What kind of pearls do I have? Please help.

[AllisoninSeattle]

Hi I am new to this website and forum. I have an 18 inch pearl necklace given to me by a friend, the pearls are large and very uniform and white. The clasp is 14 k gold. They are gritty when rubbed together. I am including a picture with a ruler and the whole strand for comparison. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you so much Allison

Thank you all so much for the info, this is great info and a great website. Allison

 

[jshepherd]

You have a strand of cultured freshwater pearls from China that appear to be around 8 mm.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

One of the great things about these kinds of FWP is that they are nacre all the way through-- there is no bead inside. This makes them quite durable, even for daily wear.

Cultured Akoya pearls, by contrast, have a thin layer of nacre over a bead nucleus, which means they are less suitable for daily wear, as the nacre will wear thin over time. Akoyas are round because of the bead, and their luster is sharper than that of FWP, so there is a trade-off. But akoyas are also much more costly. FWP will give you more bang for the buck.

Of course you still want to avoid exposing them to things that will dull them or scratch the, as with all pearls. Store them separately from other jewelry (a little cloth pouch is good for this) and always put your pearls on last, after applying cosmetic products including hair spray and fragrance.

 

[GemGeek]

There is nothing like a pretty strand of white pearls to make you feel like your outfit is complete. Of course, for me, that includes jeans and a white scoop-necked top! Enjoy your new freshwater pearl necklace, and welcome to Pearl Guide!

 

[Amrita]

That's a pretty strand of pearls!