With farm grading complete, premium and unique pearls are selected for Provenance Proof, and as many pairs and strands are matched together as possible. It is now time to put a final retail grade and value on each pearl and select which pearls will make the Pearls of Australia jewellery collections.
A retail grade involves a finer grading of shapes:
Round, Near Round, Oval, Drop, Semi Drop, High Button, Button, Baroque and Circle.
Each lot is separated into colour tones (such as white, silver white, cream white, pink, silver blue etc).
Then, each pearl is given a skin grade based on the number, position and type of visible blemishes on the surface, in conjunction with the lustre or shine of the pearl. At PoA, we use: A1, A2, A3, B1 & B2 to describe this.
Finally, each pearl is run through a sieve plate to determine the mm diameter size, down to the 0.5mm.
With final shape, colour, grade (surface imperfections and lustre), and size and ‘matchability’ (if a pair or strand) now determined, a value can be applied, and the pearls are transferred to the jewellery department for design, manufacture, assembly and sale.
It’s important to remember that the entire pearl grading process is done by hand and eye (not mechanised), and each pearl will pass through the hands of a junior and senior pearl grader several times, to determine the final grade and price. It’s a long process that can take several months to complete, after the pearls has been harvested at the pearl farm.
