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We are assuming that you are looking to purchase a strand of Japanese Akoya Cultured Pearls, the same finer quality pearls one would find at a finer jewelry store such as Mikimoto or Tiffany & Co. We say Tiffany & Co. or Mikimoto, because it is only at these two stores and American Pearl that one could find our superior quality pearls. It is for this category of pearls that we are going to continue this five step pearl education. Please make a special note that American Pearl only sells perfectly round, perfectly clean flawless pearls. Pearls that are blemished are worth half the value compared to their flawless strand counterpart. Because American Pearl offers you perfectly clean pearls, you can rest assured that your pearls will hold their value and appreciate in value over time, whereas a strand of blemished pearls diminish in value over time.
Throughout history, pearls have shown themselves in practically every civilization and culture imaginable. From ancient Egypt to mesopotamia, the unmistakable presence of pearls is difficult to deny. In these early days, where much upon the earth was still undiscovered, the sheer beauty, brilliance and awe of the first pearl ever discovered, surely differentiated itself from anything else. Perhaps it was the pearl's beauty that first enamored these ancient societies? Or could it be the pearls' mystical qualities that caused people who owned them to associate similar feelings about themselves. Of course, with this beauty came an increased demand for something that was still unknown. In fact, the harder they tried to find pearls, the more difficult it was to find them. Within this first cycle of discovery, awe and the need to have more, the ancients unknowingly created a process that would give birth to one of the most valuable gems in the world; Pearls.
The very fact that it was the beauty of the first pearl ever discovered that defined its value is critical in your purchasing process. When purchasing pearls or any other jewelry, it is your responsibillity as a consumer to purchase the finest quality most beautiful pearls in your price range. There are several reasons for this. Because finer quality pearls are more beautiful, they will be enjoyed more. Finer quality pearls have the best chance of holding their value and improving in value over time. In addition, finer pearls must have a thicker nacre (the skin of the pearl) in order to deliver more luster (the mirror like quality of a pearl) making them more durable. In fact, nacre thickness and luster are directly correlated.
Regardless of what strand of pearls or pearl jewelry you purchase from American Pearl (A, A+, AA, AAA or Colleciton), rest assured that all the pearls on the strand will be perfectly round and perfectly clean. In fact, as you go up in quality, the only thing that changes is the pearls luster and nacre thickness.
If you are looking for a strand of Japanese Akoya Cultured Pearls, what follows is a grading system based on the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) Pearl Grading System. American Pearl has assembled an array of pearls that meet all the characteristics that complement the GIA pearl grading system. This way, you can see for yourself how pearls are graded. If for example you know that the difference between a "AA Quality" and a "AAA Quality" is that the latter has very high luster versus high luster, now you can judge for yourself using the photographs that follow.
This grading system describes pearls based on six characteristics that we will illustrate. Once you understand how to judge a strand of pearls based on these grading categories, you will be able to link pearl quality to market value. This chart below is important because it shows you the universe of pearls. Since pearls are a blind item, you need a chart to compare one characterstic in the nomenclature for grading pearls to another. This way, you know where you stand in the product-pricing mix. All the factors below combine to give you what is known as the "make" of a strand of cultured pearls.
Please note, there are other varieties of pearls such as South Sea Pearls that we discuss quality. Please look for this button marked "South Sea Pearl Quality" on the home page.
LUSTER
Luster is the quantity and quality of light reflected from the surface of a pearl. High luster pearls also have a deep seated glow. The luster of a good quality pearl should be bright and not dull. You should be able to see your own reflection clearly on the surface of a very high luster pearl. Reflected images of overhead lights are crisp and distinct in higher luster pearls while they are smudgy and washed-out in the dull ones. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky indicates low luster. Higher luster pearls are most valuable. If you walk into a Mikimoto store, their AAA quality is Very High Luster, their AA quallity is high luster, their A+ quality is Medium Luster and their A quality is Low Luster.
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