imperfect and did not exactly meet all the standards.
Pearls are Good or Bad Investment?
Pearls can prove to be a significant investment. If you purchase natural pearl jewelry with precious stones, excellent provenance and tradition, a rare size, and excellent craftsmanship, then YES. It’s a monetary pearl necklace. It is believed that
“The cost of pearls is more stable than the price of gold and silver.”
History’s one of the best collections of vintage pearl jewelry has to be in Marie Antoinette’s jewelry box! It has the most valuable natural pearls including a pearl pendant created using the smuggled white pearls of Marie Antoinette. The size of this stunning, natural pearl pendant, which is drop-sharp, is around 18 x 26 cm. It is a flawlessly round pearl of pearl that is ascribed to Marie Antoinette and this pearl measures around 18.0 x 26.75mm. It is accompanied by a beautiful set of pearl earrings.
Conclusion
Whether you are a pearl freak or a person with distinct beliefs this jewel is made for all. It is something that truly signifies that beauty comes in all shapes, colors, and sizes.
Therefore pearls are something one must own at least in his life as they hold a greater value both monetarily and culturally which makes it a priceless and timeless jewel.
FAQ’s
Q 1. Do pearls grow naturally?
Pearls are created naturally inside the oyster due to layer-by-layer deposition of nacre over the irritant that enters the oyster.
Q 2. What are imitation pearls?
Imitation pearls are fake pearls made up of glass, plastic, and various other materials.
Q 3. Are Imitation pearls real pearls?
Imitation pearls are not real pearls they are used to imitate real pearls and can be easily checked by doing a tooth test.
Q 4. How much are pearls worth?
A pearl’s worth is determined by factors such as its origin, color, and type. Its worth can start from $100 for a single strand and increase accordingly.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat