Pearls obtained from the shells of certain molluscs are subdivided according to the place of detection into sea and river. The latter was previously called beads (from Arabic - fake pearls). River pearls have historically been mined in northern riverbeds in many countries of Europe and Russia, as well as North America. Now the cultivation of freshwater pearls is carried out mainly in the lakes of Japan and China.
Instructions
Step 1
When buying pearls, ask the seller for documents for the goods. If the country of origin is China or Japan, and the pearls are small, then most likely it is a river product.
Step 2
Take the pearl grains in your hands. It is small and looks like shriveled oval grains, as a result of which it is rarely extracted industrially, because the resulting pearls are relatively inexpensive.
Step 3
Bring the pearl to a light source. River pearls shine dimly, their natural luster is muted, and the color palette is limited in comparison with the variety of shades and colors of sea pearls. Its surface is uneven, which is associated with the impact of the flow in the rivers during the growth of pearls.
Step 4
Pay attention to the price. Products made from river pearls are much cheaper than from sea pearls, even cultured ones. The cost of freshwater pearls is influenced by the fact that freshwater mollusks are much larger than sea relatives and are able to grow up to 20-30 pearls in their shell at the same time during their industrial cultivation, in contrast to sea pearls, which can simultaneously grow only 1.
Step 5
River pearls are much more durable than sea pearls due to a large layer of mother-of-pearl on the surface and an increased content of conchiolite substance in comparison with sea pearls, which prevents the destruction of its structure.
Step 6
Distinguishing natural pearls from a cheap fake for sure and without the use of chemicals is possible only if it is assembled on a thread. Remove a couple of pearls or stretch the string so that you can see the holes in them. Take a closer look at the place of the drill, if the diameter of the hole is wider on the outside than inside, then you have a bead in front of you.
Step 7
Rub the pearls. For fakes, the top layer of mother-of-pearl quickly flies off, exposing the alloy.
Step 8
Contact a gemologist, a specialist will illuminate the pearl under an X-ray and give an opinion on its natural or synthetic origin.
