Cultured Pearl Colors
Unlike gemstones or precious metals that are mined from the earth, pearls are grown by live oysters far below the surface of the sea. Gemstones must be cut and polished to bring out their beauty. But pearls are unlike any other gem, they are born miraculously complete -- with a glistening iridescence and luster. Cultured pearls can be found in a variety of colors. Please let me know if you need a custom color.
White Cream Rose Peach Powder Almond Light Grey
Black
About Cultured Pearls
Luster
This quality refers to the pearl surface's ability to reflect light. It is a combination of surface brilliance and a glow emanating from deep within the pearl nacre. The finest pearls have a bright, almost metallic luster. This high luster is a result of a heavier layer of nacre deposited by the oyster in a process that can take up to three years. Pearls harvested too soon have a very thin layer of nacre, giving the pearl a dull, chalky appearance.
Color
Cultured pearls come in a variety of colors from pinks to blacks. Although personal preference should play an important role, usually pink colors are more flattering to fair complexions, while cream and golden colors are more flattering to other skin tones.
Shape
Pearls come in a variety of shapes. Perfectly round cultured pearls are very rare.
Surface
Due to the natural growth of their nacre, most cultured pearls have minor blemishes. Most common are pits, spots, bumps, and small surface cracks. The fewer blemishes a pearls contains, the higher its value.
Size
Pearls are measured by diameter in millimeters. The larger a pearl, the grater its value. Sizes range from less than 1 millimeter in seed pearls to as large as 20 millimeters in South Sea cultured pearls. The most popular size of cultured pearl is 7 to 7 1/2 millimeters.