The saying that only nature can improve on perfection may be true but can be an exception in the case of pearls. This piece of jewelry was first introduced by the Egyptians way back it time. Unfortunately, they are very rare and thus have become one of the most sought after gemstones in the world today.

However, many still don't understand how these beautiful gems are priced. It's common to get one strand of pearls costing around $400 and find a somewhat similar piece at $60.

This variance in prices can easily be explained. There are several factors that contribute to the pricing of pearls.

It's important to appreciate that there are two main types of pearls. There are the natural pearls and the natured pearls. Pearls that are produced naturally are priced more due to their scarcity. In fact, out of over eight thousand species of oysters, it's shocking that only twenty percent can constantly produce pearls. Again, only a few maintain the round shape after production which makes them even rare.

The breakthrough came in the 19th centaury when some scientists came up with a way to produce pearls artificially. This type of pearls produced under human intervention is called cultured pearls. The process is a daunting task that involves surgically implanting an agent that triggers the pearl creation process in oysters. It is even successful because cultured pearls easily make the round shape that people like very much.

Even to a practiced jeweler, distinguishing between a natural and cultured pearl can be very difficult. The recommended way of differentiating between natural and cultured pearls is to subject them to x-ray scans. Natural pearls generally show internal formations and growth stages unlike the cultured one which leaves a solid center with no growth evidence. Therefore, relatively cheaper cultured pearls work just fine since nobody will recognize it anyway.

Another factor that greatly influences the price of pearls is size. This piece of jewelry is rated highly such that even size differences in terms of millimeters can inflate the price. By the way, the pearl size is measured using its diameters.

The shape also contributes to the price of pearl jewelry. People generally agree that the perfect shape for a pearl is round or oval. However, some pearls are produced when not perfectly round and this can lead to a reduction in price. By the way, it can also add to the uniqueness and thus increase the price.

There are factors such as the color and luster that also influences the pricing. The ideal color is always silvery white with a surface that is reflective and having no stains. The issue of color will of course raise eye brows. One would argue that it depends on ones color preference.

However much the price, it all comes back to you. If you have the money to spend, go for quality expensive pearl jewelry but if you don't want to hurt your pocket, consider the average pearls.

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