temperature & weight test
The temperature of the pearl can be a good indicator of its authenticity or otherwise. A real pearl will feel cool but will warm up once it’s been in contact with skin. Fake pearls can feel sticky and will be warm even without having been handled.
Fake pearls are often created using a process of moulding one of the compounds mentioned above and then coating the surface with a pearl-like substance. As a result, they are not as dense as real pearls and will usually be lighter in weight. Fake pearls may also feel abnormally heavy as they may have been given some additional weight, while the real thing will have a weight that you would have expected it to have.
Bounce and Fire tests
Let us be clear here. Do not perform the bounce or fire tests. You may come across these methods and people may have used them in the past but given there are other methods that don’t involve the potential for personal injury and/or damage to the pearl, these are not recommended. Pearls are sensitive gems that require specific care and attention, a topic we will cover in another article.
The bounce test involves dropping a pearl onto a piece of glass. If the pearl bounces more than one foot, it’s probably real. The fire test involves holding a naked flame to the pearl. The fake pearls will develop a bad odour and will lose their lustre, whereas the natural or cultured pearl produces no odour and will retail its lustre. If you keep the flame on a real pearl, after about two minutes the pearl will make a pop sound, while no such sound will be heard from the fake item.
conclusion
If you want to be sure you can always find a specialist who can use a magnifier to quickly tell if what you have is the real thing, or whether you’re holding a strand nice looking, but plastic beads.
Pearls are beautiful and unique gems that have been prized by humans for centuries. Now that you know a little bit more about pearls, feel free to browse our collection and find the perfect piece just for you.
Do you have any questions about pearls that we didn’t cover in this article? Feel free to drop us a line or book a free 15-minute consultation with one of our experienced staff. And if you found this article helpful, be sure to share it with your friends so they can learn more about these amazing gems too!