Pearl Gemstones by Colour
This table shows the variety of hues this gemstone can be found in. Click on a photo for more information.
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Pearl Gemstones by Size
This table shows distribution of Pearl gemstone sizes that are listed on this site. This can give a good indication as to the general availability of this gemstone in different sizes.
Contributed photos
Lightest:11.56 cts
Heaviest:30.01 cts
Average:20.79 cts
Total photos:7
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| Pearl Treatments | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White pearls are routinely bleached to lighten the dark spots of conchiolin (undetectable). Dyed mostly golden, pink, gray, silvery-black, chocolate colors: standard tests limited. Acetone or diluted acids may reveal the dye. Dyed black: LW - generally inert. Dyed yellow and golden (and/or heated): may show small spots of color concentration. LW - light blue to mottled pink orangy-yellow (even body color with uneven fluorescence is suspicious). Irradiated to create a grayish-black body color (gamma rays), bluish and bronze hue. Color division between whitish nacre and dark nucleus may sometimes be seen in the drill hole or using a strong transmitted light - Blue Chart Gem Identification, Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, 2010, p 8 | ||||||||||||
| Physical Properties of Pearl | ||||||||||||
| Mohs Hardness | 2.5 to 4.5, Gemmological Tables (2004) | |||||||||||
| Specific Gravity | 2.66 to 2.76, Gemmological Tables (2004) | |||||||||||
| Optical Properties of Pearl | ||||||||||||
| Refractive Index | 1.53 to 1.69, Gemmological Tables (2004) | |||||||||||
| Birefringence | 0.16, Gemmological Tables (2004) | |||||||||||
| Colour | ||||||||||||
| Colour (General) | White, cream colour, black, gray, yellow, pink, greenish, Gemmological Tables (2004) | |||||||||||
| Transparency | Opaque, Gemmological Tables (2004) | |||||||||||
| Fluorescence & other light emissions | ||||||||||||
| Fluorescence (Long-Wave UV) | White pearls: common light blue to light yellow; Yellow and golden pearls: yellow-green, greenish brown to dark brown; Black: commonly pink to (orangy)-red, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) | |||||||||||
| Further Information | ||||||||||||
| Mineral information: | Pearl information at mindat.org | |||||||||||
| Significant Gem Localities | ||||||||||||
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