Pearl Quality-Glossary
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009rnrn rn Luster Luster is the quantity and quality of light reflected from the surface of a pearl. High luster pearls also have a deep seated glow. The luster of a good quality pearl should be bright and not dull. You should be able to see your own reflection clearly on the surface of a very high luster pearl. Reflected images of overhead lights are crisp and distinct in higher luster pearls while they are smudgy and washed-out in the dull ones. Higher luster pearls are most valuable. wholesale jewelryrn rn Body Color rn Body color is the basic color of a pearl. The most common body colors are white and cream. White and pink pearl command the highest value. rn rn Shape rn Shape is important in judging pearls. The rounder a pearl is, the higher its value. Baroque pearls have irregular, distorted shapes. rn Overtone rn Overtone(s) are the colors that overlie the body color. Pearls with rose or silver overtones have the highest value. rn rn BlemishrnA blemish is a defect found on the surface of the pearl. Minor blemishes include spots,bumps, pits and wrinkles, and can affect a pearl’s price.rnMajor blemishes, which can affect the durability of a pearl as well as its price include cracks,holes and chips. rn Circles rn Circles are concave, concentric rings found on the surface of a pearl. rn rn Clean rn Clean refers to the absence of blemishes on the surface of a pearl. rn rn Color Body Color and Overtone rn Color is a quality factor used to describe the color of a pearl. rn rn Grafting rn Grafting is the human insertion of an irritant into a mollusk in order to produce a cultured pearl. rn rn Luster rn Luster refers to the combination of surface shine and depth of inner light refraction in a pearl. Luster is one of the main factors of pearl quality. rn rn Mantle Issue rn The layer of tissue adhering a mollusk to it’s inner shell. rn rn Matching rn Matching refers to using luster, surface, shape, color, and size to match several pearls in order to create a piece of pearl jewelry. rn rn Momme rn Momme is the weight measurement for pearls in Japan. One momme equals 3.75 grams or 18.7 carats rn rn Nacre rn Nacre is the calcium carbonate substance secreted by a mollusk as a defensive measure against a foreign irritant in its body. rn rn Nucleus rn Nucleus is a small piece of shell from one mollusk used as an irritant for another mollusk. rn rn Nucleation rn Also called grafting or implementation, the process of inserting an irritant (nucleus) into the body of a mollusk so that it will secrete nacre to cover it, consequently producing a cultured pearl.handmade jewelryrn rn Shape rn A quality factor used to describe the shape of a pearl. A round pearl is the most prized shape in the industry. rn rn Sorting rn Separating pearls by surface, shape, color, and size prior to the matching process. rn rn Surface rn A quality factor indicating the amount of blemishes on a pearl, ranging from clean to heavily-blemished. rn
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rnThe main criteria for assessment of the most important pearl, is from the inside light it revealed, for the pearls add a layer of mystery, making it even more vitality, moving inviting. Of cultured pearls, the gloss is a clear assessment of the quality, because only through multi-layered beads pearl nuclear secretions can be wrapped in heavy bloom dispatched people glory. Several aspects need to consider when judging the quality of pearlsrnLuster rn