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Pearl farmers and pearl dealers often trade pearls amongst themselves. It is this trade that brought forth a standard and definitive pearl grading system for Black South Sea Pearls. This grading system follows the A Quality, B Quality, C Quality and D Quality nomenclature. Please note this system is unlike the Japanese Akoya Cultured Pearl Grading System of AAA, AA, A+ and A that you might have learned about. Each grading system is unique to its own species of pearls. "A Quality" pearls are the most valuable with, D Quality the least valuable. Please see below for exact definitions.

A Quality�A pearl of superior quality comprising no surface defects or at most some impairments that are confined to less than 10% of its surface.

B Quality�A pearl exhibiting a good luster with some defects visible to the naked eye and distributed over less than one third of the surface.

C Quality�A pearl showing several visible defects, distributed over more than one third and less than two thirds of the surface and exhibiting an average luster.

D Quality�A pearl showing numerous visible defects, distributed over two thirds of the surface and exhibiting poor luster.