Cultured pearls are essentially man-made pearls. In contrast to a natural pearl, an “irritant” which is mother of a pearl bead is implanted into the tissue of a live oyster. Over a long period of time, the oyster secretes nacre over the bead thereby creating the cultured pearl. Sometime the pearl is removed from the oyster to early, so that the nacre coating is too thin and may wear through in a short time.

Pearls with thin nacres are less expensive than pearls with thick nacres. A fine pearl will always have thick nacre. A fine pearl requires a cultivation period for at least two to three years in the oyster to acquire a thick nacre coating to give it enduring beauty. In some cases, the cultured pearl is so fine, that it requires an expert to distinguish it from a fine, genuine pearl.

The quality and value of cultured pearls can vary greatly. The quality and value of pearls is determined by: luster, color, cleanliness, roundness, and size. Luster is defined as the pearl’s glow. Some pearls give off flashing rainbow colors (iridescences). This effect is called Orient and is characteristic of the finest pearls. These pearls are very expensive and are highly sought after by those who can afford them.

The most desirable color for cultured pearls is white with a rose overtone. White pearls with a cream-colored overtone are also desirable. Pearl with yellowish or greenish overtones are less expensive. Pearls also come in many different natural colors, such as pink, green, gray, blue and black. Pearls of natural colors usually cost much more than their white counterparts.

A pearl’s cleanliness is its freedom from skin blemishes such as pits, spots, or blisters. Perfectly spotless cultured pearls are rare. Most pearls have some kind of blemish or imperfection. Small defects in pearls are acceptable. Larger imperfections can be unsightly and lower the pearl’s value significantly.

Luster is the single most important factor when selecting fine pearl jewelry. Shape is also important. For round pearls, the shape should be as round as possible. Roundness is a desirable feature of pearls. If the luster is excellent and the pearls are round, the jewelry will be very expensive.

Cultured pearls are sold by their millimeter size. The larger the pearl the more it costs. An 8 millimeter pearl is considered large, a 9 millimeter, very large. The price increases upwards faster with each millimeter once you pass 8. The size of the pearls that you choose is entirely your choice. Pearl strands typically come in the following categories: collar (12-13 inches), choker (14-16-inches), princess (17-19 inches), matinee (20-24 inches) opera (26-36 inches) and Rope (40 inches and over).

If you cannot afford fine cultured pearl jewelry, you should consider more affordable jewelry. Some of the freshwater necklaces with round or nearly round pearls are difficult to distinguish them from similar pricey Akoya (salt-water) necklaces. Many online jewelry boutiques offer beautiful and durable, cultured freshwater pearl jewelry at affordable prices.

Freshwater pearl jewelry has a tremendous allure and is eye-catching. Also, many online jewelers offer elegant pearl jewelry sets, including a necklace, e and a bracelet. The sets are popular and are often purchased by a bride for her bridesmaids as a token of appreciation for their endearing and unwavering support throughout the wedding planning process.