In imitation jewellery from Rajkot, the pearls are almost always imitation pearls, made from glass, shell powder or plastic with a pearly coating. Real pearls cost far more and are sold through a different trade.
In India, real pearls are mostly cultured freshwater pearls, and Hyderabad is the country's best-known pearl trading centre. If your range needs real pearls, buy them from that trade, not from an imitation jewellery maker.
Real, cultured and imitation pearls
- Natural pearls form without human help. They are rare and very expensive, and are not used in fashion jewellery.
- Cultured pearls are real pearls grown in farmed oysters or mussels, mostly freshwater pearls in the mass market.
- Imitation pearls are man-made beads coated to look like pearl. Quality ranges from cheap plastic to good glass and shell pearls.
Simple ways to tell them apart
- Feel: real pearls feel cool and slightly gritty when rubbed gently against a tooth; most imitations feel smooth.
- Weight: glass pearls feel heavy, plastic pearls feel very light.
- Drill holes: on imitations, the coating often chips or peels around the hole.
- Uniformity: imitation pearls are often perfectly matched in size and colour; real pearls vary slightly.
Describing pearls honestly
Most markets expect accurate descriptions. If a piece uses imitation pearls, call them imitation, faux, glass or shell pearls, not pearls alone. Misdescribing materials can lead to marketplace removals and consumer complaints.
Put the pearl type in your purchase order and on your labels, and keep the supplier's written confirmation on file.
What this means for a buyer
Pearl-look jewellery is a staple of bridal and Indo-Western ranges, and imitation pearls keep it affordable. Specify the pearl type and quality, and see what makes a jewellery purchase order complete.
Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing. We confirm materials at the workshop, have samples tested at NABL-accredited labs and supervise packing. Ask for a free sourcing review.