Pearl Beading Tips


Jump to:
• Buying Pearl Beads
• Caring for Pearl Jewelry
• Designing Pearl Jewelry
• Stringing Pearl Jewelry

Buying Pearl Beads

How to Buy Fine Coin Pearls
The dramatic shape of coin pearls makes them a fine addition to your jewelry box or gem collection. Finer coin pearls are lustrous, very round, flat and smooth. The constancy in color also determines a fine coin pearl. Coin pearls of poorer quality will be puffy, oddly shaped, and have many blemishes or uneven coloring.
Buying Pearls, Looking At Orient
Often confused with luster, a pearl's orient is the iridescent glow of a pearl when light travels through its layers of nacre. Some people value orient over luster, and vice versa, but they both help to determine the value of a pearl. While the luster of the pearl is reflective, the orient shimmers, and often has a rainbow colored effect. Pearls determined to have a high quality orient will have a well-defined rainbow colored shimmer, and poorer quality pearls may have little orient, or none at all. To see a couple of great examples of orient, check out our peacock rice pearls and peacock coin pearls.
Beware of Blemishes
Whether you are buying or selling pearls, blemishes can affect the price, both positively and negatively. Blemishes, which are tiny imperfections in the pearl's nacre, occur on most pearls, so it is the intensity of them that affects the price. Pearls with only one small blemish are worth more, as the blemish can just become the drilling spot and disappear. Some pearls will have a few small blemishes, which will lower the price a little, but the pearl will still look fine when worn. Pearls with many or large blemishes will not look as nice to most people, so they will be much cheaper.
Looking at a Pearl's Overtone
A pearl's overtone is the overlaying color cast on a pearl's main color. When buying pearls the overtone, or lack of overtone, can be a good indication of its worth. Traditionally, white pearls with pink overtones have been highly sought after, while white pearls with a yellowish overtone might have a reduced value. Because freshwater pearls come in such a wide array of colors to begin with, interesting overtones typically add to their character and value.
Looking for Luster
A pearl's luster is what sets pearls apart from the other gems in the world. The luster is one of the factors that determine the price of a pearl or strand of pearls. This mirror-like shimmer on the pearl's surface varies from pearl to pearl. Some pearls are quite dull, and some are so lustrous they seem to be made of mirrors themselves. When buying pearls, the thicker the outside layer of nacre is and the better the luster, the higher quality the pearl is. Most of our keishi pearls have outstanding luster.
Buying Strands of Pearls
When buying strands of pearls, it's important to look for strands where most of the pearls match. They should be uniform in color, luster, and type and size of blemishes. If they are on a non-graduated strand, they should also be uniform in size. Our tiny off round pearls are extremely uniform in color, size, and shape. If they are on a graduated strand, they should graduate evenly. Sometimes strands are designed to showcase the different sizes, shapes or colors of a particular pearl, in which case these rules will not apply.
Do You Know What A Real Pearl Feels Like?
When buying pearls, you may at one time or another need to test a pearl to see if it is a real pearl. There is a very simple method that anyone can do. Take the pearl and rub it against a smooth surface on your tooth. A real pearl with feel slightly gritty; a fake will glide smoothly, with no resistance. With a little practice, and training yourself what a real pearl feels like, you will be able to spot a genuine pearl like a pro.
Getting a Great Price on Pearls
Buying wholesale freshwater pearls is a great way to get the most gems for your money. Buy cutting out the middleman, you save yourself the price of shipping, storing, advertising, and general retail markup. When you buy pearls straight from the supplier you also get better control over what is offered to you; you have a much greater selection than you would at a retail store.
Quick Guide to Pearl Sizes
Pearls are measured at their diameter in millimeters. Ungraduated strands are sold in a half millimeter range, such as 4-4.5 or 8-8.5. Most strands are three to seven millimeters, but some large or unusually shaped pearls, such as stick or coin pearls, may be up to twenty millimeters or more. Generally, the larger the pearl, the higher the price; however, strands of very small, high quality pearls may be priced higher than their proportions would seem because you get so many pearls per strand.
Round Freshwater Pearls a Rarity No More
The perfectly round freshwater pearl is a highly sought after gem that used to be very rare. Recently the Chinese have developed a culturing process that successfully produces round and off round freshwater pearls. These Chinese freshwater pearls can grow quite large, and their abundance is lowering the price of, and raising the availability of, round freshwater pearls.
Same Quality, Different Price
You can have two pearls in your hand, looking exactly identical in size, luster, shape, and color, one being cultured and one natural, and they will be far from identical in price. Since natural pearls with outstanding qualities are extremely rare, they may be ten or more times the price of their cultured equals. It is also much easier to find matching cultured pearls. Natural pearls that match exceptionally in color, luster, shape, and size may be a staggeringly higher price.
Shapes of Freshwater Pearls
When buying freshwater pearls, it is important to know what their shapes are called so you can find what you are looking for easily. Here are the most common freshwater pearl shapes.
  • Nearly round, off round, almost round: Perfectly spherical, or very nearly so. These are primarily saltwater pearls, although the Chinese have recently succeeded in creating round freshwater pearls.
  • Rice: usually smooth, rarely lumpy, oval shaped, and drilled lengthwise.
  • Potato: sometimes smooth, sometimes lumpy, oval shaped, and drilled widthwise.
  • Nugget: Typically a little more square or pebble shaped than rice or potato pearls, with a flat side.
  • Coin: Flat, bumpy or smooth, round, looks like a coin. May be offered in shapes such as rectangular or oval.
  • Stick: Long and thin with many irregularities.
  • Keishi: Sometimes called "cornflake" pearls, these are flat and highly irregular. Keishi pearls are formed when an oyster manages to expel a bead nucleus, but continues to make a pearl.
What Are Biwa Pearls?
While buying pearls, you may come across the term Biwa pearls. Biwa pearls are cultured freshwater pearls from Lake Biwa in Japan. These were among the first cultured freshwater pearls, and most freshwater pearls used to be Biwa pearls. Because of the shape of traditional Biwa pearls, generic stick shaped pearls from other places are sometimes called Biwa pearls, but we reserve that term for the long, thin pearls that are more rounded and bumpy.
What Are Keishi Pearls?
While shopping for pearls, you may come across the name keishi pearls. Keishi pearls are really a byproduct of the cultured pearl process. They occur when tiny pieces of the material that is being used to form the pearl break off and get covered with nacre. These accidental gems typically have an irregular flake shape and a deep luster. Keishi pearls can be a dramatic accent to many jewelry designs.

Caring for Pearl Jewelry

Cleaning Don't(s) For Your Pearl Jewelry
There are many popular cleaning methods that work on most types of jewelry. Ultrasonic, steam, and solvents all work great, just not on pearls. Ultrasonic cleaning and using harsh solvents can damage your precious pearl jewelry. Steam cleaning may seem soft and gentle, but actually rubs the pearls too roughly, and stretches the threads of strands of pearls out of shape. A simple wipe with a soft cloth may be all you need. If more cleaning is needed, try wiping with a solution of water and gentle detergent-free soap. If you intend to restring your pearls, instructions for cleaning them thoroughly beforehand can be found in our FAQ on safely cleaning pearls.
Careful When Wet
Never wear your pearls when wet. A wet string of pearls will stretch out of shape. The stretching weakens the thread, and when the thread is wet it traps more dust and dirt, causing your pearls to look dirty very quickly. For the same reasons, you should never hang your pearls to dry. Always lay them flat on a moist towel. A moist towel will cause the pearls to dry at a slow, careful pace.
Careful Not to Tangle
Be careful when both handling and wearing your pearls that they do not tangle. Tangles can cause the pearls to rub on each other, creating scratches and causing stress to the thread. A weak thread can lead to a disastrous break of your beautiful strands.
A Quick Fix for Pearls Losing Their Luster
Sometimes you may notice your pearls looking a little duller than they should, even with proper cleaning. This is caused by the skin's acidity, and some people have more than others, causing this to happen quite quickly. You can easily counteract this phenomenon and restore your pearls' luster with a quick soak in some salted water, followed by a rinse and a wipe with a soft cloth. We recommend you do this only when you are ready to restring your pearls. You can find some basic instructions on how to do this in our FAQ on restringing pearls.
Safe Deposit Box, Not So Safe For Pearls
You may think you are doing a favor to your future pearl-loving descendants by putting your pearl jewelry in your bank's safe deposit box, but you may be doing more harm than good. Safe deposit boxes generally have very dry air. Dry air can cause your pearls to lose their luster, crack, or lose their iridescence. It is a much better idea to store your pearl jewelry in a safe place at home.
Restring When Needed
Part of caring for your pearl jewelry is preventing damage before it happens. Since body oils, perfumes, hairsprays, and everyday wear can cause stress to your strand of pearls, it is wise to have them restrung often to prevent a break from happening. If you do not wear your strands often, you may be able to get by with a restringing once every two or three years; if you wear your pearls often, once a year is recommended. If you notice any damaged or stressed areas of your strands, you should immediately have them restrung. You may even want to try restringing them yourself. You can find some basic instructions on how to do this in our FAQ on restringing pearls.
Keeping Your Pearls Clean
Wiping your pearls with a soft cloth after use is important to keeping them in great condition. Oils, perfumes, hairsprays, and cosmetics can all damage your pearl jewelry. They can build up after each wearing, causing harm to your pearls and weakening the threads. Preventing this buildup will save you a lot of damage. If your pearls need a more thorough cleaning, lightly wipe them with a solution of water and a mild detergent-free soap, such as Ivory. You can also have your pearl jewelry cleaned by a professional.
The First Step to Keeping Your Pearls Their Best
Keeping your pearl jewelry clean is the most important step to keeping them in their best condition. The easiest way to keep them clean is to always remember to wash your hands thoroughly before handling pearls or pearl jewelry. Not only will dirt on your hands make your pearls dirty, but also the oils on them can damage your pearls and thread. Keeping a box of baby wipes handy near your pearls will help when you don't have a sink nearby.
Storing Strands of Pearls
Keeping your pearl jewelry safe from scratches begins in your jewelry box. Never store your pearls with other jewelry and gems; they will almost certainly become scratched. Keep them in separate lined compartments, or in soft pouches. There are many pouches available just for pearls, or you can make your own from any soft material of your choice.
Storing Other Pearl Jewelry
Many pieces of pearl jewelry today are not simple strands. There are many rings, earrings, brooches and the like that need proper storage to stay in their best condition. This is especially true of pieces containing very soft freshwater pearls. While putting a strand of pearls in a soft pouch is easy and recommended, pouches are simply too big for smaller items. You may be tempted by their large size to place more than one item in a pouch, but for items that have metal parts, this can spell trouble for your pearls. Wrapping them in small bits of soft cloth individually is a much better idea, and will keep your precious pieces from any bumps, scratches, and nicks.

Designing Pearl Jewelry

Designing Multi-Strand Jewelry Around a Clasp
Multi-strand pearl jewelry can be made unique and exquisite in many different ways. One different way is to design your piece around a clasp you find interesting. Multi-strand clasps, because of their size, can be found with all kinds of spectacular designs on them. Often, it is very easy to find a clasp to fit with your newly strung strand, but sometimes a clasp seems too fancy or special for just any strand. Those are the clasps you design a strand for. By using the clasp as your inspiration, you can easily design a unique piece that showcases both the pearls and the clasp's great workmanship. You may find new inspiration among our sterling silver clasps and toggles.
Designing Jewelry with Rice Pearls
Rice pearls are a nice alternative to round pearls. Since rice pearls are ovals, they work great for necklaces and bracelets. Multi-strand designs work especially well with rice pearls. They also work beautifully for earrings, since they are drilled end to end. With a little imagination, rice pearls can be used in all sorts of jewelry designs, from rings to brooches, or anything you can think of.
Designing Pearl Earrings
The design of pearl earrings largely depends on the shape of the pearls being used. Post earrings work great with coin pearls, half-drilled round or almost round pearls, and rounded half pearls that have a nice flat edge. Almost all pearls can be used for earrings that dangle, but rice pearls, pear or teardrop shaped pearls, and coin pearls look especially nice. Oddly shaped keishi can be used for earrings that are designed to be unusual, funky or modern in appearance.
Using Colored Pearls for Pizzazz
With modern pearl jewelry design becoming increasingly popular, finding new ways to spice up your pearl pieces is important. Using a variety of materials, mixing shapes, and varying sizes can add a funky twist, and combining different colors of pearls really grabs attention. Using complimentary colors with irregular shapes adds interest. Using contrasting colors, even of the same size and shaped pearls, really pops. You can also get a more demure effect while still mixing up colors by using varying shades of the same light color.
The First Step to a Great Design
You may want to jump in and start building your pearl jewelry piece right away, but usually that is a step in the wrong direction. Pearls are precious gems, and designing jewelry with them requires skill, patience, and a great deal of care and planning. Laying out your idea designs on paper before you start will give you the flexibility of tweaking your designs until they are just right, without the risk of damaging pearls or materials. When you have a design down, it is also helpful to lay out any components you have, to see if it all works together in 3D. Only when your design is perfect should you begin to assemble your piece.
A Simple Way to Make a Complex Looking Piece
Designing a piece of pearl jewelry made of multiple strands gives a very complex look, but is very simple. The complexity of the look can be easily varied by adding or subtracting strands, graduating sizes, or even twisting strands together. You can add even more variety by making each strand a different color, or different shaped pearl. Adding pendants or charms to multi-strand pearl jewelry is also a nice effect. The look of a multi-strand item can be quite traditional or very modern depending on your tastes.
Incorporating Knots into Your Strand Designs
Most people know that a knotted strand protects your pearls from rubbing together, but knots in your strands can also add to the strand's look if incorporated into the design. Putting space between pearls, groups of pearls, or groups of beads and pearls make for an interesting and lovely look. When this is done on a clear nylon thread, the design will appear to be made of floating pearls, a very nice effect.
Hair Accessories as Fine Pearl Jewelry
Nowadays, when you picture hair accessories, you think of metal and plastic items, with little or no attractiveness and no value. In years gone by, hair accessories were elaborate, beautiful, and often made of very fine materials. You can easily bring a bit of history to life by designing barrettes, headbands, and even hair combs with precious pearl designs. They can be made in either a traditional and elegant style, or modern and attention grabbing. No matter what style you choose, they are sure to add a touch of worth and class to any special attire.
Easily Add Variety to Your Strands
There are many colored silk threads on the market today. Designing a strand, whether it is a necklace or a bracelet, with a colored thread in mind can add a nice touch to the finished piece. This look is especially nice with the "tin cup" look, as there are spaces of thread between each group of pearls and beads. Coordinating colors can add a very elegant touch, while contrasting hues will give a funky, modern feel. We feature a variety of both traditional thread products and fun new stringing materials on our Thread and Needles page.
Designing With Traditional Pearl Jewelry Styles
When designing pearl jewelry, it is helpful to know different design styles, including the more traditional. Traditionally, pearl jewelry is very simple, elegant, and demure. Often, jewelry designs were simple strands finished as necklaces, bracelets, and multi-strand chokers. They were all-white or pinkish pearls, strung plainly together. Sometimes brooches were made with pearls arranged in the same simple, graceful design. Because these designs are so timeless, they work well in many applications today.
Designing With Potato Pearls
Potato pearls' unique shape and texture make for a very interesting piece of jewelry. Potato pearls work great in necklaces and bracelets, where their side-drilled orientation lay best. They also work well in brooches because their sometimes lumpy texture reflects light and adds definition to the piece. Potato pearls' versatility and their occasional irregularities make them perfect for a jewelry designer with a modern style.
Designing with Keishi Pearls
Keishi pearls, although small, have many uses. Their often irregular shapes make for very interesting pieces. It may take many keishi pearls to fill an entire bracelet or necklace, but the finished design could be well worth the work. Keishi pearls are also great for earrings, rings, and miscellaneous pieces, because their delicate and irregular shape works to your advantage when working with small spaces and items.
Designing with Coin Pearls
The flat round shape of coin pearls makes them ideal for a variety of jewelry applications. They lay quite nicely when used in necklaces and bracelets. They also make very interesting earrings and brooches. Undrilled coin pearls also add a nice effect to pearl jewelry pieces, especially rings. The less expensive coin pearls, which have a bumpy surface, also give a nice effect to modern designs.
Designing Pearl Jewelry with a Modern Flair
Designing pearl jewelry is an art, and like most art, changes with the times. Not long ago pearl jewelry designs were simple, and shied away from exotic colors and unusual shapes. Nowadays, the world embraces pearl jewelry designs with odd shape and color combinations. Pearls of all shapes, sizes, and colors are arranged in bold combinations in everything from necklaces and bracelets to earrings, rings, watches, and even hair accessories.

Stringing Pearl Jewelry

French Wire Bullion
French wire, or French wire bullion, can add a sophisticated finishing touch when stringing pearls. It is a long hollow tube made of a tightly wound gold or silver wire. Although it comes in fine, medium, heavy, and extra heavy sizes, all are just a few millimeters wide. Not only used in stringing pearls because of its added beauty, French wire also protects the thread where it commonly rubs against the hard clasp of the piece. To use, cut the wire to the desired length with wire cutters, and pull the thread through. Attach the clasp to the end, secure tightly, and continue stringing your pearls. Repeat on the end of the strand. Typically, bullion is only available in plated finishes. We do not carry this product at PearlBeadSale.com.

A modern replacement for bullion is the Wire Guard. It is a curved U-shaped channel designed to protect thread or wire that passes through the loop on a clasp - while giving the connection a clean finished look. Wire Guards are also available in Gold Filled.
What Do You Need to String Pearls?
Having all your tools and materials ready before you begin stringing will make the job easier, and not searching for your supplies in the middle of stringing will lessen your chances of losing any pearls. What will you need to string a simple strand of pearls?

You may also find it helpful to have:

  • Tweezers
  • An awl or bigger needle for placing knots close to the beads
  • A lighter for burning lose thread ends
  • A piece of felt or thin foam to keep beads from rolling about
Why Knotting While Stringing Pearls is so Important
Knotting is an important precaution for protecting your precious pearls. If your strand were to break, you would only lose one bead, instead of the whole strand. If you really don't like the look of a knotted strand, consider knotting between a few beads on each end near the clasp. This area of the strand gets the most stress and wear, and is more likely to break. Knotting a few beads here may save you trouble and heartache, without the look of a whole knotted strand.
Getting Tight Knots When Stringing Pearls
Those teeny-tiny knots between the pearls of a knotted strand may look complicated, but they are quite easy. To make one, tie a loose overhand knot in your thread as close as you can after the last placed bead. Using the tool of your choice (typically tweezers or an awl), slowly work the knot up to the bead until it is very snug. When the knot is as close as you can get it to the pearl, pull it tight, and push it up against the bead. With practice, you will have perfect, tiny knots.
Jewelers' Glue Keeps Your String's Knots Tight and Strong
When stringing a knotted strand of pearls, strong, tight knots are best. Keeping those knots in place is important. A little dot of jewelers' glue will hold them firm. Make sure to always use jewelers' glue, as it will absorb into the thread, move with the piece, and not become brittle or damage the strand.
Stringing Pearls, Common Lengths
There are six major pearl necklace lengths for you to know. The smallest is the collar. It is twelve to thirteen inches long. It is worn very high on the neck, and may even be more than one strand. Next is the choker, at fourteen to sixteen inches long. This one is worn loosely around the neck. It can also be multiple strands. Then comes the princess, the most common and versatile length. The princess is seventeen to nineteen inches long. At twenty to twenty-four inches is the matinee, and the opera is twenty-eight to thirty-four inches long. The longest, at forty-five inches or more, is called the rope. A rope is usually made with clasps all along it, so it can be broken down and worn as smaller necklaces and bracelets.
Why Restringing Saves You Heartache
Body oil, perfume, hairspray, and everyday use can weaken a strand of pearls. When a strand is weak, it can break at any moment, scattering your gems. Restringing your strands every one to two years can save you both time and money in the long run. You can take your strands into most jewelers to have it professionally done, or do it yourself. You can find some basic instructions on how to do this in our FAQ on restringing pearls.
Multi-Strand Clasps
Stringing your pearls with a multi-strand clasp is a simple, easy way to create a multi-strand look with the ease of a single closure. Multi-strand clasps can be found in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials to fit your tastes. They usually accommodate two to seven strands, so a variety of looks is possible.
Remember, Pearls Are Soft
When stringing pearls, you might be tempted to use some unconventional materials for a contemporary look. Just be careful since things like wire can scratch your pearls, leaving them dull and damaged. Try a clear nylon thread or a colored silk instead. Or, if you just must try wire, be gentle while stringing, and use other beads as buffers to lessen the chance of the pearls being scratched.