Metal that lasts
How to Tell If Pearls Are Real
Grit on the tooth, layered nacre at the drill hole, cool weight, imperfect match. A $29 perfectly round strand has already told you.
Updated 27 Aug 2026 · 6 min read · how to tell if pearls are real
Home tests that do not destroy the strand
Tooth test: light rub on an incisor, one pearl, not a chomp. Grit = nacre. Smooth = coating. Some high-end fakes have a sandy coat; then you need the hole and the X-ray.
Drill hole: real nacre looks like tree rings in miniature. Fake shows a chip of pearlescent paint and a glass or plastic body. Rub two pearls together: real can leave a faint nacre powder; fakes can leave paint. Do this on the least visible pearl.
Weight, match, and the listing
Plastic is light. Glass is heavy. Real sits in the middle and stays cool briefly. A 18 inch of 7 mm real pearls has slight shape and overtone variation. A 18 inch of 7.0 mm clones is a factory. If the seller will not show a macro of the hole, treat it like a gold listing with no stamp — the same instinct as real versus fake pearls on price. “Majorca,” “shell pearl,” and “glass pearl” are honest fakes when labeled. “South Sea” plus $40 is not.
| Test | Suggests real | Suggests fake |
|---|---|---|
| Tooth rub | Gritty | Slick |
| Drill hole 10× | Nacre layers | Paint, peel, bead |
| Match | Close, not clones | Identical orbs |
| Price 10 mm strand | Hundreds to thousands | $12–$40 “South Sea” |
| X-ray | Nucleus + growth | Solid glass / hollow coat |
When to stop testing and pay a jeweler
An inherited strand, a $1,200 online akoya, or anything you would be angry to be wrong about. X-ray and a loupe take minutes. Acid, fire, and knives are vandalism. If the clasp is stamped 14k, that proves the clasp, not the 40 beads.
Questions, answered
- Does the tooth test damage pearls?
- A gentle rub is standard. A bite can ding nacre. One pearl, light pressure, then stop.
- Can real pearls be perfectly round?
- Yes, especially akoya, and you pay for that. Perfectly round and $29 is still fake.
- Do fake pearls tarnish the skin?
- Coatings can flake green or gray onto the neck, especially with sweat. Real nacre does not dye you green. A metal clasp might, if it is plate.
