Are Pearls Worth Anything? How to Tell What Yours Are Worth

Pearls can be worth anything from a few dollars to a great deal, and most inherited strands fall toward the lower end. Value depends on whether the pearls are natural, cultured or imitation, and then on their quality. A strand of cultured pearls with bright luster and a gold clasp has real value. A strand of glass or plastic imitation pearls has almost none, apart from the clasp if it is gold or silver.

Pearls are not graded with the 4Cs used for diamonds. The Gemological Institute of America classifies them with what it calls the GIA 7 Pearl Value Factors: size, shape, color, luster, surface, nacre and matching. The framework dates to a system proposed by GIA's Richard Liddicoat in 1967 and refined since. For anyone holding a strand from a grandmother's jewelry box, the practical point is that size alone does not decide value. A smaller strand with sharp, mirror-like luster can be worth more than a larger strand that looks chalky.

What Kind of Pearls Do You Have?

A pearl is a gem formed inside a mollusk from layers of nacre, the same material that lines the shell. There are three broad groups:

• Natural pearls form without human help. They are rare, and most are found in antique jewelry.

• Cultured pearls are grown on pearl farms after a technician places a starter inside the mollusk. Nearly all real pearls sold in the past century are cultured. Akoya, freshwater, Tahitian and South Sea are the main types.

• Imitation pearls are glass, plastic or shell beads with a coating. They are costume jewelry.

How Can You Tell If Pearls Are Real?

These home checks will not replace a jeweler, but they sort most strands:

1. The tooth test. Rub a pearl lightly against the edge of a front tooth. Real nacre feels slightly gritty. Imitation pearls feel smooth and slick.

2. Look at the drill holes. On real pearls the hole edges are clean. On imitations you can often see coating flaking or pooled around the hole.

3. Compare the pearls. Real pearls vary a little in shape, size and tone. Imitations are often perfectly identical.

4. Check the clasp. Fine pearls are usually finished with a gold or sterling clasp stamped 14K, 18K, 585, 750 or 925.

5. Look for knots. Good strands are knotted between each pearl so they do not rub.

What Makes One Strand Worth More Than Another?

Using GIA's seven factors:

• Size: Larger pearls of the same type are rarer.

• Shape: Round is the hardest to grow and generally the most valued.

• Color: Body color and overtone. Demand for particular colors changes with fashion.

• Luster: How sharp and bright reflections look on the surface. Many in the trade treat it as the factor that matters most.

• Surface: Fewer spots, bumps and wrinkles is better.

• Nacre: Thick nacre lasts and glows. Thin nacre looks dull and can peel.

• Matching: How well the pearls in a strand or pair go together.

Why Do Many Pearl Strands Resell for Less Than People Expect?

Cultured pearls are produced in large quantities, so common strands are easy to find new. Pearls are also soft and organic. Decades of perfume, hairspray and dry storage wear the nacre and dull the luster, and once luster is gone it cannot be polished back. Older strands often need restringing as well. All of that pulls resale value down. The clasp is sometimes the most valuable part of an average strand.

Do Pawn Shops Buy Pearls?

Some do, case by case. A shop that sells fine jewelry may buy a strand it can put in a showcase, and it will pay for a gold clasp by weight either way. Call ahead and describe what you have. If the pearls came from an estate, have the whole jewelry box looked at together. Our post on estate jewelry explains how older pieces are viewed.

How Should You Care for Pearls?

• Put pearls on last, after perfume and hairspray.

• Wipe them with a soft damp cloth after wearing.

• Store them flat in a soft pouch, away from harder gems that can scratch them.

• Never put pearls in an ultrasonic cleaner.

FAQ

Are old pearls worth more?

Age alone does not add value. Condition and quality do. Natural pearls in antique jewelry are the exception and should be checked by an expert.

Are freshwater pearls real pearls?

Yes. They are cultured pearls grown in freshwater mussels.

How can I find out what my pearls are?

A jeweler can examine them under magnification and tell you the type and condition.

Is the clasp worth anything?

If it is gold or sterling, yes. It is valued by metal weight.

Have Your Pearls Looked at in Greensburg

The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange has served Greensburg since 2005, with a jeweler on site and gemstone testing available. Bring your pearls and a valid ID to 206 E. Pittsburgh St., and we will tell you what you have and what we can offer. No appointment is needed. See our Sell Your Items page for how selling works.

Visit The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange or call (724) 836-7296 today. Contact us for more information.