How to Tell if a Pearl is Fake (Identify Real Vs. Fake Pearls Video)

What are the signs pearls you are about to buy are fake? Learn to distinguish between fake and real pearls - as part of the Wedding series by GeoBeats.

Real pearls have a finger print like surface ridges in them. If you look very closely at them, even under a magnifying glass, you will notice these surface ridges and these specific qualities to each pearl. Whereas a fake pearl all of them look identical and they have smooth surface as they look the same.

The second main thing is to look at the overtone color. Just like the choir prone necklace, that I am wearing right now, all of the pearls have an overtone color that is extremely beautiful and lustrous. Whereas fake pearls have sort of a dull milky sort of color.

The next thing that you would want to know is that real pearls are reflective. So when you hold them into light you should see a little reflection of the light in them. Fake pearls are dull. They generally won't be reflective like that.

The next thing would be a slight difference in the sizes of each pearl, and let me clarify that a little more extensively. If you look at a strand of pearls and you look at each individual pearl, you actually notice that each one of them has a slightly different size, shape and texture and that is because they occur in nature. Whereas a fake pearl would all look at the same. They would all look exactly identical, exactly the same size as the others.

Real pearls are cold to the touch. Their temperatures are very interesting. When you have not put them on you and you touch them they feel cold. But when you put them on they sort of warm to your body temperature. Whereas fake pearls generally tend to remain at room temperatures. So if you touch them they will feel about room temperature.

Real pearls are heavier than fake pearls. Fake pearls are light. If you pick up the strand of them they are going to feel very light whereas real pearls are kind of heavy to your hand.

And finally this is a little bit bizarre, but this is actually a way to tell whether or not pearls are real or fake. If you were to take a strand of pearls and run them along your teeth if they have a griddy feeling then they would actually be real pearls. If they have a smooth feeling they are not real pearls. So an interesting thing to keep in mind. Maybe a little unorthodox but definitely a good way to tell whether they are real or fake.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• fake pearls
• fake vs. real pearls
• how to identify fake pearls
• real pearls
• Pearl Consultant
• surface ridges
• overtone color
• lustrous pearls
• reflective pearls
• pearls sizes
• natural pearls
• pearls shape texture
• cold pearls
• heavy pearls

[TempestCP]

u realize that the reason why real pearls are made is because the oyster or mollusk has a parasite, so they form this kind of barrier around it :o 

[geobeats]

@TempestCP thanks for the fascinating insight!

[geobeats]

@TempestCP thanks for the fascinating insight!

[minimoongurll]

I think this video could have been so much better if you had only shown the fake pearls and the areas of the pearl viewers should look for. maybe a small snapshot would have been nice of for example the finger printing or ridges.

[geobeats]

@minimoongurll thank you for your comment. We will consider creating another video with your suggestions. Have you come across a fake pearl?

[nickkillerable]

@TempestCP It's not really a parasite more as an irratation that builds up

[geobeats]

@moosevinkle thanks for the insight!

[moosevinkle]

what i would do.

1/buy yourself a 10x loupe used by jewelers or gemologists (maybe from ebay)

2/Examine the surface of the pearl, look for the finger print pattern, or surface ridges and any other surface imperfections (this would indicate a cultured pearl) or in the case of an imitation pearl which are normally painted, look for a 'blotting paper' texture.

3/Examine the string hole, cultured pearls will have a crisp string hole where as an imitation pearl may have a paint build/paint missing.

[moosevinkle]

@geobeats OK, firstly, fake pearls that are painted glass beads will also feel cold to the touch (they would take longer to worm to your skin). Secondly the glass imitation will also be heavy compared to the plastic imitation. You can get imitation pearls that are gritty on your teeth as well. so good indicators but I particularly liked your first few comments about the surface ridges ( they can look like a fingerprint pattern)