Natural or Cultured?

[CCates]

I have some very old pearls that were given to me many years ago. I was
told they were "natural" pearls. How can I tell if they truly are this
rare type or if they are cultured? Thank you for your help!

 

[EdelKontor]

It can be quite difficult to tell the difference between natural and cultured pearls if they are vintage and of good quality. What you would want to do first is examine the drill hole. If the pearls are saltwater cultured there will be a nucleus. This will appear as a separation of the nacre slightly inside the drill hole. If you see this the pearls are definitely cultured.

Another way to do this is by 'candling'. Take the pearl and hold it in front of a candle or bright light to peer through the pearl itself. If the pearl is cultured you can typically see the nucleus.

If both of these tests do not expose a nucleus I would suggest sending the strand to a lab like 'Northwest Gem Labs' in Boise Idaho, or the GIA. They would perform an x-ray test on the pearls to determine whether they are cultured.

Natural pearls, especially those of high quality, are extremely rare. But more pearls that date pre 1900 are all natural. Post 1900 nearly all are cultured. So if the pearls are more than 100 years old they are almost certainly natural.

I hope I have been of help.

Raik Werner
www.edelkontor.de