Natural pearls vs. cultured pearls vs. fake pearls

Often, people perceive natural pearls to be worth more than cultured pearls. Still, both can look beautiful. There are differences in how the two types of pearls—natural or cultured—form. There are also tests designed to test what type of pearl you have. You can also bring the pearls into a store for an expert opinion.

The origins of the pearls

Fake pearls, man-made or imitation pearls, are made to fool the human eye. They should look similar to real pearls and are made when layer after layer of varnish is applied over a small object, such as a bead. When the varnish dries, according to a Webpage on pearlsofjoy.com, the cultured pearl can show a pearly luster and even iridescence in the light.

A naturally formed pearl is made within an animal, called a mollusk. Mollusks are sea creatures with two shells and one example is a mussel.  This type of pearl is the most expensive. Divers need to retrieve the mollusk and the pearl, so out of all pearls, it is the rarest.

Cultured pearls are made by “farming” mollusks and placing a bead or other small object in the mollusk in hopes of it growing a pearl.

Differentiating pearls

There are a variety of tests to determine what type of a pearl you have. A few listed on Pearls of Joy are:

·         Fake pearls feel lighter than real ones.

·         Fake pearls do not have bumps or ridges on the drilling hole. It might take a magnifying glass to notice this.

·         When comparing pearls on a strand, fake pearls will show no difference in color.

Choosing between platinum jewelry and white gold jewelry

There are many differences between white gold and platinum as precious metals for jewelry. When choosing a piece, there are a variety of factors to consider. This guide explains them from allergy to cost.

Differences between the two metals

One essential consideration is weight. Suppose you are getting your wedding ring. Would you like a light ring or a slightly heavier ring? Because platinum is more dense than gold, a platinum ring will be heavier. If you are considering the two metals, make sure you try both on in the store.

Even cleaning the jewelry should be a consideration

Another difference to consider is maintenance. Every few years, white gold needs to be re-plated. To make white gold shinier and whiter, jewelers often plate it with rhodium. This repair is inexpensive, but to keep your ring or earing bright, do not forget about this. Platinum is an easier metal to take care of. One only needs to have it professionally shined every few years. This is a fast and easy process, and depending on the composition of the platinum, it may not even be necessary.

These jewelry repairs will prevent white gold from loosing its shine and will keep the platinum from returning to its original grayish color.

Cost

Platinum costs more than gold, in part because more gold is mined per year than platinum. Additionally, because precious metals are sold by weight and a platinum piece of jewelry weighs more than the same piece made of white gold, platinum is even more expensive than white gold.

Allergies

If someone is allergic to nickel, then he or she should not wear white gold jewelry. That is because nickel is sometimes mixed with yellow gold to form white gold. It is possible to find nickel-free white gold, however, so be sure to check with your local jeweler.