Are Cultured Pearls Real or Fake?

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Are cultured pearls real?

People will often ask me if cultured pearls are real or fake…they are absolutely REAL. The verb “to culture” means to “maintain in conditions suitable for growth” and is also significantly more appealing than the negatively-connotated word, “farmed”; but, that’s exactly what they are. Today, 99% of pearls in the market are cultured, whether saltwater or freshwater.

Are cultured pearls less valuable? Yes and no. A cultured pearl is grown in pearl farms using a natural production process that emulates that of a “wild” pearl. A small irritant, or nucleus, is placed in the mussel or oyster to incite the production of “nacre” – mainly comprised of crystallized calcium carbonate (CaCo3), more commonly known as Mother-of-Pearl. It is from this irritant that a pearl is achieved.

In pearl farms, an artificially created environment will optimize pearl production, often allowing for the development of valuable pearls. “Perliculture”, or pearl farming, makes it possible to produce pearls in larger sizes than can grow in nature. “Wild” pearls almost disappeared from the market in the late 1800s due to over-harvesting. Today, they’re extremely rare and can command a ransom. Sadly, the days of the pearl divers have long since disappeared.

Are cultured pearls identical? NO. Because cultured pearls are developed in the same way a mussel or oyster would create a “wild” pearl, each pearl is unique. In fact, it is quite a challenge to find pearls of similar size and shape; however, at Cut & Hill Jewellery, we revel in their uniqueness, developing pieces that showcase the diversity of the pearls’ shapes and colours.

Enjoy your cultured pearls and treat them with care.  They will bring you joy and have value to you which, ultimately, is what is important.

Alison

Owner & Designer

Real or Fake? 3 easy ways to tells if your pearls are real

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Do you know how to tell if that old strand of pearls, tucked away in the back of your jewellery box, given to you by  your Great Aunt on your father’s side, are real?

Well, here are three simple (free) ways to check:

  1. JUST LOOK AT THEM
    Yes, powers of observation come into play when deciding whether or not your pearls might be real.  As I mentioned on my pearl information page, each pearl is uniquely made, hence will never have exactly the same color, shape, size and luster.  If your pearl necklace has identical pearls, continue with the next two suggestions as, sadly, they might be imitation pearls.
  2. LISTEN TO THEM
    Yes, I did just say that!  Real versus fake pearls will actually sound different.  Take your pearl necklace and give it a little shake…so that your pearls knock together (don’t fret – if they are real, this will not hurt them in any way).   A necklace or strand of real pearls will have a softer sound whereas the fakes will sound thin or tinny.

    …still not sure?  Try this full-proof method taught to me by my mother!

  3. BITE THEM, WELL…
    …not so much a bite as a rub.  Simply rub the pearls along the front of your teeth (not the edge of your tooth)…if the pearls feel “scratchy” on your teeth, then they are real…if they feel smooth and slide easily across your teeth, they are synthetic.  The scratchy feel comes from the composition of pearl.  A pearl is composed of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, deposited in concentric layers, which accounts for the “gritty” feeling on your teeth.  It is also the reason why pearls have ridges or striations which are often referred to as imperfections or, as I prefer to call them, unique markings.

    Still not sure?  I would recommend taking them to a jewellers.  There are other techniques that involve scraping and burning but, these can cause harm to the pearl (real or fake), whereas a jeweller will most likely have a pearl microscope to aid in the determination of its status.

    *Freshwater pearls, which come naturally in three colours (white, peach and purple), are often treated with organic dyes to allow for more colour choices.  For the most part, you will still be able to feel that “gritty” sensation on your teeth with these organic dyes; however, I have come across dyes that seem to have “coated” the pearl to the point of removing that “scratchy” feel.  These pearls are real but the manufacturer has over-dyed/coated the pearl.

I hope these suggestions will help you in determining whether or not those Great Aunt Ina’s pearls are real!

Alison

Owner & Designer

Cut & Hill Jewellery Co. – Our Journey Begins…

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Welcome Readers to Cut & Hill’s Blog and my very first post. I am so excited to be able to finally launch this blog along with my online retail boutique.  It has been a labour of love, years in the making, and worth all the effort.

Cut & Hill was borne out of a love for designing jewellery for friends and family – custom pieces for many occasions.  As the popularity of my designs took off, I was excited to grow my business outside of solely friends and family, and to be able to provide carefully crafted jewellery, pieces for all at varying price points  – a goal I work hard to maintain.

The concept of Cut & Hill jewellery is fairly straightforward.  We strive to design jewellery to compliment your lifestyle, while reflecting today’s fashion styles, and appealing to the trendy yet sophisticated woman in all of us.  At Cut & Hill Jewellery Co. we believe that what all women have in common is our desire to be our concept of beautiful, feminine, strong, and confident.

As I continue to post, my goal is to have my blog serve as a platform of communication for jewellery from, updates on what’s happening at Cut & Hill Jewellery Co. to industry trends.  I look forward to sharing my journey with you and hope that one of my designs compliments a moment in your life.

Alison

Owner and Designer