The facts
What pearl actually is
Pearl is classified as nacre — aragonite and conchiolin, with the composition CaCO₃. It crystallises in the orthorhombic (aragonite) system.
Colour comes from organic pigments in the conchiolin, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.52–1.69. Specific gravity around 2.60–2.85. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where pearl comes from
Pearl is produced at Akoya, Japan, South Sea — Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Tahiti and Freshwater, China.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How pearl is treated
Bleaching, dyeing, irradiation and lustre treatment are all used. Natural versus cultured is the first question, and needs X-ray.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What pearl is confused with
In the trade pearl is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Imitation pearl, Shell bead or Cultured vs natural.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.52–1.69 and specific gravity 2.60–2.85 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What pearl is used for
Demand for pearl comes from jewellery, prayer beads and cosmetics, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat, by the set or by the tonne.
Durability and care
Pearl is 2.5–4.5 on the Mohs scale, with none cleavage.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What pearl costs
As a guide, pearl trades around $1–100,000/pearl.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is pearl treated, and how?
Bleaching, dyeing, irradiation and lustre treatment are all used. Natural versus cultured is the first question, and needs X-ray.
Where does pearl come from?
Akoya, Japan, South Sea — Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Tahiti and Freshwater, China. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is pearl hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 2.5–4.5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does pearl cost?
Indicatively $1–100,000/pearl. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is pearl confused with?
Most often Imitation pearl, Shell bead and Cultured vs natural. A refractive index of 1.52–1.69 and a specific gravity near 2.60–2.85 separate it quickly.
What is pearl used for besides jewellery?
prayer beads and cosmetics. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for pearl?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about pearl