--- title: "What Should You Know About Pearls You Already Own?" description: "What to check on pearls you already own or have inherited: real or imitation, natural or cultured, how labs confirm it, and how to keep them in good repair." canonical_url: "https://learnaboutpearls.com/owning/" last_updated: "2026-11-04" last_reviewed: "2026-10-26" reviewed_by: "Simon" publisher: "Unique Pearl" publisher_disclosure: "Learn About Pearls is published by Unique Pearl, a pearl jeweler." --- # What Should You Know About Pearls You Already Own? **Short answer:** With pearls you already own, the first questions are whether they are pearls or imitations, and whether real pearls are natural or cultured, since natural pearls are far rarer. Some imitations can be spotted with simple tests, but only a gem laboratory can confirm that a pearl is natural, using X-ray imaging. Older strands also need care, because the string stretches and weakens over time. Inherited and older pearls usually raise the same few questions: what they are, what condition they are in, and what that means for their value. The page [inherited and antique pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/owning/inherited-and-antique-pearls/) works through them. ## Pearls or imitations An [imitation pearl](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#imitation-pearl) is a manufactured product that only looks like a pearl. [1] In one GIA study of imitation pearls, the [tooth test](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#tooth-test) was among four conclusive tests: the [cultured pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#cultured-pearl) felt gritty against the teeth and the imitations smooth. [2] The [identification](https://learnaboutpearls.com/identification/) section covers the other tests. ## Natural or cultured Age alone doesn’t settle it. Cultured pearls have been commercially important since the 1920s, [3] and telling them from natural pearls takes laboratory testing. [4] A gem laboratory tells them apart with X-ray imaging: a [natural pearl](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#natural-pearl) shows no bead or curved cavity at its center and a uniform, onion-like structure. [5] A [laboratory report](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#laboratory-report) states whether the pearls are natural or cultured, and whether a cultured pearl has a bead. [6] GIA and SSEF weigh loose natural pearls in [carats](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#carat) and in [grains](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#pearl-grain), where 1 grain is 0.25 carat. [6, 7] ## What affects their value The same seven factors apply to old pearls as to new ones: size, shape, color, [luster](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#luster), [surface quality](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#surface-quality), [nacre](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#nacre) quality and matching. [8] Whether pearls are natural also matters, because natural pearls are rare: hundreds of oysters or mussels must be opened to find even one. [5] ## Keeping them in good repair Over the years the string on a strand stretches and weakens, and pearls can easily be restrung. [9] The [care](https://learnaboutpearls.com/care/) section explains how to clean and store them. ## Start here 1. [Inherited and antique pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/owning/inherited-and-antique-pearls/) ## Every page in this section - [Inherited and antique pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/owning/inherited-and-antique-pearls/) How to work out what older pearls are, what affects their value, and how to look after them. ## References 1. U.S. Federal Trade Commission (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations). 16 CFR Part 23, Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries. [Source](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-23) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260907072405/https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-23) 2. June Hanano, Mary Wildman and Philip G. Yurkiewicz (1990). Majorica Imitation Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/doc/Majorica-Imitation-Pearls.pdf) · DOI [10.5741/GEMS.26.3.178](https://doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.26.3.178) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20251005124434/https://www.gia.edu/doc/Majorica-Imitation-Pearls.pdf) 3. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Gem Encyclopedia. Pearl History and Lore. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/pearl-history-lore) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260612145202/https://www.gia.edu/pearl-history-lore) 4. Chunhui Zhou and W. Henry Towbin (2024). Applications of X-Ray Radiography and X-Ray Computed Microtomography in Gemology. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2024-x-ray-imaging) · DOI [10.5741/GEMS.60.4.582](https://doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.60.4.582) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260313113455/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2024-x-ray-imaging) 5. Changbo Zhu, Paul C. Southgate and Ting Li (2019). Production of Pearls. [Source](https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-96776-9_5) · DOI [10.1007/978-3-319-96776-9_5](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96776-9_5) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20240129152149/https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-96776-9_5) 6. Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF. Pearls (SSEF reports). [Source](https://www.ssef.ch/reports/pearls/) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260611191437/https://www.ssef.ch/reports/pearls/) 7. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Analysis & Grading. How GIA Identifies and Classifies Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gem-lab-how-gia-identifies-classifies-pearls) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260606232640/https://www.gia.edu/gem-lab-how-gia-identifies-classifies-pearls) 8. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Gem Encyclopedia. Pearl Quality Factors. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/pearl-quality-factor) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261016075647/https://www.gia.edu/pearl-quality-factor) 9. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Gem Encyclopedia. Pearl Buyer's Guide. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/pearl/buyers-guide) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260613185853/https://www.gia.edu/pearl/buyers-guide) **Written by:** Learn About Pearls editors **Fact-checked:** Learn About Pearls editors, October 26, 2026 **Reviewed by:** Simon, October 26, 2026 **First published:** November 4, 2026 **Publisher:** [Unique Pearl](https://learnaboutpearls.com/about/), a pearl jeweler **Revision history** 1. November 4, 2026: First published. First published **How to cite this page** **APA:** Learn About Pearls editors. (2026). _What Should You Know About Pearls You Already Own?_ Learn About Pearls. https://learnaboutpearls.com/owning/ **MLA:** “What Should You Know About Pearls You Already Own?” _Learn About Pearls_, Unique Pearl, November 4, 2026, learnaboutpearls.com/owning/. **Chicago:** Learn About Pearls editors. “What Should You Know About Pearls You Already Own?” Learn About Pearls. Unique Pearl. Last modified November 4, 2026. https://learnaboutpearls.com/owning/. **BibTeX:** `@misc{lap-owning, title = {What Should You Know About Pearls You Already Own?}, author = {{Learn About Pearls editors}}, year = {2026}, howpublished = {\url{https://learnaboutpearls.com/owning/}}, note = {Learn About Pearls, published by Unique Pearl}}` Quoting with attribution and a link is welcome. See [how to cite and reuse](https://learnaboutpearls.com/cite/). **Suggest a correction** ## Related pages - [Identification](https://learnaboutpearls.com/identification/): Telling real from imitation and natural from cultured, spotting treatments, and when to ask a lab. - [Care](https://learnaboutpearls.com/care/): What damages pearls, how to clean and store them, and when to restring. - [Natural pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/natural-pearls/): Pearls that formed with no human help, why they are rare, and how labs confirm them.