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Kinds of Pearls and their Value

South Sea: South sea pearls are the most valuable and expensive of all cultured pearls.  They come in a relatively wide variety of pale colors including white, silver and golden.  They are one of the largest types of cultured pearls and have a thick layer of nacre (pearly substance) which makes them more valuable than most other cultured pearls.

Black Tahitian: Black Tahitian pearls are unique because of their thick layer of nacre (pearly substance).  This gives them a higher luster and a higher value because cultured pearls are generally valued according to the thickness of the layer of nacre.  This is because the Tahitian government orders that all pearls with less nacre must be destroyed.  These pearls are also, as the name suggests, darker in color.  They are usually grey or silver to charcoal with overtones of green.  Truly black pearls are very rare.  These pearls tend to be larger than others and are among the most valuable kinds of cultured pearls.

Akoya: Akoya pearls are cultured pearls that tend to be smaller, very round and in a range of color from white to cream.  They have a strong luster and because they are more consistently round and colored, they are the easiest to match.

Freshwater: Freshwater pearls are, generally speaking, less valuable than saltwater pearls.  It should be noted that freshwater pearls are also cultured pearls, though the process of culturing them is different.  Freshwater pearls tend to be less round than saltwater pearls and also ten to be smaller.  They are 100% nacre (valuable pearly substance) and this can give them considerable luster and durability. 

Freshwater Pearls:	Akoya Pearl:	South Sea Pearl:	Tahitian Black Pearl:

Learn More About Pearls

How SIZE affects the value of  a pearl 
How SURFACE quality affects the value of  a pearl 
How LUSTER affects the value of  a pearl 
How SHAPE affects the value of a pearl
How MATCHING affects the value of pearl jewelry
How COLOR affects the value of a pearl
How the TYPE affects the value of a pearl
Pearl treatments, imitations and culture
Pearl meaning and symbology

 

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