South Sea cultured pearls are the biggest and rarest pearls in fine jewelry market at present. Natural South Sea pearls were discovered in the late 19th century inside large oysters off the northwest coast of Australia.

Pearls were found in only a few oysters collected for their shells as well as a food source. When the oysters became depleted after about 50 years, culturing methods were developed after thorough research and oyster population got back its health. While Australia is the dominant culturing center
producing the majority of South Sea pearls, Indonesia and the Philippines contribute a substantial portion.

South Sea cultured pearls are usually 9 to 20 mm in size with the average size being 12 to 13mm. Their growth time is 20 to 24 months and the oyster wherein they are found are Pinctada Maxima or Gold and Silver Lipped oysters. They may be white to golden in color. The value of South Sea cultured pearl depends on factors like luster, shape or roundness, surface cleanliness, matching, color and size.

Luster is a key factor in determining the value of a pearl. A pearl having good luster will be bright and shiny. Luster of South Sea pearl luster is a soft glow coming from within. The luster can be considered good if the reflection is clear when you hold the pearl at a distance and watch your reflection. As regards shape or roundness, most of the South Sea cultured pearls are significantly less than round.

So, a round pearl is extremely hard to find and very valued. As pearls are natural, the surface is bound to have some blemishes and pearls with a blemish-free surface are very valuable. You may have to sift through thousands of individual pearls to find two well matched ones. South Sea pearls mainly come in two main colors - white and golden. Decide which color will suit you best.

For making your choice, hold the pearls up by your face and look in a mirror. Switch between the colors to find out which one best suits you. The size of the pearls also influences value. All other factors remaining constant, a bigger pearl will be more valuable than a smaller one. South Sea pearls larger than 20mm are very rare.

Buying South Sea pearl necklace online will be cheaper in the absence of overhead costs. However, it is useful to see and touch real strands as well. While buying your pearls, you must look for a friendly and knowledgeable staff, excellent selection of pearls and a good return policy.

BlueWaterArticles.com: - Discovering South Sea Pearls

About the Author

Jen Carter is owner of My Wedding Blog, a wedding planning guide offering articles for weddings including South Sea pearls