Complete Guide To Selling Pearls At Auction In The UK
On Wednesday, 5th June, we held our second specialist jewellery, silver, and watches sale, with 345 lots up for bidding. A number of the lots contained pearls, the birthstone for June, which is fitting for the timing of our sale.
Pearls are the only organically grown gemstones. These beautiful gems are only produced by a small group of mollusc species in both salt and freshwater environments. In 1893, a Japanese innovator named Kokichi Mikimoto found a way to "culture" pearls. This allowed more to be produced, making them accessible worldwide and at a reasonable price point compared to wild-grown pearls.
In recent years, they have become increasingly popular in the Chinese market. Whilst it has been a popular product for hundreds of years, demand has increased. This is due to the country growing quickly in relation to wealth, further boosting the global demand for both natural and cultured pearls. China has now become one of the biggest producers of pearls in the world, farming over 99% of the world’s new freshwater pearls every year.
With so many variants of pearls, it can be hard to value them. This changes depending on whether you are valuing a single pearl, whether it is a natural or cultured pearl, or indeed if it has been incorporated into a piece of jewellery.
The size, shape, colour, and lustre are a few factors to consider alongside its use in a finished product, but an expert valuer will know what to look for and will be able to advise on its value. However, some pearls can achieve staggering values, demonstrating the extraordinary beauty and expense this simple gemstone can command.
The different types of pearls
There are five different types of pearls: Freshwater, South Sea, Akoya, Tahitian, and Sea of Cortez.
Freshwater pearls are produced almost exclusively in China, with over 99% of the world’s annual production coming from this region. These are less expensive than their seawater counterparts but come in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes, providing multitudes of options. They are also known to be exceptionally durable.
South Sea pearls are the world’s most luxurious and come in two forms: white or golden. They are saltwater grown in the Philippines and the Northern Coast of Australia. These are produced by the largest of the pearl-producing oysters and command tens of thousands of pounds for those which are perfectly round.
Akoya pearls are what is traditionally visualised when you think of pearls. These are classic white and perfectly round, although some have gold and silver blue hues. These beautiful saltwater pearls are produced in Japan, China and Vietnam and vary in price depending on the size and form of jewellery they are incorporated into.
Tahitian pearls are the most exotic gemstones. They are known for their natural black colour and are only produced in the salt waters of French Polynesia. However, they do come with colourful iridescence, usually peacock, green, and purple, so they are very distinguishable from the other pearls on the market.
Finally, the pearls from the Sea of Cortez are the rarest in the world. They are produced from just one farm on the western coast of Mexico, with a yield each year of just 4,000. These are also naturally forming black pearls, similar to the Tahitian pearls. They come in a rainbow of colours and uniquely have fluorescence when held under UV light. They are rarely perfectly spherical yet can still command thousands in price.
How to tell if a pearl is real
With so many fake pearls on the market, you will want to be sure that yours are real, and there are a number of points to check to see if they are authentic.
Shape - Pearls are rarely perfectly round and often have slight differences. If your pearls are slightly different in shape, this is a good indicator of their authenticity.
Temperature - When you first pick them up, they should feel cold. They will eventually warm when worn, but initially, you should notice they are colder than expected.
Uniformity - Or, more accurately, lack of uniformity. Pearls are all uniquely grown gemstones, and as such, each one is unique, so look closely to see if all the pearls are slightly different. Fake pearls are likely to all be wholely identical.
Colour - Most pearls will have a slightly translucent colour to them. Also, pay attention to see if a coating has been placed over the spheres; a real pearl will not have this.
Surface - Pearls are not perfectly smooth due to how they grow. Look for a slight texture on the surface. Manufactured pearls are likely to be completely smooth due to coatings applied during production.
Tooth test - To double-check the surface, if you place a pearl against the edge of your teeth, they should feel slightly rough.
Weight - Pearls may be small, however they weigh more than they appear. So if they feel heavier than expected this is a good indicator they are real.
Drill holes - Finally, if you have a piece of jewellery with holes drilled, for example, to string pearls together for a necklace or bracelet, have a look at the holes. They should be perfect and crisp with no damage to the pearl.
Value and Quality
An expert will assess the above criteria for pearl valuation, and additional factors such as size, quality, shape, and colour will be taken into account. When valuing jewellery, the relationship of the pearls to each other will also be judged to value the piece as a whole. For instance, strings of pearls will often have a gradient of sizes from larger to the centre and gradually decrease in size towards the back and the clasp, so the attention to detail and ordering of these can be important to the piece and its eventual value.
Pearls grow naturally and, therefore, often have variations in their shape, colour and texture. However, the fewer variations and blemishes the pearl has, the higher the value. If a surface is impeccably smooth with no cracks or bumps and has a high-shine exterior, then the pearl is likely to have a higher value. An expert valuer will be able to advise you on its quality and value.
Saltwater vs Freshwater pearls
It can sometimes be challenging to distinguish which type of pearl you have. The steps and styles above should be able to help narrow the options, but the biggest challenge is to tell which are saltwater and which are freshwater. Pearls are made of a product called nacre, which differs depending on where they are grown.
Freshwater pearls have a much thicker nacre. This makes them less lustrous, but this also gives them a slightly deeper shimmer, and they are naturally whiter in colour. Saltwater pearls have naturally thinner nacre and are therefore shinier and have more colour iridescence. But to be sure, you should speak with an expert to find out exactly what type of pearls yours are.
Pearls are most often a matter of style, taste and budget, and everyone has their personal preferences. Freshwater pearls are more affordable due to the culturing process developed and China’s production system, which is growing pearls in volume. However, saltwater-grown pearls have far greater variety in colour, sizes, and shapes. If you want to know more about the quality of your pearls, you should have an expert appraise your pearls for an accurate valuation.
What is the rarest type of pearl?
The rarest pearl is known as a Melo Melo and is, in fact, made by a Southeast Asian seasnail rather than an oyster. It has an orange hue, is perfectly spherical, and can grow to the size of golf balls. However, its rarity is due to the fact that it cannot be cultured despite many attempts to do so, and very few of the snails capable of growing a pearl ever do.
How do I get my pearls valued?
It is important to get a specialist to value your jewellery. The team at RWB Auctions can help by providing free, no-obligation appraisals on your items and telling you what they could achieve at auction. Our auction house in the centre of Royal Wootton Bassett is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. There is no need to make an appointment; our valuers will let you know what your pearls could achieve in our specialist sales.
Pearls that have sold at auction
Our 5th June 2024 sale saw a number of exquisite examples of pearls available for bidding, with some exciting results.
LOT 150 - This Belle Epoque diamond and pearl pendant necklace, with a wreath and ribbon top enclosing a pearl drop, with another pearl drop below and a garland of alternating diamonds and pearls, proved a very popular choice amongst bidders, achieving £2,016.
LOT 98 - This beautiful Edwardian diamond and pearl arrow brooch, with the arrowhead and flights set with rose cuts and a trio of graduated pearls (untested and unwarranted) to the centre, is small but exquisitely crafted. This achieved £358 at auction.
What is the difference between pearl and mother of pearl?
We couldn’t discuss the vast array of pearl options without discussing the mother of pearl, as these are not the same but are formed by the same molluscs. Pearls are created by the molluscs encasing foreign bodies that have entered, covering these objects in nacre to protect themselves and making the beautiful spheres we all recognise. Mother of pearl, in contrast, is the lining of the mollusc shell, creating a flatter surface in the shape of the shell rather than a spherical one, but it is made of precisely the same nacre material. Therefore, they are still used and desirable in jewellery but have other applications, including floor and wall tiles and even musical instruments such as guitars.
LOT 317 - Bidding got fierce regarding this Ladies 18ct gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust superlative chronometer watch. With a mother-of-pearl dial and ruby hour markers, this watch would dazzle and enhance any outfit, and the final price was £4,928.
