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EVALUATING PEARL QUALITY:
The best quality pearls are determined by all of the pearl’s characteristics: luster, nacre thickness, surface texture, shape, size, color, and matching. Luster is often considered the most important factor and then size. But if all factors are equal, larger pearls create greater value. The quality of a pearl is best examined under bright light and over a white covered material versus a dark material. Finally, saltwater pearls are considered more valuable than freshwater. Nonetheless, freshwater pearls often rival saltwater pearls and are much less expensive.
There is no universal grading system for pearls. However, the most common internationally accepted grading system by the jewelry industry is the A to AAA Grade System. Gallery of Pearls uses the A to AAA grade quality pearl rating scale because it is driven by the luster of a pearl (considered to be the most important factor when evaluating a pearl). Using this grading system, pearls can have the following quality ratings: A, AA, AA+, and AAA. AAA pearls have the highest luster and quality and in turn require a larger investment. Pearls rated with an A are only worth a fraction of AAA rated pearls and will not last as long nor are as desirable or admired.
| Grade | Luster | Blemishes | Shape | Matching | Nacre |
| A to A+ Quality | Fair
(dull, hazy) | Heavy to Med.
(noticeable) | Off Round
(oblong, flat) | Fair
(few uniform) | Thin |
| AA to AA+ Quality | Good
(bright, no glow) | Light
(minor) | Near-round
(slightly elongated) | Good
(most uniform) | Medium to Thick |
| AAA Quality | Excellent
(bright, glow) | Clean
(hard to see) | Round
(round to eye) | Excellent
(all uniform) | Very Thick |
Please note: when shopping for pearls, buy pearls from companies that actually rate their pearls. Not all retail and wholesale companies rate their pearls and some use self-developed rating terms that are not universally accepted. Be wary of sellers that will not provide the accepted A to AAA rating scale for their pearls. Also, be cautious of sellers who claim to have pearls above the AAA Quality rating (like AAA+ or AAAA, or a collection name representing pearls beyond AAA). Ratings above AAA are not part of the generally accepted pearl industry grading system.
Pearl grading guidelines have been established by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and it is best to buy from a company that has a GIA Pearls Graduate on staff as we do at Gallery of Pearls. The grading of pearls is done by humans and thus subject to interpretation and variation in grading even though guidelines exist. Therefore, it is important to remember that pearl grade and pearl appraisals can vary even among experts based on individual interpretation of luster and other key pearl characteristics. Also, due to the fact that real pearls are naturally born, every individual pearl on a strand may not be exactly the same pearl size or grade level. Minor variations in pearl jewelry strands are acceptable as long as the greater majority of pearls in a strand meet the specifications stated by the jeweler. However, because GIA Pearls graduates are trained and tested, there should not be major discrepancies in grading pearls (such as AAA instead of A+).
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