How Much Do Cultured Pearls Cost?
If you are new to the world of pearls, you have probably glanced at the prices from different stores or websites and are confused, as the prices vary greatly.
If you give me a few minutes, I promise to answer all your questions about how much do the pearls cost.
I know you are looking for an answer with figures, but these depend on several factors, so it is important that you read the article to understand them.
As a guiding hook to convince you to keep reading, here you can see estimated prices from the ones where you can find one of the most popular designs.
Round high-quality cultured pearl earrings with 18k gold post and clutch. (Depending on the size)
| Type of pearl | From |
| Freshwater | 180€ - 500€ |
| Akoya | 400€ - 3,000€ |
| Tahiti | 500€ - 4,000€ |
| Australian | 1300€ - 7,000€ |
Estimated prices from which you can find the mentioned earrings depending on the size (the larger the size, the higher the minimum price, we will analyze this further below). Prices vary drastically between a good pearl and an extraordinary one.
The first confusion we need to clarify is that what you see in jewelry stores are cultured pearls, no natural. The cultivation or encouragement of oysters to create pearls is a practice that has been carried out for more than 100 years. While it is true that natural pearls exist, they are extremely rare, and a necklace of natural pearls of acceptable quality can cost more than one million dollars.
Having clarified this, let's move on to explain the reasons why there are cultured pearl necklaces costing just 100 euros and others costing hundreds of thousands.
To understand how much a pearl costs, it is necessary that you first know the 7 quality factors of pearls.
Discover our collection of Pearl Necklaces
The value of a pearl is determined by the combination of 7 factors that determine its quality, and in addition, its origin.
Let's start with the factors.
How much is a pearl worth according to its quality?
Remember that it is the combination of the 7 factors that determines how much pearls cost.
- Brightness: The intensity of the light reflected on the surface of a pearl. We mention the luster first because we consider it very important; if a pearl does not shine, it is not of quality. When other factors are equal, if a pearl shines more, it is more valuable.
- Size: Detailed in millimeters and up to two decimal places. The larger a pearl is, the greater its value. This is especially noticeable when we approach the maximum sizes in which a particular type of pearl can be found. For example, Akoya pearls over 9 mm are extremely rare, so their value increases exponentially.
You can find pearls from 2mm up to over 30mm
- Shape: Denominated as Round, Semi-round, Oval, Button, Drop, Semi-Baroque and Barrocas. Pearls that do not fall into these categories are described by the shape they appear to have; for example, coin pearls are called that because they are coin-shaped. As a general rule, the rounder a pearl is, the higher its value.
- Surface: The quantity, size, and location of the imperfections present on a pearl. The fewer imperfections, the smaller their size, and the smaller the percentage of the pearl's surface they cover, the higher its value.
- Color: Although color does not affect the quality of a pearl, certain color shades can be more valuable than others. For example, in the golden variety of South Sea pearls, the more intense the golden color, the higher its value.
Discover all the colors that pearls have
- Quality and thickness of the mother-of-pearl: Most Freshwater pearls are all nacre, so this factor does not affect them, but to obtain certain Freshwater pearls and all saltwater pearls, a nucleus must be included that the oyster covers with nacre. The thicker and higher quality the nacre, the greater the value of the pearl.
- Matched: The uniformity of the pearls in a necklace or in pieces that have several pearls. This task, which may seem simple, is actually very difficult. It can take years to obtain the pearls to create a necklace of large, high-quality pearls, since the color, shine, shape, and number of imperfections must be similar in each pearl.
View round Freshwater cultured pearl bracelet 8.5 - 9.5 mm
Now that you know a bit about the 7 factors, you will better understand why earrings or a necklace with 6 mm pearls that barely shine, are poorly round, and have visible imperfections on much of their surface, are immensely cheaper than ones with 13 mm pearls whose 7 factors are optimal.
How much do pearls cost according to their origin?
Before I start talking to you about the different origins of pearls, I would like to clarify that the origin does not intervene in the quality. The quality is determined by the factors we have discussed.
All types of pearls have their advantages and they should not be compared with each other, but in many cases they cannot be compared with each other due to their color and size.
For example, pearls Tahiti, are the only pearls of dark tones natural (undyed), so if you are looking for dark-colored pearls, you only have this option. The same applies if you are looking for pearls of gold color, the only option is pearls australian of golden variety. And once again, if you are looking for pearls in pastel tones, lavender color o peach, you will only find them from Freshwater.
Due to the fact that pearls are created by mollusks of different species, with different cultivation methods and in different countries, it is easy to understand that some types of pearls are more scarce and faces to produce which others, and therefore, their price is higher.
As a general rule, as long as the quality is similar, the order of the types of pearls and their value would be the following:
- Freshwater: Normally Freshwater pearls they are usually the most affordable, as mussels are capable of producing many pearls at once and production costs are lower. Within this group, there is an exception: Freshwater pearls type Edison, whose cultivation is more complex and each mussel produces only one pearl.
- Akoya: The next pearls we come across are the Akoya, especially those of medium sizes of 7 mm and produced in China, since those produced in Japan tend to be of higher quality and reach much higher prices. Large-sized ones are very scarce and their prices are usually very high.
- Tahiti: These pearls are produced in French Polynesia, although in recent years, due to increased production, the pearls Tahiti They have become more accessible, especially in low qualities. However, high-quality and large-sized ones still reach very high prices.
- Australians: Finally, we would have the queen of gems. The pearls of South Sea, commonly misnamed Australian pearls, since not all are produced in Australia, they tend to be the largest pearls and the ones that most frequently reach record prices.
View Freshwater Cultured Pearl Keshi Pendant 14-16 mm
If you have read this far, you will understand that this is only a guideline, since, as I have explained, the price also depends on the quality and each pearl is different. Therefore, when buying pearls or pearl earrings It is important that you do it with a brand that can provide you with all the information you need.
In SY Pearls we are experts in pearls, graduated from the GUIDE and backed by three generations of experience importing pearls directly from producers, which is why we ensure to offer the best information and assistance you need to make the right decision.
