Aapke Jewellers - Guide and Essential Information for Buying Pearls

The value of cultured pearls is dependant upon the following factors.
Lustre: A good-quality pearl should have a bright luster. Any pearl that looks too chalky or dull indicates poor quality.
Surface: A good quality pearl should not have any disfiguring spots, bumps, pitting or cracks.
Shape: Since cultured pearls grow inside oysters, they differ in their shapes and sizes and it is often difficult to find a perfectly round pearl. While rounder pearls are more valuable, asymmetrical, or baroque, pearls have a unique charm and are available at a more moderate cost.
Color: The cultured pearls are found in a number of different colors. While color is a matter of individual preference, rosé or silver/white pearls tend to look best on fair skin tones, while cream and gold-tone pearls are flattering on darker complexions.

Size: The average cultured pearls are between 7 and 7½ millimeters in diameter. Generally, the larger the pearl, the more valuable it will be.

When buying a pearl necklace, you should make sure that there is a knot between each pearl. This insures that if the strand breaks, the pearls won't scatter across the floor. The knots also prevent pearls from rubbing against each other. Further all pearls in the strand should be well matched in color and lustre, and that they increase or decrease gradually in size, growing smaller toward the clasp.