Guide to Tahitian Pearl Grading
Photo Credit © Frédéric Payet - Maison de la perle
Those people who enjoy having fine jewelry love to have Tahitian black pearls. These cultured pearls are located at South Sea where you can find the largest size of pearls. The size of the pearls found here varies from 10 mm to 20 mm. Is it not amazing? Such large-size Tahitian pearls look super attractive. These pearls can be used to make necklaces, pairs of earrings, or bracelets. Tahitian pearls are in large demand due to their extraordinary beauty, and their large size makes them even more attractive and more mystical. Tahitian pearl jewelry is quite expensive due to its rarity and amazing features. This is one reason these astonishing pearls are so demanding. Most people associate pearls with tinges of pinks, creams, or black, but if we talk about Tahitian pearls, then they are entirely different from all other pearls in the world. People who like to be trendsetters or those who have their own style of fashion like to have Tahitian jewelry. Tahitian pearls can also be a status of wealth.
If we talk about Tahitian pearl grading, then there is no definite number system or recognized letter system for it. All Tahitian pearl dealers used to follow some best pearl-grading practices that are accepted worldwide. These practices are considered as the best practices and are recognized by all professionals within the pearl industry. In order to get the best Tahitian pearl it is important to understand the grading features and quality characteristics of Tahitian pearls. Tahitian pearl grading will definitely help you in comparing various pearls and get you the one you are looking for.
There are six factors in pearl grading: shape, luster, size, surface quality, nacre thickness, and colour that makes the overall pearl-grading system. Each of the gems has different value factors of all these quality attributes, and that makes each one of them most unique and precious. It is possible to measure and grade each grading factor individually, but most of the Tahitian pearl traders find the letter system grade more reliable.
There are basically two pearl-grading systems that are followed internationally which are AAA-A and A-D. A-D is also known as the Tahitian grading system, and the AAA-A system was popularized by the late Kokichi Mikimoto. In the U.S. both systems are used widely for pearl grading. In producing countries like French Polynesia and Australia, the A-D system is used by all Tahitian pearl producers. However, if we talk about Hong Kong, then these people utilize the AAA-A system while selling Tahitian pearls to wholesalers. As there is no internationally recognized pearl-grading system nor is there any number system or alphabetical system, both systems of grading are widely acceptable. The alphabetical grading system used to analyze these Tahitian pearls basically depends on the place you are getting these pearls from. So you can believe in either system as both the systems are absolutely correct and completely acceptable everywhere.
Quality A: Pearls are clean to very slight imperfection with 1 small inclusion that is visible to the naked eye but are flawless on at least 90% of pearl’s surface. These pearls also have very high luster and they are rare. Their rarity adds significantly to their cost.
Quality A/B: Pearls are clean to slight imperfection with 1 or 2 inclusions that are visible to naked eye but are flawless on at least 80% of pearl’s surface. These pearls also have high to very high luster.
Quality B: Pearls are lightly blemished with 1 or 2 inclusions that are visible to naked eye but are flawless on at least 70% of pearl’s surface. These pearls also have high to very high luster.
Quality C: Pearls are moderately blemished with imperfections up to 60% of pearl’s surface that are visible to naked eye but are flawless on at least 40% of pearl’s surface. Inclusions must not exceed over 10% of pearl’s surface. These pearls also have medium to very high luster.
Quality D: Pearls are heavily blemished with imperfections over 60% that are visible to naked eye but but inclusions must not exceed over 10% of pearl’s surface. These pearls also have poor to very high luster.
Tahitian pearls below D quality are not allowed to be exported from French Polynesia.