If you are in the market for pearls on eBay, you need to read this guide!  I wish someone had put one of these up years ago when I was a newbie buyer, because I would have saved a bundle on mis-advertised pearls!

First, let's start by flatly stating that most of the pearls available on eBay are Chinese freshwater pearls.  (There are some really gorgeous freshwater pearls available, so don't get frustrated!)  The biggest difference between freshwater and salt water pearls is the manner in which they are cultured (virtually all pearls available at reasonable prices today are cultured).

Salt water cultured (Akoyas, South Sea, and Tahitian) pearls are nucleated with a round bead that makes it that much more likely to harvest a perfectly round pearl.  Freshwater mussels are nucleated with tiny square pieces of mussel shell, so most freshwater pearls are "off-round", or oblong, or other shaped.  Also, freshwater mussel pearls are totally made of nacre, while salt water pearls retain the bead nucleus.  Another difference is the pearly sheen of the luster.  Salt water pearls do have a definite edge on fresh water pearls in that department.

What Exactly Are Akoya Pearls?

Akoya pearls are cultured in the Pinctada fucata martensii, also known as the akoya oyster. This mollusk is found and farmed primarily in Japan and China. Renowned for their great luster, akoya are considered the classic pearl. They are generally white or cream colored, with overtone colors of rose, silver, or cream.  They are harvested in sizes between 2 mm and 11 mm.  Because the size of the akoya oyster is smaller, the pearls rarely get to be 12 mm or over, so when you see a seller advertising 12 mm Akoya pearls, they probably aren't Akoya.

Let's look at some AAA Quality Akoya Pearls.

These silver-white Akoya pearls were on sale last week for the fairly reasonable price of just $480.00 for this lovely 18" strand of 7-8mm perfect rounds.  If you notice, the sheen and the luster are fabulous.  These AAA Akoyas are not even "gem-quality" pearls.  Gem quality pearls have even higher luster.  As ever, nicer Akoyas are normally accompanied by a precious metal clasp (never gold plated or silver plated.)  Some have 14/20 gold filled clasps, but I normally change those to gold for personal wear and gift giving.

I just bought this strand of Akoyas on eBay recently.  They look lovely, and have a very round shape, but the luster is certainly not the same glowing quality as the AAA quality pearls shown above.  They have some blemishes on the pearl surface, but these are not obvious from farther away than 10 inches.  They are graded as AA. 

I also bought a strand of freshwater pearls of the same size and length.  Note the slightly lower luster and the slightly "off-round" shape.  These also had a few growth rings, but the shape was lovely and the luster was very good.  I got these for under $50 with gold filled clasp.  These would grade at AA.

All in all, the freshwater and lower-than-gem-quality Akoyas will make nice jewelry pieces to compliment a business suit or an afternoon coffee klatch dress.  These pearls I bought on eBay were advertised as having "14 k" clasps, but the seller later admitted that they were merely gold filled, so I normally replace the cheaper clasps with gold for my personal use, and for gift giving.

Let's Talk About Tahitian "Black" Pearls.

First of all, TRUE BLACK pearls are very rare.  Most of the "black" pearls you see on eBay are freshwater, and they are teal, green, silver, gray, chocolate, or peacock colors.   They do dye or treat darker pearls to make them look blacker, but in nature, "black" simply means "very dark silver or grey!" 

Below is a strand of "True Black" Tahitian Pearls.  The price was only $19,400.

Now, Let's Discuss "South Sea Pearls".

The South Seas lie between the northern coast of Australia and the southern coast of China. These waters are the native habitat of the large oyster, the Pinctada maxima. This oyster grows up to 12 inches in diameter, and can be nucleated with a much larger bead than other saltwater oysters such as the Akoya.

These wonderful pearl necklaces average between 14 and 20 mm pearls.   The price for the gold was only $7,900, while the silver went for $13,400.  Again, you're not gonna find these for sale on eBay for $29.95 a necklace, right?  The silver strand had a platinum clasp.

The accepted Pearl grading system

You see many different sellers using this grading system but often, a seller will call his or her pearls AAA when they are not even close.  Below is the accepted Pearl grading system used by the Japanese Pearl Association for Akoyas and fresh water pearls.

• AAA:The highest-quality pearl, virtually flawless. The surface will have a very high luster, and at least 95% of the surface will be free from any type of defect*.
• AA: The surface will have a high luster, and at least 75% of the surface will be free from any type of defect.
• A: This is the lowest jewelry-grade pearl, with a lower luster and/or more than 25% of the surface showing defects. In many cases, if the pearl is being mounted into a piece of jewelry, it can be mounted so that the defects are hidden -- thus providing a lovely jewelry piece at a lower price.

Some reputable sellers may also use intermediate grades for the pearls - those pearls that do not fall in a category but are between two - such as A+ and AA+. Obviously, these grading categories are quite broad and leave room for interpretation and individual judgment. Also note that in multi-pearl pieces such as strands, necklaces, bracelets, etc., every one of the individual pearls may not absolutely meet the indicated grade level.  For example, a strand referred to as "AAA" must have most of its pearls as AAA pearls. However, a few pearls could have slightly lower luster or a tiny bit more surface defects. This is because matching is also a primary consideration in multi-pearl jewelry, sometimes even overriding a very strict grading of each individual pearl.

Grading system for South Sea Pearls and Tahitian Pearls

This system grades pearls on a scale from A to D, with A being the highest grade. This is the system used in French Polynesia (based on a government standard there) to grade Tahitian pearls, and South Sea pearls only. It is therefore sometimes referred to as the "Tahitian system." While this system is standard in producing countries, other markets will still utilize AAA-A.

• A: The highest-quality pearl, with very high luster and only minor imperfections over less than 10% of its surface.
• B: High or medium luster. Surface may have some visible imperfections, but over no more than 30% of its area.
• C: Medium luster with surface defects over not more than 60% of the surface area.                              
  
• D: May have many slight defects, but no deep ones, spread over 60% of its surface; or deep defects     over no more than 60% of its surface; or a combination of minor and deep defects over no more than 60% of its surface. In this grade of pearl, the luster is irrelevant. Even the most lustrous pearls will be graded D if their surface is blemished to this extent. Pearls below D grade are considered not acceptable for use in jewelry.
  

*As you can see, pearls are seldom completely flawless.  An organic gemstone like a Pearl normally has some innate flaw.  That's what makes it so difficult to find a "perfect pearl".  Even on the Mikimoto Japan Pearl website, the makers of the world's finest Akoya Pearl jewelry plainly state "Tiny marks are part of the pearl's natural texture".  Even Mikimoto's AAA "flawless" pearls have these "tiny marks".

Now for the Gorgeous But Affordable Alternative.

Man-made Pearls have been popular for over a century.  First invented on the Spanish Isle of Majorca, they were called "Majorca" (Majorica/Mallorca) Pearls.  Invented so that NORMAL people without an annual income of seven figures or more could afford beautiful pearls at a fraction of the price, these lovely pearls are actually made in exactly the same way, but OUTSIDE the oyster.  Majorica Pearls are beautiful, classic, and EXPENSIVE because they are PERFECT.  They are very difficult to tell from real pearls.  Mallorca/Majorca/Majorica pearls are created from a glass or stone nucleus (round) and dipped into a "hemage" of special oils and powdered fish scales, then repeatedly dipped into fine essence d'orient and dried and polished.  They are then given a surface treatment that resists wear and damage, and are finally given an ultraviolet treatment.  (In the old days, this meant drying them in strong sunlight.)  These pearls are fabulously lovely.  I have a strand  from 1930, and it is still gorgeous.

A newer version of Faux Pearl:

Sea Shell Pearls

A bead nucleus is coated generously with "nacre" created by crushing mother of pearl with a strong resin, and then the pearls are dried, polished, re-coated, dried, polished, and re-coated some more, until they are from 10 to 14 mm of perfect, round, stunning, man-made pearl!  A beautiful alternative to real South Sea Pearls, these are what you normally find on eBay at those rock-bottom prices.

As you can see, these come in gorgeous colors, and the luster is fabulous.   These are as strong and as lovely as the real thing, but AFFORDABLE!  I like to make necklaces and bracelets with these with precious metal clasps and findings, because they are so classy that way.  I had several strands of vintage Majorca Pearls from the 60's and 70's refurbished with solid gold diamond clasps.  (Originally, the pearls came with solid sterling silver findings.)  People think they are real, and I never disillusion them.  :)

So, get a Pearl Edu Degree, and shop 'til you drop.  Just don't think that a strand of pearls that sells for $9.99 or $29.99 is gem quality, because you will be sadly disappointed.  You can pick up some lovely strands on eBay, but most of the gem quality ones, you would normally pick up from the farm, or from the haute couture jewelry shop...and they cost accordingly. 

I sell lovely fresh water pearls, earrings, and necklaces, and I also have some beautiful AAA quality Akoyas in my eBay Store.  (And even I sell the highest quality strands for far higher than $50.00 a strand, and I don't believe in price gouging!)