Seeking Cultured Pearl Earrings
The real gold pearl earrings that you’re likely to see are of the cultured variety. Some people believe that these are not real because of human intervention, but that could not be further from the truth. There may be a human element, but don’t forget that real oysters are still the hosts of the pearls.
Natural pearls tend to be found in museums. While there are jewelry pieces out there that use them, they are incredibly expensive because of their rarity. In fact, many see them as not being economically viable. After all, there is quite the waiting process for an irritant to enter an oyster shell and for the pearls to form and mature properly. Discover what wholesale earring findings are available for your pearls.
The Right Tests to Perform
Surface
When you’re trying to identify real gold pearl earrings, start by doing a little surface test. Take the earrings and rub them against each other. If they’re real, you’re supposed to feel an ever-so-slight friction sensation. That’s because the outer nacre layers are not smooth. Fakers, on the other hand, are smooth and will generate none.
If you can get access to a microscope, you can take the surface test even further. A 64x power magnification will reveal that there is a scaled and maze-like pattern on the extremities of a real pearl. If you have ever seen a topographical map, it looks exactly like that.
Weight
The pearl earrings are supposed to be deceptively heavy if they are real. This is a well-known one. Take the two earrings and bounce them carefully in your hands. If they’re fake, especially if they are made of plastic, you’ll find that they’re light. It may help to use another set of pearls that you know are real for comparison while you do this test.
Overtones
Here is another good one! If you’re a pearl connoisseur, then you know all about the overtones. As soon as light hits your rose gold pearl earrings, you may see the slightest color differentiation. The thing is, this property of true pearls is very hard to duplicate.
Note that this test is not necessarily absolute though, as there are in fact cases of real pearls that don’t bear any overtone. Still, considering that overtone presence is so common, it doesn’t hurt to try this test out to see if you notice any slight color changes when light enters the picture.
Appraisal
The problem with a lot of these other tests is that they require keen observation and sometimes levels of precision that may not be present unless you’re an expert. If you find yourself having a hard time determining whether you’re dealing with real gold pearl earrings, consider having them appraised by an expert who can tell you if they’re real or fake.
After all, these are professionals with the tools and expertise necessary to give you a proper review. However, if you are not purchasing the pearls from this same appraiser, there is usually a cost associated with this process. On the upside, apart from finding out that you’re dealing with a real item, you also get a feel for how valuable your pearls are.
Article Summary
Whether yellow or rose gold pearl earrings, no one can deny the sheer beauty that comes with this kind of jewelry. However, the last thing you want is to be swindled and end up with fake pearls. There are quite a few tests that you can use to try to establish their authenticity. Nevertheless, the most trustworthy method you can use is to have an expert appraise them.
