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The Perfect Pearls
Pearl StudioFreshwater pearlsAkoya pearlsTahitian pearlsSouth Sea pearlsSee all: TypesWhite pearlsPink pearlsPurple and lavender pearlsPeach pearlsSee all: ColorsHow to tell if pearls are realReal or fake checkerFake pearlsSee all: Real or fake?Pearl gradingQuality checkerHow much are pearls worth?See all: Quality & valueHow to clean pearlsPearl size chartNecklace lengthsSee all: Care & wearPearl StudioGuess the PearlSee all: Play

An independent guide, sourced to GIA

Know your pearls.

Freshwater, akoya, Tahitian, South Sea and fifteen more. What each one is, the colors it comes in, how to judge quality and how to tell real from fake, in plain English.

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  • Facts from GIA and the FTC
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The four pearls you see everywhere

Typical sizes from GIA, drawn to scale.

Freshwater pearls6 to 12 mm (Edison pearls 11 to 16 mm or more) Akoya pearls6 to 9 mm; over 9 mm is larger and rarer Tahitian pearls8 to 14 mm; over 14 mm is less common South Sea pearls8 to 18 mm

All 19 types of pearls · Compare them

Pearl colors

Bodycolor plus overtone. Tap a color to see which pearls have it naturally.

All colors
WhitePinkPurple and lavenderPeachGoldenSilver and grayBlackPeacockGreenBlueChocolateOrange

Real, fake, natural or cultured?

What you can check at home, and what needs a lab.

At home

  • Magnify the surface: grainy or glittery means imitation
  • Check the drill hole for peeling coating
  • Compare the pearls: real ones vary slightly
  • The tooth test helps, but can be fooled
Real or fake checker

Needs a lab

  • Natural or cultured: X-ray microradiography
  • Natural color or dyed, for many treatments
  • Anything priced as natural
How labs test pearls

Free pearl tools

Pearl quality checkerDescribe a pearl in GIA's termsReal or fake pearl checkerSeven questions, one verdictWhat kind of pearl do I have?Match your pearl to a typePearl necklace length guideSee every length on a figurePearl size visualizerPearl sizes at actual size

Printables and charts

Save them to your phone or stick them on the fridge.

View all
Types of pearls chartPearl color chartPearl buying checklistAre my pearls real? Checklist

Guides

How to tell if pearls are realHow to tell if pearls are real or fake: the tooth test, the drill hole, magnification, weight, temperature an…Fake pearlsWhat fake pearls (faux or imitation pearls) are made of, how they are coated, how to spot them with a loupe a…How much are pearls worth?What makes one pearl worth more than another: type, size, shape, luster, surface, nacre, color and matching, …Pearl grading explainedHow pearls are graded: GIA's seven value factors (size, shape, color, luster, surface, nacre and matching), t…How are pearls made?How pearls are made: how a mollusk builds a pearl from nacre, how natural pearls form, how cultured pearls ar…What are pearls made of?Pearls are made of nacre: calcium carbonate in layers bound by organic material. What nacre is, why it shines…