r/pearls

I'd like to share these on Reddit. All baroque pearls from the Philippines. The pendant interestingly has a teardrop shaped pearl, while the bracelet is a mix of white and pink pearls. They're highly iridescent, too. What do you think?

Light golden South Sea studs 11-12mm. I am so in love, the light golden colour is exactly what I want.

I picked these up at an estate sale as part of a bundle of other jewelry -nothing remarkable. As soon as I picked them up I noticed they were cold, but they are irregular shaped and single knotted. They feel a bit gritty I think? I can’t tell if they are real though? Thoughts?

Hi everyone. I purchased my first pair of Tahitian earrings. These are the pearls that will be used. They have a gunmetal tone to them.

I designed a mockup for a choker-type necklaces here it is as 2nd picture. It will be 15” with an extended that makes necklace go to 17.5.”

I have personally never seen anything like it and find it so beautiful.

What do you think?

Please note that the mockup says sterling silver when I will be getting 18kt white gold. It also says moissanite, but I’ll be getting lab grown diamonds.

There are four main types of pearls and people mix them up constantly.

Quick breakdown:

Freshwater — All-nacre, durable, great value. Luster is soft and diffused. The "everyday" pearl. Mostly from China.

South Sea — The luxury tier. 9–20mm, silky satin glow, grown in Australia and the Philippines.

Tahitian — Dramatic. Dark greens, greys, peacock tones. Makes a statement. If you want to turn heads, this is the one.

Akoya — Saltwater. Japan. And this is where I stop being neutral.

Akoya has the sharpest, most mirror-like luster of any pearl in the world. When the light hits it, it doesn't glow it reflects. Clean. Precise. Almost architectural.

There's a reason Mikimoto chose it. There's a reason it became the global standard for the pearl necklace.

Yes, it's smaller (6–9mm). Yes, the nacre is thinner than South Sea. But the density of that nacre is unmatched. That's what creates the brilliance.

I've seen all four types. I keep coming back to Akoya!

I picked these up in a purchase of a lot of necklaces and I’m trying to decide if it’s worth having the broken strand restrung. Thoughts?

These were a gift. Can anyone confirm? Thank you.

Got these at goodwill for three dollars. They look real and feel gritty against my teeth. The clasp says it is 18 karat gold plated. If anyone could help me identify the brand or a price that would be great. Thanks!

Hi all,

After perusing online and reading this subreddit I am a little confused. I recently got a decent job and want to buy my mom a good mother’s day gift, something she can enjoy and wear for a long time, but since I am also paying debt budget is a delicate balance. I know she will like pearls and she doesn’t have real pearls so I want to get a necklace for her. Pearl paradise is highly recommended in this subreddit with pearl source a close second, so I went and checked and found these freshwater pearls that are the best quality both websites offer. Pearl paradise one is a little stretch for me but I can make it work if there is going to be an obvious quality difference. The cheaper one is preferred if most people can’t tell the quality difference if both necklaces are side by side.

Is there usually a noticeable difference in the pearls both companies provide? Are there any other retailers you might recommend? Any other advice? (She will not wear jewelry unless it is a necklace)

Any help is appreciated! Thank you!

Single pearl from Japan

My mother found this pearl in an oyster when my parents were on a trip to Japan in 1979. It has never been put in any jewelry and has been in a little box ever since then. It was difficult to get a good picture of it. It seems to be uniform in colour, smooth, and is 1/4” in diameter. Would it have any value?
Thanks!

Found this listing online from an Etsy shop that has fantastic reviews. I used AI to recreate what the clasp looks like. Tried reverse searching and can’t find anything. Seller says clasp is 14K white gold and says “Felco” also that they are Akoya pearls. Seems legit but also too good to be true? I’m very curious as to your thoughts on how authentic these are. Thank you!

Hi everyone! I bought this necklace and bracelet in a thrift shop for like $1 each when I was a kid because I thought they were pretty, never thinking they could be real pearls. Now im looking to downsize my home and don't really wear jewelry very much so I was going to donate them when I started looking closer and got curious about them. I don't know much about pearls at all so any help would be appreciated!

Pic 2-3: Necklace, clasp is stamped 835.

Pic 4-5: Bracelet, clasp is stamped 925.

Those are my mother's and would appreciate any information about them. Thanks!

So I’m trying to gather any information about this necklace that was passed on to me by my grandmother. Like, is this the type of piece I should insure? Thanks in advance for any help.

I absolutely love pearls, and have a few pairs of pearl earrings but generally know little about them aside from spotting real vs fake.

I saw these at a local auction and had to buy them, as I’ve always wanted a knotted pearl necklace. They had no info other than “cultured pearls”. They are definitely real, but I’m curious if anyone knows anything about the type of pearls (if even possible via photos)?

I’m NOT selling them or looking to profit in any way.

Thank you in advance for your time and help!

These are marked 14k, fairly heavy, and gritty on my teeth. Trying to decide if I want to keep or sell. Would love to know what kind of pearls they might be.