Jewelry question: How to tell if pearls are real?

[MichaelD]

There's this guy...he comes around selling pearls, cheap. He works in the area...older guy. A LOT of people have bought from him and say he sells the real thing.

I looked at some just now (no pics, unfortunately!) and they seem real. They have a "heft" to them. Some of the pearls are slightly off-round, have small surface imperfections, etc.

But how do I tell if they are REALLY real?

 

[Chaotic42]

Wear them to a clam rights activists meeting. If they kick your ass, they are real.

 

[cheesewhiz]

rub 'em against your front teeth.. real pearls will feel kinda rough, fake ones will be smooth. Not sure why, but it works.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: cheesewhiz
rub 'em against your front teeth.. real pearls will feel kinda rough, fake ones will be smooth. Not sure why, but it works.

I believe it's because real ones are semi-porous and fake ones tend to be plastic and not porous.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: cheesewhiz
rub 'em against your front teeth.. real pearls will feel kinda rough, fake ones will be smooth. Not sure why, but it works.

hmm.. .. lol

I would imagine that fake pearls would be much too "perfect".

So my guess is that the imperfections you speak of either mean they're real, or they were the rejects from the fake pearl making company.

 

[OulOat]

How cheap is cheap?

 

[Viper GTS]

http://www.thepearlpeople.com/guide.html

Viper GTS

 

[DnetMHZ]

some guy wanted to give you a pearl necklace? :Q

 

[Jzero]

"Real" pearls taste salty if you lick them.

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: Jzero
"Real" pearls taste salty if you lick them.

speaking from experience?

 

[Encryptic]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
There's this guy...he comes around selling pearls, cheap. He works in the area...older guy. A LOT of people have bought from him and say he sells the real thing.

I looked at some just now (no pics, unfortunately!) and they seem real. They have a "heft" to them. Some of the pearls are slightly off-round, have small surface imperfections, etc.

But how do I tell if they are REALLY real?

Beats me, but I can get you a good deal on a pearl necklace..... :evil:

 

[ThreeLeggedGnome]

Originally posted by: Jzero
"Real" pearls taste salty if you lick them.

Uhm well my fiancee's pearl tastes a tad salty too, what should I conclude about that?

 

[nativesunshine]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Wear them to a clam rights activists meeting. If they kick your ass, they are real.

pearls come from oysters....

 

[MichaelD]

Hehehe, I knew there'd be a string of "pearl necklace jokes." That's cool.

I will check out ViperGTS' link...that seems to be the most valid answer so far...no offense to you jokesters, of course.

As always, the sum of all humanity's knowledge (aka AT) comes thru!

 

[Beau]

Smash it with a hammer, if you find a grain of sand in the middle, it was real.

 

[DrPizza]

If I'm not mistaken, cultured pearls are the "real thing" and are dirt cheap. It seems that in Atlantic City, they had a place where you could buy an oyster for just a couple of dollars that was guaranteed to have a pearl in it. You opened it, and got whatever pearl was inside. Also, I believe pearls are graded for quality, just like diamonds. Color is a factor, I don't remember what else.

To check if it's a pearl, I believe you can look for layering (like in a jawbreaker) by cutting them in half...
To cut one in half, actually grind it in half... just sand it down until you get to the center. If you have trouble holding it, encase it in some of that hardening clear plastic stuff and grind the entire thing down until you have half a pearl.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: cheesewhiz
rub 'em against your front teeth.. real pearls will feel kinda rough, fake ones will be smooth. Not sure why, but it works.

I believe it's because real ones are semi-porous and fake ones tend to be plastic and not porous.

i believe someone is trying to make an ass of someone else by seeing if theyll rub perls from some old guys dirty hands onto their teeth

not cool

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: nativesunshine

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Wear them to a clam rights activists meeting. If they kick your ass, they are real.

pearls come from oysters....

That's the kind of prejudice that clam rights activists are fighting. Maybe if you exercised a little less hatred and a little more understanding...

 

[dmw16]

The teeth thing works...

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Cultured pearls go through the same flak that cultured diamonds are going to go through, they're every bit as real, but people want the "real" thing for the psycological aspect.

Amazing what someone in marketing can do, isn't it?

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: dnetmhz
some guy wanted to give you a pearl necklace? :Q

Just avoid licking this one looking for the salty taste.

 

[BooGiMaN]

i think if you put them in vinegar real pearl melt or dissolve...i vaguely rememebr this so i could be way off

 

[hjo3]

Originally posted by: xSauronx
i believe someone is trying to make an ass of someone else by seeing if theyll rub perls from some old guys dirty hands onto their teeth

not cool

Idiot...

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: BooGiMaN
i think if you put them in vinegar real pearl melt or dissolve...i vaguely rememebr this so i could be way off

I think you're right.... a lot easier than cutting them in half

 

[0roo0roo]

use a hammer