How to Authenticate Pearls

[johnflatt]

Hello,
Does anyone have any way to authenticate pearls other than biting them (seems to be the consensus)? I just found pearl in a string I bought and am not sure if these are just something else made to look like pearls.

 

[dk168]

Welcome to PS.

Not biting them!

Rub them across your teeth. If they feel gritty with uneven surface, then they are likely to be real.

If they feel smooth then they are likely to be fake pearls.

That's just a rough and ready test.

To be able to distinguish between natural and cultured pearls, they need to be X-rayed.

You could try posting some photos of your pearls so that the experts could help you further, such as types, dyed or natural colouring, etc. etc...

DK

 

[pearlsngems]

I stopped recommending the "tooth test" (testing pearls by rubbing them on your teeth) after I read of someone scratching a valuable pearl that way. Teeth are harder than pearls and can scratch them.
Instead, try rubbing one of the pearls against another one. Be gentle. Real pearls will feel gritty when rubbed this way, while imitation pearls will glide smoothly.

Another test is the temperature test. Real pearls are cooler than imitation ones. To test, you will need some other pearls to compare with-- either pearls you know are real, or pearls you know are fake. You need to place them in the same area-- the same temperature environment-- for half an hour or so. Then hold them briefly against your lips, which are very sensitive to temperature. Real ones will feel cooler.

If you have a 10x jeweler's loupe (magnifier) examine the surface of the pearls. Real pearls look very smooth under 10x magnification. Imitation pearls look somewhat coarser-- even the best fakes. If not sure, compare with other pearls that you know are fake (or know are real.)

 

[johnflatt]

I stopped recommending the "tooth test" (testing pearls by rubbing them on your teeth) after I read of someone scratching a valuable pearl that way. Teeth are harder than pearls and can scratch them.
Instead, try rubbing one of the pearls against another one. Be gentle. Real pearls will feel gritty when rubbed this way, while imitation pearls will glide smoothly.

Another test is the temperature test. Real pearls are cooler than imitation ones. To test, you will need some other pearls to compare with-- either pearls you know are real, or pearls you know are fake. You need to place them in the same area-- the same temperature environment-- for half an hour or so. Then hold them briefly against your lips, which are very sensitive to temperature. Real ones will feel cooler.

If you have a 10x jeweler's loupe (magnifier) examine the surface of the pearls. Real pearls look very smooth under 10x magnification. Imitation pearls look somewhat coarser-- even the best fakes. If not sure, compare with other pearls that you know are fake (or know are real. geometry dash lite)

Thanks for your answer. I got it.