Which cultured pearls are the best to buy?

[Debbie Dubois]

I am interested in purchasing a string of cultured pearls. I have noticed that there is a wide range of prices and I am told that what I pay will depend on the type of cultured pearls I buy. Can you explain what the differences are and which pearls I should be looking for please. I didn't realise there were different types of pearls.

[Paul Wright]

Akoya pearls are 'salt water' pearls and generally cost more than 'fresh water' cultured pearls. They tend to have more lustre and usually come in white and cream colours. Fresh water cultured pearls come in a tremendous variety of sizes and shapes and naturally tend to be white or pale pink. Tahitian and South Sea pearls are the rarest and most expensive cultured pearls and are available in much larger sizes than the Akoya pearls (from 8mm upwards). Both the metallic colours and lustrous quality of the Tahitian pearls is fantastic and the white / silver lustre of a South Sea pearl is like no other!

Akoya pearls are farmed mostly along the coasts of China and Japan. Akoya pearls usually have a high lustre and near-perfect roundness. White and cream are the most popular natural colours, but many treated colours are available including silver grey to black.

Freshwater cultured pearls are the most affordable pearls, and come in a huge array of shapes, sizes and natural or treated colours. While they used to be irregular in shape, today’s freshwater pearls have vastly improved and are now usually round in shape. They are cultivated in freshwater streams, rivers and lakes mainly in China.

Tahitian pearls come in more exotic colours like silver, golden green, and gray-black. Often they have a fabulous metallic lustre. They tend to be far larger than Akoya and some freshwater pearls. Tahitian and South Sea pearls are generally the most expensive of the cultured pearls available today.

Your choice of pearl will depend on the size and colour you ideally want set against the price you are prepared to pay. If you can't afford South Sea pearls but want that fabulous 'big pearl' look then you may be able to find something impressive within the freshwater variety. It won't have the 'lustre' but it could well have the 'size' and 'feel' of a South Sea pearl. Alternatively if you are wanting a string of pearls up to about 8 or 9 mm in size you may select from the high quality 'Akoya' range of pearls. If you find that you can't afford this you may well be able to compromise slightly on quality by buying the freshwater equivalent.

Hope this information helps!

[Paul Wright]

The 'Paul Wright Jewellery' online shop has a great page dedicated to cultured pearl jewellery and pearl stud earrings in particular.