Welcome! And again in the topic of pearls on how not to become a victim of scammers. How to distinguish real pearls from fakes to an inexperienced buyer and without the help of a specialist?

Proven ways to distinguish pearls from fakes

There are a few simple ways. These are elementary tests and visual inspection. For those who are especially incredulous, there are additional methods, but they are not so accessible and will require some effort.

Tooth test - pearl surface test

An ancient way to determine the authenticity of pearls is with the teeth. Lightly bite down on the bead and move it around with your teeth. If it is real, you will feel a characteristic rattle. It is explained by a far from ideal surface with mother-of-pearl particles forming irregularities. Fake mother-of-pearl beads are usually smooth, so defects on the tooth cannot be determined.

rub the beads together

This test option is suitable for a bracelet, earrings or pearl beads. It is necessary that there are several samples of pearls that can be rubbed against each other. At the moment of contact, if the material is authentic, you will feel an increasing friction force. This is again due to the imperfect top layer. Fake mother-of-pearl beads will begin to slip when rubbed, making an unpleasant artificial sound.

At the end of the test, take a look at your fingers in daylight. After contact with natural pearls, a little mother-of-pearl dust remains on the skin.

How to recognize genuine pearls by shape?

Look closely at the outline of the bead. Natural education is never perfect. Yes, the most expensive pearls are distinguished by an almost perfect sphere shape, but there will still be errors and they are easy to see with the naked eye at home.

If it is impossible to determine the shape defects by eye, try moving the ball along flat surface table. The artificial one will roll without obstacles, the real one will slow down slightly when the roughness comes into contact with the surface.

Tactile test - about the temperature of the mother-of-pearl "tear"

If you are testing a string of pearls, beads or a bracelet, in a word, rimless products, the best solution is to try on. As soon as the beads touch the skin, you will understand whether they are real or not. Natural pearls are always a little cool. You will feel this coolness at the first tactile contact. Fake beads absorb and retain body temperature quickly.

Weight of organic pebble - what should be

How to check the authenticity of a pearl by weight? It is enough to take the product in your hand and estimate how much heavier it is than it seems visually. Remember that the pearl created inside the shell weighs more than it should weigh, given the size. Plastic or glass beads coated or filled with mother-of-pearl are quite light.

In order not to be mistaken when testing products using this method, it is desirable to have 100% authentic jewelry as a sample. Only in this way, in comparison, it will be possible to identify a fake and determine the original.

An important point: how to determine the naturalness of colored pearls? One of the indicators is the price. Usually products with real colored pearls are more expensive than classic white ones. If the beads are sold cheaper, then most likely it is nothing more than a painted imitation.

Another way, suitable for black and pink specimens. The former are often replaced by germanite, the latter by coral. Pay attention to their weight. Compare with genuine beads, they will be noticeably heavier.

Jumping test: how to check

Despite not the most correct shape and sufficient hardness for an organic stone of animal origin, a genuine pearl is resilient and strong. Try to toss it over the surface of the table. If you are not deceived, the bead will bounce like a tiny mother-of-pearl ball. The fake ball will either roll or break into pieces.

Alternative verification options for the curious

To tell the difference between pearl and mother-of-pearl as a top coat for plastic or filler for a glass sphere, the methods listed above will work. Another thing is when we are talking about cultured pearls and the task is to make sure of its quality, to check the presence of a nucleus and other important indicators characteristic of genuine material. In such cases, it would be right to arrange a real laboratory test.

The simplest and most affordable option is to analyze the bead under a microscope or with a large jewelry magnifier. The first option will help determine not only the authenticity, but also the quality of pearls at home. You will see the waste product of the mollusk magnified more than 60 times, you will be able to analyze:

• surface texture;
• hole;
• shape.

It would be nice if there was an opportunity comparative analysis with natural pearls. This will make it easier to spot similarities and differences.

Another proven method is to shine the beads with ultraviolet rays. Usually the results are:

• a wild pearl glows from the inside with a soft blue light;
• natural cultivated - green;
• artificial not only does not change color, it does not emit internal radiance and, as it were, repels ultraviolet rays from the surface.

Lastly, pay attention to such important indicators as gloss, highlights and color saturation. Real pearls have a characteristic matte sheen, which is as similar as possible to the overflows of natural silk. The color of the beads is uneven for the same reason as the shape. They shine beautifully in the sun. Artificial balls shine unnaturally bright, there is no noble glow from the inside. Color unlike the original without flaws and differences in tones.

Remember that genuine pearl products should be bought in trusted places where you can not only check the “pebbles”, but also familiarize yourself with the accompanying documentation.

Now you know exactly how to quickly and almost certainly distinguish genuine pearls from artificial ones without special equipment. Share the article with your friends on social networks, it will definitely be useful to them.

Team Love Stones.

Products made from natural pearls have been valued since ancient times and are considered an exquisite decoration. The high cost of pearls is explained by their long maturation and the difficulty of obtaining them.

The cost of pearls depending on the type

Natural sea pearls, cultured by man. Such pearls mature inside the mollusk for up to two years. Human participation is reduced to the launch and control of the process. The advantage of such pearls is the ability to control the size, shape and color of the pearl. Even though cultured pearls are much easier to obtain, the cost of a single pearl ranges from $100 to $600. Black cultured pearls start at $1,000 for a single pearl.

The characteristics of natural cultured pearls grown in river water are lower compared to sea water. Therefore, it costs much less: from $20 to $100 for one pearl.

Artificial pearls are considered when their formation does not require the participation of living organisms. It can be done so well that at first glance it is difficult to from the original. Regardless of the quality, artificial pearls are many times cheaper than natural ones.

How to distinguish natural pearls from artificial

Natural pearls are heavier than artificial ones, because the pearl is not hollow inside. Before buying, weigh the pearls in your hand.

Drilled holes in pearls are also important criteria. When drilling artificial pearls, chips of the top coating may occur. When you carefully examine each pearl, you will notice the plastic showing through.

If the jewelry has already been bought, you can check its naturalness with a lighter. Carry the pearl over the fire natural pearls will remain unchanged, and the fake will melt.

In order for pearls to become a profitable financial investment and serve for hundreds of years, being inherited, it is recommended to store them in a bag made of soft fabric (velvet, velor, etc.). After contact with the skin, you need to wipe the pearls with a soft cloth to remove sebum, cosmetics and perfumes.

Hello again! Today we’ll talk about how to distinguish natural pearls from artificial ones, find out which pearls fall under the category of “artificial” and how they differ. You will learn that not all pearls, which a person had a hand in growing, can be considered unnatural, and you will also learn how to distinguish sea beads from river beads by their external features. Find out what types of artificial beads exist. Read the article and get enlightened!

It would seem that, almost indistinguishable in appearance, the beads are evaluated in completely different ways. What does it depend on and how to determine the genuine material? In order not to get confused, get acquainted with the features of the main types of products on the market, both in Russia and in Europe.

"Wild" or the most natural - how it is formed and what it is

The extraction of natural pearls is an occupation that is contrary to the humane attitude towards all living things. Not everyone knows that in order to find 5-10 pearls, at least 100-150 oysters need to be killed. And only a third of the extracted treasures will be suitable for further processing and use.

AT modern world pearl mining on a large scale is practically not carried out and is banned. Seafood is only occasionally found by chance by farmers and fishermen.

Cultured pearls: what distinguishes them from fake and natural

Difficulties with the extraction of pearls prompted the Japanese Kokichi Mikimoto to interesting and, most importantly, invaluable experiments for mankind. The scientist suggested not to look for mollusks with pearls inside, but to provoke them to work for a person in artificial conditions.

The essence of Mikimoto's method was to “settling” a foreign body into the reproductive organs of the oyster - a small ball, which she, just as she would have done in natural conditions, tried to neutralize with the help of mother-of-pearl. The result exceeded expectations. The Japanese learned how to extract cultured pearls in this way. The price of the finished bead depended on the number of mother-of-pearl layers. On one of them, on average, it took up to 8-10 months.

Improving the technology, over time, the Japanese decided to introduce foreign bodies not into the gonads of the mollusk, but into the mantle. This has speeded up the process. One oyster at the same time "had" up to a dozen or one and a half beads!

This technology is used to cultivate both sea and river pearls. The latter may be different color. River cultivated material is:

• white;
• black;
• cream;
• green;
• silver;
• grey;
• eggplant, etc.

Both in the photo and in life, it is almost impossible to distinguish natural pearls from cultured ones, especially when they are sufficiently aged.

Imitation pearl fake: what it looks like

If mollusks take the main part in the creation of cultured pearls, albeit with the assistance of a person, then they have nothing to do with artificial material.

The first imitations in order to copy the naturalness of an expensive and fashionable mother-of-pearl ball appeared in the 15th century. The ancient Romans learned how to fake pearls by covering balls of suitable size and shape with mother-of-pearl.

In the modern world, artificial beads are created using different technologies, using both natural mother-of-pearl and its artificial alternative. What is the difference between artificial pearls and natural ones? It's easy to spot the differences. Usually imitation stands out more bright color and unnatural shine. There are other ways to identify a fake even at home, but more on them later.

Spanish, Italian, American and French imitations worthy of attention

Works of art, otherwise you can’t call them, from Mallorca deserve respect. In the world, Spanish pearls obtained by artificial means are known under the name "Orchid". Of all the imitations, this one is the most plausible.

Pearls are created from porcelain or alabaster balls, covered with the best mother-of-pearl in several layers. Distinguish finished work from cultured pearls is almost impossible. The beads play amazingly in daylight, have the same natural surface. How to take care of these beads? As well as for natural ones - wipe from time to time with a damp soft cloth, do not use alkaline solutions.

• An interesting technology for creating mother-of-pearl beads was invented in France. French pearls are blown glass filled with colored paraffin. Not surprisingly, as a result, it is possible to create beads different colors, including rare in nature pink pearls. This option only remotely resembles the real material.
• Slightly more successful Italians. They also take blown glass and paraffin as a basis, only for greater similarity they add mother-of-pearl dust to the material.
• Gone even further in the technology of creating artificial pearls Americans. They cover mother-of-pearl balls with several layers of a special polymer mixture, achieving maximum identity with the natural prototype.

So how to distinguish between genuine pearls, or at least cultured and artificial? There are several easy ways. Let's start with the main features of natural beads. Although it is almost impossible to find them on store shelves.

Natural gifts - how to recognize yourself

Natural beads - the product of many years of work of the oyster, have several distinctive features by which they are quite easy to distinguish from a fake.

• Let's start with the form. Remember that in natural conditions, beads are not ideally shaped. The surface of the pearl is rough with small flaws. They are easy to feel if you try the ball "on the tooth" - it will creak. Artificial products are usually perfectly even and smooth.
• Hole analysis will help to distinguish a fake. Before looking for information on how to clean natural beads, make sure they are authentic - natural pearls in this area will not have accumulations of paint or clearly visible contours of the "core".
• It is easy to distinguish the original from a fake in daylight. A real pearl has several shades, shimmers beautifully. Artificial ones are distinguished by an even metallic luster and uniformity of tone. It is enough to bring the bead under the light of an ultraviolet lamp to see whether it is real or not. Natural pearl jewelry shines blue, cultured pearls are always green.
• An important distinguishing feature natural material- the ability to stay on the surface of a liquid with a density of 2.7.

Extreme Methods

If all the previous tips on how to recognize real pearls don't inspire confidence, there are more extreme methods.

One of them is a test with concentrated vinegar. Please note that the experiment will "kill" a bead made of natural or cultured pearls or prove that you have a fake in front of you, be careful!

• But a string of natural pearls will stand the test of fire with dignity, which cannot be said about forged products.
• An interesting way to test a pearl necklace or necklace at home is to rub the beads together. If this natural material, some pearlescent dust will appear between them, while the surface will remain intact. Using the same method, you can try to test a bracelet or earrings inlaid with pearls.
• An easy option to make sure that you are not deceived is to check the density of the beads. For these purposes, the necklace is not suitable, it is too large. It is better if it is a pendant with one or two beads. Try to throw the ball over the table. If it's a pearl, it will bounce like a table tennis ball.
• Looking for more ways to recognize genuine pearls? Take the product to the x-ray and examine the contents of the beads. To the touch natural jewelry always cool and heavier than they seem.

One way or another, but even if in theory you know how to choose genuine pearls, do not risk it and invite a gemologist for a consultation. Natural products with pearls are very expensive, so buying a fake is an unjustified luxury. How much do you think an average strand of pearls costs? Depending on whether it is wild or cultivated material - from several thousand dollars to tens.

In the case of buying large non-standard pearls, for example, Pink colour from India it is worth talking about prices of several hundred thousand dollars.

You have learned how to check if a pearl is real or not in front of you by looking at photos and using simple tests. Do not make a mistake in choosing and do not let your friends make a mistake - share the article on social networks. See you soon!

Team LyubiKamni

Instruction

If you run a natural pearl across the tooth enamel, there will be a feeling of roughness, creaking. This will happen because natural and cultured pearls only appear to be perfectly smooth. In fact, its mother-of-pearl has a crystalline, grainy texture. By the way, if you look at a pearl through a microscope, you can see that the surface of natural pearls has a scaly structure, while smooth.

Imitation pearls are most often hollow. And, it is much lighter than full-weight natural pearls. This makes it very vulnerable - an artificial pearl can be split with a minimum of effort (for example, by pressing hard on it).

If you look at artificial pearls through a magnifying glass, it is easy to see that its inner surface is unnaturally smooth. In addition, there are no chips around it, the appearance of which is almost inevitable when drilling natural pearls.

There are other ways to distinguish natural pearls from fakes. For example, in a liquid having a density of 2.7, natural pearls do not sink. Cultured and natural pearls dissolve in strong vinegar, while some imitations can even be boiled in it.

note

For some people, it is very important that their jewelry collection contains jewelry with minerals of exclusively natural origin. And although cultured pearls practically do not differ from natural ones, for fans of everything natural, the natural origin of pearls is a key point.

It is quite easy to distinguish natural pearls from cultured ones. First of all, by appearance. A cultured pearl (grown on pearl farms located mainly in Japan) has a very even, regular shape, while a natural pearl can have folds, mother-of-pearl sagging and imperfect shape.

If we look at pearls, placing them in front of a very bright lamp, we can see in the cultured pearl the core of the base, around which there is a not too thick layer of mother-of-pearl.

It is believed that in ultraviolet light, natural pearls have a sky-blue glow, while cultured pearls glow green.

Sources:

• How to distinguish artificial pearls from natural

Since ancient times, it has been believed that pearls are a stone of love, which gives its owner not only well-being, but also protects the house and family ties from failures and betrayals. This unique stone, extracted from mollusk shells, does not need correction, it is beautiful in its natural beauty. There are several ways to determine the origin of pearls - natural is a gift or the work of man.

Instruction

Method of physical impact
Rub two against each other. You will see that the surface of natural pearls will not be damaged, perhaps only the smallest pollen will remain on the fingers. Under the mother-of-pearl layer, natural pearls have exactly the same layer, while artificial pearls have or. If you "bite" a natural pearl, it will resemble grains of sand. A natural pearl, if run over it, will leave a white washable mark and will not scratch the surface.

When falling on a hard surface, natural pearls bounce and jump high like a tennis ball, artificial pearls do not have this property.

The weight
Natural pearls are quite heavy. Take a natural pearl in one hand and an artificial pearl in the other. You will feel the difference.

Price
Of course, natural pearls cannot be cheap. Sea pearls are valued more than river pearls. The price of the product and the place of purchase also indicate its naturalness and quality.

Durability
Natural pearls will never lose their luster, the mother-of-pearl layer will not peel off, the pearl will always look like new.

Heating method
Hold a fake pearl over the fire. It will start to crack and melt in about thirty seconds. From natural pearls, after very strong heating, scales can break off, exposing the inner layers.

Holes for the thread of artificial pearls are uneven, with chips. This is the first thing experts pay attention to when determining the naturalness of a pearl.

Illuminate with an ultraviolet lamp. Natural pearls will be blue, while cultured pearls will be green.

For centuries, pearls have been a symbol of elegance and natural beauty. This organic gem is comparable in popularity to diamonds, emeralds and rubies. Pearls can be natural, artificial and cultured (grown with the participation of a person).

Instruction

Find out about the manufacturer of the jewelry you are about to purchase. Remember that a low price is a reason to refuse a purchase. Quality natural pearls are very expensive. Ask the seller for documents confirming the pearls. Natural pearls are not subject to mandatory certification, so you can only be issued a quality certificate certified by the company's seal. It should indicate the following: name and product, material from which it is made, origin, production method, class of pearls, its brilliance, color, shape and diameter of pearls.

Order a gemological examination of the product. Determining the authenticity of pearls is one of the most sought-after areas in the expertise market. Large laboratories have modern X-ray equipment that allows for accurate identification and diagnosis of pearls without causing any harm to the stones. Experienced gemologists will help determine the authenticity of the color of the stone, which is especially important when buying expensive black or golden pearls. If it is not possible to make an examination, contact an appraiser for advice. jewelry.

Determine the authenticity of pearls with folk ways. Imitation pearls, hollow inside, are much lighter than natural ones, while hematite ones, on the contrary, are heavier. Examine under magnification the internal structure of the stone through the drilled holes: a surface that is too smooth will immediately give out an imitation. Real pearls stay cool even in the hottest weather. A genuine pearl that has fallen on a hard surface, unlike an imitation, will bounce high. Bring the pearls to your ear and rub them together: if the stones are real, you will hear the sound of rubbing sand. Lightly run the pearl across your teeth. Imitation pearls will creak disgustingly. The surface of a pearl does not have to be perfectly smooth, like glass.

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Useful advice

To choose a high-quality imitation, bring the pearl to your mouth: if you feel cold, then you have glass in front of you, and not a cheap fake made of plastic.

Many tourists, once in a particular country, try to buy souvenirs and various decorations including pearls. Such jewelry gives its owner more elegance and nobility. But at present, the technology in the manufacture of jewelry has become so advanced that even an experienced specialist can sometimes find it difficult to determine the authenticity of pearls. So how to check the truth of this beauty and not become a deceived buyer?

Instruction

A few words should be said about the differences between natural and its fake. Genuine pearls are formed by getting a grain of sand inside the shell of a mollusk, which reacts to the ingress of a foreign body and begins to envelop it with its nacre. They learned to imitate this process by placing a bead inside the shell, which is removed after a while, already slightly covered with mother-of-pearl. It happens that the bead is simply covered mother-of-pearl varnish and sold as natural.

If the seller claims that the pearls are natural, be sure to ask for an identification certificate, it must be compiled by a well-known and reputable laboratory with the appropriate seals. So, to confirm its authenticity, pearls are subjected to X-ray examination. There are more simple methods that will help you away from the gem. A real pearl is quite heavy, which cannot be said about the artificial material. If the pearls are gently rubbed against each other near the ear, then the sound of rubbing sand should appear.

You can check the pearl seller for fear. Take a pearl and offer to set it on fire, a natural product should not melt. Most likely, the seller will be afraid for the damaged goods and will tell you all about its authenticity.

If you drop a real pearl on a hard and smooth surface from a height of half a meter, then it will work like a ping-pong ball, that is, it will bounce off the surface and start jumping. Fake pearls have a low density and are almost impossible to bounce.

There is another way by which you can check the authenticity of pearls. Gently run the pearl across your teeth. Its surface should be slightly rough. The surface of the fake is absolutely smooth, like glass. In no case do not try to crack this object, take care of your teeth.

Real pearls are always cold, even in the hottest weather. Wearing beads, you will always feel a pleasant coolness from natural pearls. The same cannot be said for a fake.

Many fashionistas love to wear pearl jewelry. Beads, bracelets, as well as sets of rings and earrings with pearls are especially popular. This wonderful gem is of organic origin. It is formed in the shells of molluscs. A grain of sand gets inside the shell and the mollusk, in order to eliminate this trouble, begins to cover the grain of sand with layers of mother-of-pearl. After some time, a pearl forms in the shell.

Instruction

There is also artificial and cultivated. A bead is specially placed inside the clam shell and the oyster is returned back to its habitat. After a certain time, this bead, already covered with layers of mother-of-pearl, is removed from the shell. Pearls produced in this way are called cultured. Pearls are imitated by blowing thin glass spheres from a glass tube or rod. Then a special substance is introduced into these spheres - “pearl essence”. If you want jewelry only from natural stone, remember a few simple tips, natural pearls from artificial.

Take the pearl and "drop" it. Natural, falling on a hard surface, it will bounce high like a ping-pong ball. Imitation pearls will not jump, as they have a low density structure.

Another method for checking the authenticity of a pearl is to gently run the pearl across your teeth. The surface of natural stone should be rough, not smooth. Also, true pearls in this case will emit a slight creak.

The quality and durability of jewelry precious stones directly depends on the naturalness of the materials used. How to check pearls? How to distinguish natural (cultivated and wild) stone from a fake? Features of natural jewelry stone, its differences from artificial pearls are described in the article.

You can check pearls for naturalness using mechanical action.

Brilliant a natural stone forged using glass and plastic. For beads from artificial material paint is applied in stages, in rare cases, mother-of-pearl is used, extracted from mollusk shells. Stones created using mother-of-pearl raw materials are more expensive than colored artificial products.

To check whether a real pearl or not, just hold the jewelry in your hands. Fake diamond made of plastic is lighter than natural.

Products made using glass practically do not differ in weight from jewelry made from natural pearls. Glass imitation is not resistant to mechanical stress. If you drop one of the beads of the necklace, it will break or cracks and chips will form on the surface.

Real pearls will jump several times when they hit the floor. Small scratches may form on its surface, but after running your hand over them, they completely disappear.

Imitation from natural stone differs in structure. The surface of a product made of pearls is porous and uneven. This is explained by the fact that in natural conditions the stone grows by 0.3-0.5 mm per year, gradually increasing the layers of mother-of-pearl.

Natural river pearls have a slightly oblong shape, sea pearls can be round or oval. But the surface of each of the stones without additional processing remains porous. If the beads from your jewelry are absolutely smooth, have the correct shape, then you have a fake.

Another way to determine the naturalness of pearls is contact with tooth enamel.

Natural stone on the teeth will creak, leaving behind particles of mother-of-pearl

How to check the quality of pearls in jewelry store? Here you will be guided by the cost of jewelry. Pearl products (strands and necklaces), having a low price, were most likely made of artificial material. The minimum cost of a pearl thread is 1.5-2 thousand rubles.

Shine is another criterion for evaluating natural stone. Natural pearls (cultivated and wild) shine with a delicate bluish and pink color when exposed to direct sunlight.

Properly selected natural stone will serve you for a long time, and with proper care will always shine and please the eye.