Bernard Hurtig

TAHITIAN BLACK PEARLS

Q U A L I T Y

This is determined by observing the special features of the pearl's surface and luster. Special surface features are considered to be any flaw in the nacre that is visible to the naked eye such as pits, bumps, scratches, deposits, ridges and cracks.

Luster is evaluated according to reflection of light on the pearl's surface. The brighter the reflection, the higher the luster.

Tahitian Black Pearls are defined by four basic qualities: A, B, C D.


Click to enlarge picture		 QUALITY A

An "A" Quality pearl is one that has no surface flaws or very slight flaws that are visible to the naked eye and confined to less than 10% of its surface. All "A Quality" pearls exhibit a very high luster.


Click to enlarge picture		 QUALITY B

A "B" Quality pearl is one that exhibits high or medium luster with some flaws visible to the naked eye and distributed over less than one third of the surface.


Click to enlarge picture		 QUALITY C

A "C" Quality pearl is one that exhibits several visible flaws, distributed over more than one third of the surface and exhibits a medium quality luster.


Click to enlarge picture		 QUALITY D

A "D" Quality pearl is one that exhibits a large amount of visible flaws over more than two thirds of the surface, regardless of luster.

C L A S S I F I C A T I O N

When harvesting pearls, the pearl farmer performs an initial sort of the crop, discarding all rejects. He then performs a more detailed separation of his crop sortig out pearls by size, shape and quality.

S I Z E

Pearls are most commonly expressed in milimeters. Tahitian Pearls generally range in size from 8mm to 16mm.

S H A P E

Round and Semi-Round

Round Pearls are almost-perfect spheres whose diameter variation rate is less than 2%. Semi-round pearls are slightly imperfect spheres whose diameter variation rate is greater than 2% but less than 5%.

Circled

Circled or ringed pearls are characterized by regular streaks or concave rings, perpendicular to an axis of rotation, over more than one third of the pearl's surface.

Semi-Baroque

Semi-baroque exhibit at least one axis of rotation.

Baroque

Baroque pearls do not have any axis of rotation and are asymmetrical in shape.

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