Formed in nature, prized for centuries. Pearls are one of the few gemstones created by living organisms—making each one truly unique.
A classic June birthstone known for elegance, simplicity, and staying power.
Recognized by the American Gem Society as an official June birthstone, pearls have been valued for thousands of years for their natural beauty and understated elegance.
Available in a wide range of styles—from classic strands to modern designs—pearls remain one of the most versatile gemstones available.
Unlike other gemstones, pearls aren’t mined—they’re grown.
Pearls might be the right choice if:
Pearls are commonly chosen for:
Not all pearls are the same. The type of pearl affects its appearance, durability, and price.
Freshwater Pearls
Typically more affordable and widely available, freshwater pearls come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They frequently occur in white, cream, peach, pink, and lavender hues.
Akoya Pearls
Saltwater pearls are known for their classic round shape and high luster, often used in traditional pearl strand necklaces. Usually preferred in white or cream with a strong pink overtone, they can also come in other hues like blue or gray.
South Sea Pearls
Larger and more rare saltwater pearls, with a soft satiny luster. Often white or golden in color.
Tahitian Pearls
Naturally darker saltwater pearls, with a high luster, sometimes so reflective that it appears almost metallic. Ranging from gray to black with green, blue, or purple overtones.
Not sure which type fits your style? We’ll help you compare options.
Understanding quality helps you choose the right pearl with confidence.
Luster
The sharper and more reflective the surface, the higher the quality.
Surface Quality
Fewer blemishes or imperfections make pearls more desirable.
Shape
Round or near-round pearls are the most traditional and sought after, but unique shapes can be creative and fashionable.
Color
Pearls come in white, cream, pink, peach, lavender, gold, green, blue, gray, purple, and black tones.
Size
Larger pearls are more rare and command premium prices.
Nacre Quality
Nacre quality is the thickness and evenness of the nacre that makes up the pearl. The nacre should be thick enough that you can’t see the bead nucleus through it, and the nacre should not appear chalky.
Matching is how uniform a set of two or more pearls are with each other in size, color, shape, and quality. It can take years to match a single strand of pearls.
Pearls are organic gemstones formed when an irritant enters a mollusk, triggering layers of nacre to build around it over time.
Unlike mined gemstones, pearls are created naturally, making each one unique.
Pearls have been prized for thousands of years and were once considered more valuable than gold.
They were worn by royalty and associated with wealth, purity, and status across cultures.
Before pearl cultivation techniques were developed, natural pearls were extremely rare and difficult to obtain.
Pearls are often associated with:
Yes. Pearls are organic gemstones formed naturally inside mollusks.
Natural pearls form without human intervention, while cultured pearls are grown with assistance. Both are made with nacre by the mollusks.
Yes, but they are softer than most gemstones and should be handled with care.
June.
Yes. Avoid harsh chemicals and store them separately to prevent scratches.
Yes. Pearls can be bleached, dyed, irradiated, or coated. Ask an AGS jeweler you trust to tell you about any treatments on pearls or pearl jewelry you’d like to purchase.
