What To Look For When Buying Pearls

Pearls come in many colors.  You'll find gray, green, black and even lavender shades in nature.  To spot a dyed pearl, look for a concentration of color at the drill holes.  You don't want these, you want the all natural ones.  Trust me.

Price depends largely on what the pearl's diameter measures in millimeters.  Just a 1 mm increase in size can double the price.  The most common size sold is approximately 7 mm and 7.5 mm.

Oysters never produce perfectly round pearls, no matter what "they" say.  Even still, the rounder the shape, the more desirable the pearl.  You'll find great buys on offbeat pieces made with obviously misshapen pearls.

Check out the pearl's luster or glow. The best ones are shiny.  The lesser ones are chalky and dull. The surface should also be free of bumps, spots or cracks or at least the design should hide them in the back of a piece.

There are many ways to wear a string of pearls.  Their versatility makes them a must have for your wardrobe.