It is not within everyone’s affordability to buy a real pearl necklace.Naturally made real pearls, made without human intervention, are a rarity these days.Cultured pearls are pretty reasonable, plentiful and are classified as genuine pearls.But if you want something really affordable, a faux pearl necklace is just as elegant and beautiful as the real thing.
Faux pearls are made up of components different than original nacre, or the shiny and sparkling substance secreted by mollusks and shellfish when foreign bodies are introduced in the shell.Original pearls are made up of layers of nacre.On the other hand, synthetic pearls are made up of plastic, glass or resin. There are several methods by which man made pearls can be differentiated from real ones.
Many experts as well as non-experts use the tooth test to tell if a pearl is real or synthetic.A faux pearl feels smooth while a real one feels gritty.This is because real pearls are made of different layers of nacre and are irregularly shaped.Handmade or machine-made pearls are perfectly shaped and smooth.However, the tooth test cannot be relied upon to give perfect results because artificial pearls may be mixed up with irregularities intentionally.On the other hand, a genuine pearl may be treated or polished to give it a smooth finish.
Experts can distinguish between a real pearl and an imitation.Special tests can also be done to determine if the pearl is genuine.However, taking a careful look at a collection of pearls can help you determine if they are real or fake.Natural pearls have slight variations in size, shape, color and shine. Faux pearls are almost identical in all aspects.
Good quality faux pearls have shine and beauty similar to real pearls.They can be made from plastic, ceramic, resin or glass.From the inside or on the surface, the faux pearls can be coated with pearl powder of “essence d’orient”.The beads are repeatedly dipped in solutions of pearl film.Faux pearls with more layers hold more value and are highly durable.
Imitation pearls look like cultured or natural pearls but have a different chemical composition.Their physical attributes are also dissimilar to natural pearls.Such imitation pearls need to be propagated as “faux”, “man-made”, artificial or “simulated.”Regional names such as “Red Sea Pearls” or “Mallorca Pearls” could also be employed.
Fine quality faux pearls are amazingly genuine looking.Such pearls could be paired with valuable metals such as gold or platinum.These fabulous artificial pearls possess the luster and iridescence of natural pearls.
