I agree that creating a full, comprehensive system is a daunting task. It was easier with gemstones because that is more of a "subtractive" grading system. You take the absolute best possible gem that could ever be found and cut and then step down from there. It would be difficult to approach it that way with pearls because of their nature.
The labor involved in doing this though pales is comparison to what eventually will come of nothing is done. There is a certain amount of subjectivity in grading, but that will be present regardless and can be overcome by experience. However, subjectivity within an official grading system is one thing - subjectivity in the absence of a grading system creates a marketplace that is full of lies, deceit and meaningless grades. But the worse part is that the lies and deceit become acceptable.
For example - take company A who has three different pearls to sell. They grade one as a AA grade, another as an AAA grade and then the third as AAAA. A customer buys the AAAA grade thinking they are getting the best pearl possible. The customer then buys from company B and finds out that the AAAA grade from company A it is actually lower grade than an AAA grade from company B. Then the customer complains. Company A can respond that the AAAA grade was the best pearl
they had so they gave it the best grade. Currently, with no official grading system, they can do that.
This is the same reason that giving just letter grades to characteristics such as Shape and Luster is meaningless. For instance:
Quote:
Overall Grade AA
Luster AAA
Body AA
Shape AA
|
This grading means nothing to me and should mean nothing to the customer. Shape grade AA compared to what? Right now it
appears that the luster is the highest luster that you can get. It it really - or is it just the highest luster that company has? What about the AAAA luster - is there one? What if this company a year from now starts selling AAAA+ or even AAAAA (yes 5A)? What if they make a new grade called A1, A2, A3?
It may sound funny (buying an A1 pearl), but that is exactly what is happening. Some companies are just making up the grades to confuse the customer and make their pearls seem better.