Cultured vs simulated pearls: how to tell

Every Varette page with a pearl says which kind it is: cultured freshwater or simulated. Here is what the words mean and how to tell them apart at home.

Cultured freshwater pearls

A cultured pearl grows inside a living mollusc. For freshwater pearls, a pearl farmer places a small piece of tissue in a freshwater mussel, and the mussel builds layers of nacre around it. That makes each pearl slightly different in shape, size and surface. Our cultured pieces include the Cultured Freshwater Pearl Drop Earrings, the Cultured Freshwater Pearl Sphere Studs and the Harriet Beaded Cultured Freshwater Pearl Bracelet.

Simulated pearls

A simulated pearl is made, not grown: usually a glass, shell or plastic bead with a pearl-like coating. Simulated pearls are very even in shape and colour. You find them in the Simulated Pearl Drop Hoops and the Simulated Pearl Drop Necklace.

Four quick checks

1. Shape: cultured pearls are rarely perfectly round or identical. A set of perfectly matched beads is usually simulated.
2. Surface: look closely in daylight. Cultured pearls show small marks and slight shifts in colour; simulated pearls look uniform.
3. Tooth test: rub the pearl gently along the edge of a front tooth. Nacre feels slightly gritty; a coated bead feels smooth.
4. Drill hole: on simulated pearls the coating can wear or chip around the hole and show the bead underneath.

None of these checks is proof on its own; a gemmologist can confirm. Both kinds dislike perfume, hairspray and soaking, so see the care guide before you wear them.