pearl glossary
Blemish
A blemish is a defect found on the surface of the pearl. Minor blemishes include spots, bumps, pits and wrinkles, and can affect a pearl's price.
Major blemishes, which can affect the durability of a pearl as well as its price include cracks, holes and chips.
Button
A button is a dome-shaped pearl with a flat bottom.
Choker
A choker is a pearl necklace that is 16 - 18 inches in length.
Circles
Circles are concave, concentric rings found on the surface of a pearl.
Clean
Clean refers to the absence of blemishes on the surface of a pearl.
Color
Color is a quality factor used to describe the color of a pearl.
Collar
A collar is a pearl necklace that is 10 - 13 inches in length.
Grafting
Grafting is the human insertion of an irritant into a mollusk in order to produce a cultured pearl.
Lustre
Luster refers to the combination of surface shine and depth of inner light refraction in a pearl. Lustre is one of the main factors of pearl quality.
Mantle tissue
The layer of tissue adhering a mollusk to it's inner shell.
Matching
Matching refers to using luster, surface, shape, color, and size to match several pearls in order to create a piece of pearl jewelry.
Matinee
A matinee is a pearl necklace 20 - 24 inches in length.
Momme
Momme is the weight measurement for pearls in Japan. One momme equals 3.75 grams or 18.7 carats.
Nacre
Nacre is the calcium carbonate substance secreted by a mollusk as a defensive measure against a foreign irritant in its body.
Nucleus
Nucleus is a small piece of shell from one mollusk used as an irritant for another mollusk.
Nucleation
Also called grafting or implementation, the process of inserting an irritatant (nucleus) into the body of a mollusk so that it will secrete nacre to cover it, consequently producing a cultured pearl.
Opera
An opera is a pearl necklace 28 - 32 inches in length.
Princess
A princess is a pearl necklace 17 - 19 inches in length.
Rope
A rope is a pearl necklace over 45 inches in length.
Shape
A quality factor used to describe the shape of a pearl. A round pearl is the most prized shape in the industry.
Sorting
Separating pearls by surface, shape, color, and size prior to the matching process.
Surface
A quality factor indicating the amount of blemishes on a pearl, ranging from clean to heavily-blemished.
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