Understanding Pearls: What Makes a Pearl Truly Exceptional?

Like diamonds, pearls also have grades that dictate their quality. From colour to lustre, surface and shape, and nacre thickness, these are the factors considered in grading. The pearl grading system serves as an important framework in helping consumers ascertain the rarity, brilliance and value of the pearl.

Lustre:

Lustre is one of the most important factors in pearl grading. Lustre refers to the intensity and sharpness of light reflected off a pearl’s surface. It gives the pearl its distinctive glow, often described as a soft inner radiance combined with a mirror-like shine.

Like a diamond, it is one of the first few factors considered in grading. Pearls with excellent lustre exhibit sharp, bright reflections. They appear more vibrant, creating a strong contrast between light and shadow, which enhances their overall beauty. However, pearls with poor lustre will look dull, with weak or blurry reflections. They lack the visual brilliance that makes pearls so prized in luxury jewellery.

Lustre is also closely tied to a pearl's nacre thickness. Pearls with thicker nacre layers produce deeper, more vibrant lustre, while those with thinner nacre may have weaker, less impressive shine. The best lustre often indicates a well-formed, durable pearl that has spent more time growing naturally, as opposed to quickly cultured pearls with a thinner nacre.

Jean & Gray prides ourselves on only using pearls that possess the best lustre on the planet. This signature glow is what elevates our pieces, ensuring that each item in our collection stands as a symbol of excellence. The deep, radiant sheen of our pearls speaks to their exceptional quality, aligning perfectly with the brand's vision of offering only the rarest, most beautiful pearls.

Surface quality

The surface quality of a pearl refers to the presence or absence of imperfections on its outer layer, known as the nacre. These imperfections could be spots, bumps, pits, or other blemishes that can occur during the pearl’s formation.

The surface quality of the pearl is another important factor of consideration in the grading of a pearl. Pearls with more visible blemishes will scatter light unevenly, leading to a duller appearance and a less attractive lustre.

Surface quality isn't just about aesthetics—it also speaks to the pearl’s durability. Pearls with fewer surface imperfections have stronger, more evenly distributed nacre. In contrast, pearls with numerous surface blemishes may have weak spots, making them more prone to damage over time.

Flawless or near-flawless pearls are not only more beautiful but are also much rarer, making them more valuable. These pearls align perfectly with our emphasis on using only the finest and rarest pearls. Jean & Gray only accepts pearls with flawless or near-flawless surfaces to be used in our creations.

Nacre Thickness

Nacre, also known as mother-of-pearl, is the iridescent substance that oysters and mollusks secrete to form pearls. It is composed of microscopic layers of aragonite crystals, and its thickness determines the quality of the pearl. Nacre thickness is a critical factor in the quality and longevity of a pearl, directly influencing its beauty, durability, and grading.

Aesthetic Appeal: Pearls with thick nacre have a deeper, more reflective lustre, which enhances their natural glow. The layers of nacre allow light to bounce off multiple surfaces within the pearl, creating that captivating radiance.

Durability: Thick nacre makes a pearl more durable and resistant to wear. Pearls with thin nacre are more prone to chipping, peeling, or cracking over time, whereas those with thick nacre can maintain their beauty for generations.

Pearl Formation: Thicker nacre indicates that the pearl has had more time to form, reflecting a longer, natural growth process. Pearls with thin nacre are often the result of faster cultivation, which can compromise their quality and longevity.

The thickness of the nacre is also a key indicator of the pearl's rarity and value. Pearls with exceptionally thick nacre are not as common, making them more exclusive and sought after in the luxury market. For Jean & Gray, curating only pearls with the best nacre on the planet ensures that each jewellery piece maintains its prestige and delivers the highest possible quality and durability to our clients, to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Pearl Shape

Pearls come in a variety of shapes, from perfectly round to baroque (irregular) shapes. The most sought-after shapes are typically round and near-round, but other shapes like drop, oval, and baroque also have their unique appeal.

Round: The rarest and most valuable shape. Perfectly round pearls are highly prized for their symmetry and balance. Perfect round pearls have a timeless appeal, symbolising harmony and purity, making them ideal for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. They are the rarest and most valuable due to the challenge of cultivating a perfectly spherical pearl. These pearls command the highest prices because of their symmetry and rarity.

Near-Round: Slightly off-round but still symmetrical, near-round pearls are also considered valuable. Near-round pearls can offer a beautiful alternative at a more accessible price point while still maintaining a high level of elegance.

Oval/Drop: These shapes are often used in earrings or pendants, known for their teardrop-like elegance. Drop and oval pearls are favoured for statement pieces like pendants and earrings, where their unique shape can add to the design's elegance.

Baroque: Irregularly shaped pearls, often chosen for their artistic uniqueness. Baroque pearls have an artistic, organic look, making them popular in avant-garde and bespoke jewellery designs, adding character and individuality. While not traditionally symmetrical, they are prized for their uniqueness and are often used in one-of-a-kind designs.

The shape of the pearl significantly impacts how it can be used in jewellery design. Round pearls lend themselves well to classic, timeless pieces like multi-strand necklaces or earrings where symmetry is key. Drop-shaped pearls add elegance to designs that highlight their elongation, like pendants or dangling earrings. Baroque pearls, with their organic forms, bring a unique, artistic flair to bold, statement pieces.

At Jean & Gray, we specialise in only working with pearls with the best shapes, ensuring that every piece of jewellery radiates symmetry, elegance, and sophistication. Whether it's the classic allure of perfectly round pearls or the striking beauty of a flawless drop, our pearls exemplify perfection in form. This attention to shape reflects our dedication to creating timeless pieces for our discerning clients.

Colour & Overtones

The colour and overtone of a pearl are two essential factors that contribute to its beauty, rarity, and value. These qualities are especially important for Jean & Gray, where pearls are selected for their rich, natural hues, whether classic white, rich gold, or exotic black.

The colour of a pearl consists of three components:

Body colour: The primary colour of the pearl, which can be white, black, gold, pink, or other natural tones.

Overtone: A secondary hue that appears as a soft, translucent layer over the body colour, giving the pearl additional depth and dimension. For example, white pearls can have pink, silver, or cream overtones, while black pearls may exhibit green, blue, or purple overtones.

Orient: A rare rainbow-like shimmer caused by light diffraction through the layers of nacre, which can add a multi-dimensional effect.

Colour greatly influences a pearl's market value. Pearls with rare natural colours, such as deep golden or exotic black with rich overtones, are far more valuable due to their rarity and beauty.

White Pearls: The classic choice, white pearls with a strong overtone (like pink or silver) are highly valued for their purity and elegance.

Golden Pearls: Rare and highly sought after, especially from the South Sea, golden pearls exude warmth and luxury. Their deeper, natural gold hues are considered more valuable than lighter tones.

Black Pearls: Exotic and striking, black pearls (often from Tahitian oysters) with overtones of peacock green, purple, or blue are incredibly rare and can command high prices.

Overtone adds depth and dimension to a pearl’s colour, enhancing its overall beauty. A pearl with a subtle pink or silver overtone, for example, can appear more lustrous and radiant than one without. Pearls with noticeable and desirable overtones, such as the “peacock” overtone in black pearls, are considered of higher quality and value.

The colour and overtone of a pearl also play an important role in personalization. Clients may be drawn to specific hues based on their personal style or cultural significance. For example, white pearls symbolise purity and grace, making them ideal for bridal or classic jewellery. Golden pearls exude warmth and wealth, while black pearls are often seen as bold and mysterious, making them perfect for statement pieces.

For the highest grades, pearls should display consistent, even colour across their surface. Any blotchiness or uneven tones can lower the grade, as uniformity is a sign of the pearl’s high quality. This consistency ensures that pearls selected for fine jewellery pieces, such as those offered by Jean & Gray, maintain their visual appeal under any light.

Jean & Gray is committed to selecting pearls boasting the best colours and overtones. Our creations feature pearls with rich, natural hues, from the classic Akoya white with soft pink overtones to the rare rich golden South Sea pearls and the exotic black Tahitian pearls with vibrant peacock or green overtones. These carefully chosen pearls reflect our dedication to offering pieces that are as stunning as they are exclusive.

To us, the journey to create exceptional pearl jewellery begins with an uncompromising selection process. We meticulously assess each pearl, rejecting those that fall short of our exceptionally high standards. What sets Jean & Gray apart is our unique combination of external and internal grading processes. We collaborate with the Pearl Science Laboratory of Japan to ensure every pearl meets the most rigorous international benchmarks. Internally, our expert team further evaluates each pearl for its lustre, nacre thickness, surface quality, shape, and colour, ensuring only the finest pearls make it into our workshops, to be then transformed into exceptional pieces of art.