How to Test if Pearls are Real
Knowing how to tell a real pearl from a fake pearl is an important skill for any jewelry owner. Here are the various ways you can tell whether your pearl is real or fake to make sure you get your money’s worth!
The Tooth Test
Rub the pearl against the bottom of your front teeth. Real pearls should feel gritty or sandy, while fake pearls feel smooth. The tooth test is a good preliminary test, but don’t base your judgment solely on this. Fake synthetic pearls such as those from Swarovski (can feel gritty), cultured pearls (real, but smoother) and dyed pearls (real but can feel smoother).
The Sun Test
No two pearls are ever exactly alike, and the sun test depends on this fact. To do the sun test, hold up the pearl up towards the sun or very bright indoor lighting. Take note of the pearls you are comparing. There should be subtle differences in the pearls’ iridescence and color. Two genuine pearls should not match these characteristics perfectly.
Visual Clues
pearlsEven the most perfectly-shaped pearl has its irregularities. Magnifying a pearl should reveal these irregularities and ridges on a real one; and the smooth surface of a fake pearl. Magnification should also show tiny flaws on a real pearl.
Keep on the lookout for other visual clues. Again, real pearls are not perfectly spherical, and they should have concentric bands ringed circles around them. Fake pearls are sometimes made to look irregular, so looking for subtle and less obvious irregularities are key. Glass pearls also typically have slightly oval shapes and flattened ends
Fake pearls also have a tendency to look “flat” when compared to real pearls. However, well-made fake pearls like those made by Swarovski can attain the same luminous appearance of real pearls.
Temperature
Real pearls warm to the skin much faster than glass pearls. On the other hand, plastic pearls tend to be already warm when pressed against your skin.
Density
The density of a material is the mass per unit volume. When compared to fake pearls of the same size, real pearls are noticeably denser than the simulated pearls. However, some good glass pearls can have roughly the same density as real ones. Light pearls are definitely fake. This can not be applied for particularly big and heavy pearls, both fake and real.
Drilled Hole
Pearl necklaces are strung together and require to be drilled in its middle. To check if a pearl is a fake, look closely into its hole. Look at the edges of the hole. A real pearl will have a smooth edge, and there should be a clear line between the pearl’s nacre and its nucleus. A fake pearl will have a bumpy, irregular edge.
Settings
You can tell a lot about the jewelry by the sum of its parts. Pearl necklaces using real pearls have knots between each pearl. This is done because if the string is broken, not all the pearls will scatter and be potentially lost. Take a look at the clasps. Real pearls usually have good quality clasps made from gold, silver or platinum. Cheap or insecure clasps are usually seen with fake pearls. However, this is not an sure method, as fake pearls can have good clasps made from genuine material. Still, looking at the settings of a pearl jewelry can clue you in on whether the pearl is real or not.
X-Ray
Ask help from a certified gemologist to x-ray to check whether a pearl is real or not. Short of cutting the pearl open, the x-ray is one of the surest way to check if a pearl is real because it can accurately show the inside of the pearl. The gemologist will then determine if the layers are of a real pearl or not.