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It seems most of us have some "pearls" in our jewelry boxes...from a childhood gift, from being a bridesmaid in a wedding, or inherited from an aunt, or grandmother...but are they real pearls?
Have you ever wondered how you can test for pearls?
1. Simply rub two pearls together. They should feel "grainy" and not totally smooth. Fake pearls are usually plastic beads covered with coating that is very smooth. Real pearls have texture to them. This is the easiest test for pearls.
2. Bite them...not quite like checking for a "gold piece" as the cowboys do in old westerns, but slide your teeth back and forth over the pearl. Again, you will feel the grainy texture.
3. Real pearls can actually be gently"scraped" with a scissors. This scraping won't ruin the luster, because the luster isn't only skin deep, but extends through all the layers of nacre of a genuine pearl. I don't advise this for expensive pearls, however. This is best tried on freshwater pearls, where the nacre extends throughout the pearl. Seapearls only have a layer (sometimes very thin) of nacre over a shell bead...you wouldn't want to harm this thin layer.
(Scraping fake pearls with a scissors will permanently damage them, however, so take care.)
There are many round beads made out of shells these days. When applying these tests to shell beads, they will also feel grainy like a pearl.




