AAA Quality Pearl Buying Guide

December 11, 2018 0 Comments

AAA stands for the virtually flawless, highest quality pearls available on the market (outside of special gem quality pearls we will mention later). Before you decide to buy AAA quality pearls, there are a few things to take into consideration to ensure that you buy exactly what you wanted. AAA pearls are flawless. They are perfectly round (or near perfectly round with freshwater pearls), with an extremely high, mirror-like luster and an extremely high thickness. But there is no international standard for determining a AAA pearl, so you need to take multiple things into consideration when buying a AAA pearl.

Since there are thousands of pearls in the world, buying AAA quality isn't a simple task at all. They appear in a huge variety of conditions, colors, sizes, and shapes so the best thing to do is to find a standard and then follow that system until you make the perfect purchase.

With that in mind, this pearl buying guide will get you through some important steps to follow when buying perfect AAA quality pearls.





Size Matters

The first thing you should determine is the size of the pearls you wish to buy. The size mostly depends on your intention. You can choose the size for a bracelet or earrings, maybe even a pearl necklace.

Remember… some types of pearls only come in certain sizes. For example, Akoya pearls typically range anywhere from 3-10mm; whereas South Sea pearls can range from 8 to 20mm.

The size of a pearl is measured across its diameter and in millimeters. The standard and most typical sizes range from 7 mm to 8 mm and pearls. Pearls these size are considered to be decently sized.

Still, if it's an impression you're after, the best recommendation would be to go with pearls larger than 8 mm. Here, every millimeter makes a difference.

Know Your Quality

When we speak of AAA pearl quality, we mean thick nacre, perfectly round shape, excellent matching, blemish free, with an excellent luster. AAA quality pearls are in the top 1-3% of harvest meaning, the highest quality your money can buy.

Doing a bit of research before spending your money would most recommendable. Since we're talking about premium quality here, your AAA quality pearls need to be literally perfect, impeccable.

Choosing Overtone Colors

 

Pearls are the finest addition to any jewelry collection. Therefore, the overtone color of your AAA quality pearls makes a difference. Overtones are the secondary color that unique to pearls which gives the pearl extra character. White pearls tend to fall into one of the following categories of overtones: pink (rose), green (sometimes called silver), or pink and green.

Traditionally, pink overtones were favored by many, especially throughout China and Japan. However, today that has led to many pearls on the market to undergo a process called pinking which makes pearls appear pinker than their natural color. This has made the mix of pink and green pearls far more popular, as well as rare, due to their natural and rarer beauty. This is why it is generally the overtone Kyllonen recommends.

If it happens that you simply can't decide, you can also consider the skin color of the person wearing the pearls and match the skin tone accordingly. Of course, knowing the person you're buying AAA quality pearls for might be extremely helpful. If it's a woman with milky skin, the most suitable overtone color would be that of a rose. It'll match her appearance in a perfect way. For women with darker skin, silver overtones are warmly advised; but you can never go wrong with the pink and green.

A Necklace as the Best Choice

 

Most of the time, people buy pearl necklaces as their most preferable choice. The length of the pearl necklace is, therefore, an important thing to consider before you make your purchase. The length also depends on the person you're buying it for, better yet, it depends on their age. There are four main options to choose from:

  1. Opera: 28 to 34 inches
    The Opera style can be worn as single or as a double strand and has a versatile appearance for both crew and high necklines. It makes a lovely fashion statement.
  2. Matinee - 20 to 24 inches
    Simply perfect for both business and casual attire. It’s a nice half stop if you’re not ready for the Opera style.
  3. Princess - around 18 inches
    Suitable for high and crew necklines, mostly used to complement low plunging necklines. This is the most popular pearl necklace length today.
  4. Choker - 16 inches
    The most versatile, yet classic, a choker is the most popular single strand pearl necklace and it perfectly fits any dressing style and age. From fancy evening to casual wear, a pearl choker is the finest addition and the most wanted of all presents.

Beyond AAA Quality Pearls

People sometimes ask, “Are there any pearls better than AAA?”

The answer? – Yes!

Traditionally, the AAA system was meant to account for most of the pearls that are on the market today; however, sometimes pearls much more unique come along. These pearls need a class of their own. At Kyllonen Luxury, we call these pearl Gem Grade pearls.

Gem Grade pearls have luster that’s just above the rest. I quality set of Gem Quality pearls can be seen shining in the distance as one approaches with these beautiful gems. They are also accompanied by Near Gem pearls, which have the same extraordinary luster as Gem Grade, but a few small spots on the surface of the pearls.

Gem and Near Gem Grade pearls are the rarest of the rare and account for less than 1% of the pearls on the market. These pearls have enough luster to see your clear reflection in the pearl’s surface. If you are looking for pearls that will really have the “wow-factor”, these are the right choice!

There’s everything you need to know when purchasing a AAA quality pearl. If you’re looking for stunning AAA quality pearls, check out Kyllonen’s selection of beautiful pearl pieces today!