Pearl Grading: Surface Quality
Pearl Grading System
Pearl grading is very similar to the "4 C's" of diamond grading in that the pearl grading system takes into consideration several key categories of qualitative comparison analysis. The pearl grading system consists of five main categories:
4. Pearl Surface Quality
Surface blemishes, or the lack thereof, play an important role in the valuation of pearls. Generally speaking, the fewer surface blemishes a pearl has, the more valuable it is. The term "blemishes" refers to any visible bumps, marks, imperfections or small indentations on the pearl's surface. These blemishes give each pearl a unique "fingerprint" of identifying factors.
To find pearls without any visible blemishes is extremely rare, and their price is likely to be astronomical, given other quality factors being equally high. Blemishes in and of themselves should not be an excluding factor in valuation, and it is important to keep in mind that pearls are organically grown, and just like the human body, no two are exactly alike.
Small blemishes on pearls are somewhat inevitable, however, any serious surface damage, imperfection, or intrusion such as a crack or chip in the nacre should be cause for concern as these conditions will affect the longevity of the pearl, as well as the value. When assessing pearls, look at each pearl individually to judge its surface quality, as they are all different.
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