Pearl luster

A luster is the most important aspect in verifying the quality of the pearl surface. As per the research on pearl creation, when mollusk senses irritant its body secretes layers of semi-opaque calcium carbonate to coat the irritant. After few days this substance builds up overtime and converts into pearl.

The luster of pearl depends upon the thickness of calcium carbonate which is also known as nacre. Thicker the nacre more is a luster. Whosoever is buying pearl should take time to assess luster. Specifically when luster is too low pearl is not acceptable.

Luster is produced when light rays are falling or absorbed by the pearl surface and reflected back through the nacre. Luster varies from very high to low. Japanese pearls exhibit more a higher luster than south sea pearls which quite squashy and velvety in appearance.

Pearls with bright and intense luster reflects nearby images, will have a good nacre thickness. The pearls which are very tedious or crumbly have thin nacre. Take into account few things while buying pearl:
- Roll the pearl and view them from all sides.
- Make sure whether the luster is uniform or not.
- Observe them under any light source such as a fluorescent lamp.
- Avoid strong bright and direct light, hold your hands around it and then observe its shadow area.

Sometimes the luster also depends on the temperature of the water in which the pearls are created. Because of this reason the cold water pearls has quite high luster as compare to normal or slightly high temperature water. This is because cold water causes slower nacre making and results in superior crystallization.

Japanese Akoya pearls have implausible luster. The luster can be thin and poor quality. Chinese pearls are also that lustrous and are available in many colors.

For more information on Pearl luster, click here.