Guinea Pearl Ruby Bridal 2014 Fashion Gold Jewellery 40

Guinea Pearl Ruby Bridal Fashion Gold Jewelry. 

By Aamir Mannan.

It's generally accepted that Akoya pearls, the classic cultured pearls of Japan, are the most lustrous of all pearls. But "lustre" is only one of the 5 quality factors used in judging cultured pearls, the others being "surface," "shape," "color" and "size." Let's review these quality factors, and see how each applies to Akoya pearls. A bit later, we'll do the same with South Sea pearls and Tahitian pearls.

Quality Factor One: Lustre

Lustre is considered the most important quality factor in pearls. Lustre refers both to a pearl's brilliance -- the way its surface reflects light -- and its inner glow: the way it refracts light. A pearl's lustre is generally evaluated in terms of "high" to "low," with grades of "medium" in between.