For thousands of years pearls have been worn by the rich and glamorous, and given as extravagant gifts. Traditionally worn by brides, they have long been a symbol of love, purity and perfection. Nowadays pearl jewellery is available to more people than ever before, and you no longer need to be royalty to afford it. Pearls of all shapes, sizes and colours are ‘cultured’ on farms around the world and with so many varieties to choose from any bride-to-be has no trouble finding the perfect pearls to match her wedding gown. In fact, there are so many different types of pearl that it can be difficult to know what to look for, so here are a few things to look out for:

Pearl type – There are two types of pearl, saltwater and freshwater. Saltwater pearls are farmed in the sea, and are usually bigger, rounder and clearer than their freshwater cousins. They also usually cost more for this reason. Freshwater pearls are farmed in lakes and rivers, usually smaller and often less regular in shape, though they come in a large range of different colours.

Size – When it comes to pearls, size really does make a huge difference. The larger the pearl, the more it will cost. Saltwater pearls are generally the bigger variety, and are more highly sought after.

Nacre – Pearls take a very long time to form inside the shell of an oyster. When a foreign object is introduced into the shell, the oyster produces layers of nacre, which gradually build up forming the pearl. The thicker the nacre coating over the nucleus, the longer the pearl will last as jewellery. Some cultured saltwater pearls are ‘beaded’ with a larger nucleus which speeds up the process and ensure a round shape. Natural pearls are formed entirely of nacre, which accounts for their more irregular shape.

Luster – No pearl is perfectly shiny like glass but they do have a certain reflective quality to them, called the lustre. Pearls that have this shimmery surface are the most desired.

Colour – Pearls in their natural state come in various shades of white, pink and lilac although nowadays you can now get cultured pearls dyed in almost any colour. A pearl necklace made of matching naturally-coloured pearls will cost more than dyed ones, as it can take a long time to collect enough matching pearls for a whole string.

Shape – When we think of the ideal pearls, we normally imagine that they are all perfectly round and shiny. In reality round pearls are rare, and these round pearls are highly in demand and so can be very expensive. Small cultured pearls are more likely to be round and some of the larger ones have been formed around a bead to help the shape develop. Irregular pearls are still used to produce unique pendants and earrings.

Matching – It can be difficult to find enough matching pearls to make a whole necklace, so a string of regular naturally coloured pearls will cost more as it is rarer and more desirable.

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