The AAA strand especially has a noticeably brighter luster then the gem grade freshwater. But the gem grade freshwater pearls(top) with slightly softer luster are still very nice and at 1/4 the price the value is unmatched.
This grading system ranks pearls from AAA to A, with AAA being the highest. AAA: Nearly flawless pearls with a high luster and a surface that's 95 percent free of defects. AA: High luster with a surface that's 75 percent free of defects. A: Lower luster and defects on more than 25 percent of the surface.
AAAAA is the highest quality of pearl known and is expensive and exclusive, while AAA is the highest quality of non-round shape pearls. The lower grade of AAA pearls is the AA+ quality of the pearl which has a surface having a very high luster and at least 75% of the surface will be free from any type of defect.
Akoya Pearls: These pearls represent some of the best cultured pearls available today. Known for their metallic luster and perfectly round shape, they are regarded as the classic white pearl. While most Akoya pearls are farmed in Japan, China and Vietnam both produce Akoya pearls as well.
AA – The surface will have good luster and and 75% of the pearl will be free from blemishes and spots. AAA – The surface will have high luster and 95% of the pearl will be free from spots or blemishes. This and AA pearl will have good nacre. (Nacre is the pearl layers formed in the oyster ).
The luster of good quality pearls is sharp and bright. You should be able to see your reflection clearly on the surface of a pearl. Any pearl that appears too white, dull or chalky, is of low quality.
South Sea pearls are often referred to as the Rolls Royce of pearls. They are the largest and most valuable pearls grown today, with average sizes ranging from 10 to 15 millimeters. South Sea pearls grow in a large pearl oyster native to Australia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia.
Freshwater pearls are cheaper because they are easier to extract, making sea pearls more valued. Why? Sea pearls are larger, more beautiful in shape, luster, smoother surface and, of course, much more expensive than freshwater pearls.
A natural pearl may show growth lines where concentric layers of nacre have been added. Cultured pearls on the other hand will appear to have a perfectly rounded nucleus that's surrounded by a halo of conchiolin and finally a thin outer layer.
Cultured Akoya pearls are graded using the Japanese Pearl Grading System, using the A-AAA Scale with the addition of Hanadama Akoya pearls representing the highest pinnacle of the pearl type. The A-AAA system evaluates pearls according to Surface Quality, Luster, and perfection of Shape (roundness and symmetry).
Gemstone ratings are as follows: AAA = exceptional stone with excellent color, great cut resulting in lots of light getting through and the top rating for precious stones such as sapphires, emeralds, and rubies.
AAA - “AAA” grade is assigned to a gemstone that is considered to “being near perfect.” Though these stones do show some variation in colour, they are clean, well cut and polished. AA - Semi clean, well cut and polished gemstones are graded as AA.
AAA ratings are issued to investment-grade debt that has a high level of creditworthiness with the strongest capacity to repay investors.
A traditional strand of white pearls can range from $100 (Freshwater pearl necklace) to $10,000 (Akoya pearl necklace). A strand of large, flawless South Sea pearls could even be valued as high as $100,000+ . The truth is there is no simple answer to the question “how much are pearls worth” is…
The lip determines the pearl color. While the white pearls are also priced by jewelers, the gold pearl variety is the most coveted color. The gold South sea pearl's color can range from creamy white to deep gold, and the darker the color, the more expensive it becomes.
It's often assumed that because something's old it must be valuable. That's rarely true and certainly not for pearls. Advances in technology and culturing techniques mean you can buy a much better set of pearls for far less money than in grandma's time.
They are considered elite gemstones and do not have a high resale value, at least as of now. Used pearl jewellery, which is sold for higher prices, is usually that which has been worn by celebrities, queens or antique pieces.
The highest value pearl colors belong to Tahitian pearls, and include blue, brown, purple, peacock and aubergine. Next is Akoya with white and silver, followed by freshwater pearls in shades of white and lavender. South Sea pearls in silver and gold are also very valuable and sought after by collectors.
Because South Sea Pearls form over longer periods of time, they are more costly to cultivate. For this reason, there are a limited number of South Sea pearl farms, making the truly prized South Seas exceptionally rare. Not all cultured pearls are good enough to become Assael pearls.
Contrary to popular belief, imitation pearls very rarely turn yellow due to their composition of plastic and ceramic. Pearls that begin to yellow indicate that they are organic and subject to change.
The most classic and widely preferred pearl color is white. The white pearl is considered a symbol of purity, and is often associated with wedding and graduation celebrations.
White and Golden South Sea pearls are the largest and most luxurious of all cultured pearl types on the market today. Often called the “Queen of Pearls”, South Sea pearls feature a gorgeous palette of natural Golden and White colors that shimmer with delicate overtones and are simply unmistakable.
Pearls are classified by origin, then graded by size, shape, nacre thickness, color, luster, surface clarity and how they match. Measured by their diameter in millimeters, the average cultured pearls sold today are between 7 and 7 1/2 millimeters. Generally, the larger the pearl, the more valuable it will be.