Lovely stones of many connoisseurs are beautiful is a gentle pearl. It is often used in the manufacture of beautiful jewelry. However, not always the stone, issued for natural pearls, is real. There are many fakes on sale, which at first glance is not so easy. Today we will look at what methods can be distinguished natural pearls from his well-made copy.
What you need to know about natural pearls?
Decorations made of natural pearls belong to the category of luxury and cost much. This beautiful stone is divided into several varieties. For each of which are characterized by their own characteristics.
Read them.
- Sea pearls. This stone of wonderful beauty has the perfect rounded shape and is distinguished by an attractive gloss. The life cycle of this beauty on average is 10 years. In the sink, the stone matures for several years. In one shekushka can be formed from 1 to 3 pearls.
After a small time interval, sea stones begin to slowly lose their brightness and characteristic shine, as a thin pearlescent layer begins to erase. The color of such pearls is not only white, but also brighter, and even coarse black.
- Freshwater. Pearls of this species are mined from mollusks that live in rivers and lakes. The number of pearl color stones in one sink can vary from 12 to 16 pieces. They have a more dull color, their shine is not striking, being muted. The form of such pearls can vary greatly.
There are not only rounded, but also oval options (they are most common). These stones are resistant to abrasion, since their pearl layer is deeper and dense. The shade of the layer is most often dairy. The river pearl is not pink or black.
Since the cost of wild pearls is very significant, a natural cultured stone can serve as an alternative.
The processes of formation of wild stones and growing their analogues are identical to each other. The difference lies only that in one case the appearance of the pearls provoke alien individuals from the side, and in the other - a person.
For fake options
There are several types of fake stones manufactured by a person and issued for a natural wild product.
Artificial stones are often issued for natural. If they are made well, they are very difficult to distinguish them from the wild pearl.
Consider several types of artificial pearls that are most often used as imitation of real stone.
So, The most famous pearl of artificial origin is Majorik. This type of stone is rightly recognized as one of the most spectacular and beautiful. This species is found very often.
Otherwise it is called "orchid". Make such beauty on the famous island Mallorca for 120 years. These stones are based on porcelain or alabaster balls. Ready beads are quite difficult to distinguish from the wild pearls.
There are also exist Parisian and Venetian kinds of pearls. The technologies of their production were developed for quite a long time. Do french pebbles From the douty glass filled with wax or paraffin of the desired coloring.
Venetian technology has a lot in common with the method of manufacturing a beautiful French pearl, so no less relevant and in demand. With this method, the balls are also made from the douty glass, but already with the introduction wax and special pearl dust.
The most modern copies of natural pearls are Stones made according to special shell technology. It was developed in the United States, but managed to become famous in all countries of the world. In accordance with it, lacquered layers are applied to a pearl ball, consisting of polymer elements and mica, titanium oxide and carbon lead.
Beautiful and natural looks Roman pearls. It is made of hollow glass details with a filling from paraffin.
The way to create such stones was invented even in the Middle Ages, but at that time the work method was more rude. A little later, special essences from fish scales began to cover the bases.
Thanks to this reception, the type of artificial pearls becomes more attractive and noble. Properly manufactured Roman stones are not easy to distinguish from natural pearls.
You can find a pearl imitation From plastic . Such details are most often used to supplement different jewelry items.
They stand frankly cheap, as they look. Satisfying natural pearls with plastic will not be difficult.
Methods of authentication
You can distinguish an artificially derived stone from a natural one. It is possible to do this at home without excess costs and excess time. Consider what methods for determining the naturalness of pearls exist.Visual
First of all, when checking the quality of stone, people are based on visual inspection methods. During these procedures, some appearance factors belonging to the stone are required.
We must look after K. The form, clean surface and the weight of the pearl product.
The shape of natural stone in most cases is a bit incorrect. Ideal and without flaws, it should not be.
Pearls are a bit elongated, elliptic, ovoid and even pear-shaped. As for the stones of the perfect round section, they are not as often as it seems to many people. They are mainly complemented by rings and earrings. Most often these are cultivated gems.
The wild pearl of the perfect form has a very high cost. It is often sold with auction as luxurious large diamonds.
If you are offered beautiful catchy beads, consisting only of the right spherical pearls, the cost of which is less than several thousand rubles, it will mean that you are fake decoration. Even cultured perfectly round pearl will not cost cheap.
The shade of beads can be snow-white, pink, yellowish, silver, green, blue, purple or black.
The further coloring from white, the brighter will be the color of the product, and the more expensive it will cost.
As for the surface of the pearls, then in natural stone she will always be the smallest and slightly rough.
In addition, it will be noticeable specks that have shine. For a mineral of natural origin, an inhomogeneous coloring is characteristic. On this factor, you can also determine the naturalness of the stone - the fake pearl color will always be homogeneous.
If there is an abuser on the bead, then it is under the magnifying glass to look at the edges, which are located near the tailored hole. If there is a darker nucleolus, then the stone is a fake.
In addition, close to the hole you can see small scratches on the paint or lower. You should use a magnifying glass to distinguish the specks that are on the dye.
Pearls, which has been treated with radioactive radiation, acquires an interesting dark ash or even dense black color.
This method is imitating a spectacular black sea pearl, which is one of the most valuable. The specified way of cheap river stones make more expensive marine pearls.
You should pay attention to the weight Pearls. Similarly, it will be easiest to check the prefabricated things, for example, beads, necklaces or bracelets. They should not be the easiest and the impressive mass, because pearls are a pretty heavy mineral. The more stones on the thread, the harder it will be all the decoration as a whole.
Often in stores sell plastic beads under the guise of pearls.
If you take into the hands of plastic ornaments, then they will be very light, especially in comparison with natural minerals. Glass beads will also have a much smaller weight.
Mechanical
To check, a real stone or a fake, this method is used very often. It is based on the mechanical properties of pearls. This is a rather dense substance, the level of hardness of which reaches 4 units in Moss. Low hardness indicators allow you to check the stone "tooth".
If it is neatrate to bite, you will feel in the language and teeth with a small fraction powder, the creak will be heard. This is an excellent method to recognize the natural mineral. However, he may not work if you are described above "Majorik".
The main disadvantage of this method is that the experiment can be carried out exclusively at home, already on a purchased thing. In the jewelry store, such manipulations will not be allowed.
There is another mechanical method - friction. Beads should be carefully losing each other. As a result, a little pearl powder will appear.
But it is necessary to consider that this option will not help if you are "Majorika". This is due to the fact that such stones have coatings with a true mother-in-law, beaten and innocent.
You can check the pearls on strength . Bead will need to drop on a solid surface. If the material is natural, it will remain not very large traces of impact, for example, dents or scratches. Noticed damage on a natural stone can be easily smoothed with a finger.
On the glass or plastic parts, no defects will most likely remain. Besides, Plastic elements will bounce off the solid surface, like a ball. With the pearl, such can not be.
Chemical-physical
These methods of checking the origin of pearls are based on certain chemical properties of the mineral. For example, Real pearls are distinguished by low thermal conductivity. - Very slowly warm, like most other natural stones.
Beads or pearl necklaces will be felt cold on the skin. If the decoration is made of glass or plastics, it quickly heats up, contacting the human body.
If at least the slightest doubts arise in the authenticity of the chosen You can agree with a familiar radiologist. It will allow you to put an accessory in the X-ray machine. This method can be carried out only with respect to one bead, and not at once, because in terms of irradiation, these elements can become black. The picture taken will make it possible to understand what is the internal structure of the material: The number of layers, density level, kernel presence and other features.
If you put a stone into the fire, in a couple of minutes it should not happen any major changes. If the bead is made of plastic, then it will quickly melt. Details made of glass under the influence of fire burst.
Determine the authenticity of pearls will help vinegar . It is necessary to put a stone and preferably only one, as in the case of an x-ray, since vinegar can quickly dissolve all beads. If you are "Majorika" before you, then after the room in vinegar from it, only a simple core of glass will remain. With imitation of plastic or glass, no changes will occur.
Formal
In this case, it is implied not to the ways of checking stones. Formal methods you insight yourself from deception from the seller.
The main factor on which will be paid attention to, - this is cost of goods. Natural product will be expensive expensive. Even those minerals that are not particularly valuable will not cost several thousand rubles. It is very important to take into account. If you are offered something cheaper, then most likely it will be a product of plastic or glass.
Pearl decorations are recommended to buy in solid jewelry salons with a good reputation.
When buying such an accessory, it is advisable to request Quality Certificate and familiarize yourself with it. So you protect yourself from buying fake things.
To learn about whether the stone is natural in front of you, turning to specialists. True, it will be possible to do this with the already purchased accessory. So you can make sure that you bought a natural thing or find out that it is not.
What to pay attention to when buying?
If you decide to purchase a pearl decoration in the jewelry salon, then if you choose, you will need to determine the naturalness of the stone. The following parameters should be taken into account to select a high-quality accessory.
- Pay attention to the price. As mentioned above, natural stone will not cost too cheap.
- Hold the decoration in your hands. If it seems too easy for you, then it is not worth it - it is fake. A real pearl has an impressive weight. With plastic or glass in weight issues, it is difficult to confuse.
- Look at the shape of pearls . They must have different shapes and sizes. Absolutely identical stones in a necklace or bracelet can not be if the accessories are made of natural mineral.
- Pay attention to the shine decoration. The natural stone is beautiful and brightly glitter. If the pearls are faded, then before you fake.
- Examine the surface of the selected product . Natural stones will be rough.
- Hold things in your hands. If she immediately heats up and becomes warm, it will mean that an artificial mineral was used in its manufacture. Real pearl decorations will be only cold.
- Be sure to request a quality certificate for the selected product Even if the thing looks perfect and in her naturalness there is no doubt.
The recommendations of the specialist about what to pay attention to when choosing products from pearls can be found from the following video.