Pearl Matching

Pearl Matching

Because pearls are natural, organic substances, no two of them are identical. Therefore, when a piece of jewelry contains more than one pearl, some effort must be taken to insure that the pearls all match in an aesthetically pleasing fashion.

"Matching" here does not mean that all of the pearls are absolutely identical -- that would be impossible! Nor does it even mean that all of the pearls in the piece are generally uniform in size, shape, and color. It basically means that the pearls "fit together" in a pleasing manner, and that variations among them are either minimal, gradual, or for a specific purpose.

For example, a long strand of pearls may have a large pearl in the center, with pearls which grow gradually smaller strung along either side. Or a strand may consist of pearls in alternating or gradually changing colors. In any of these examples, the pearls are considered well-matched if the resulting piece is uniform and consistent, rather than haphazard-looking.

In the same way, pearl earrings, bracelets, pendants, rings, etc. -- any piece which contains more than a single pearl -- are generally matched to achieve greater beauty and value. If the piece consists of contrasting colors (such as a two-pearl, black-and-white ring), the matching will take into account the size, shape, and luster of the respective pearls, even though their colors are quite different.

Pearl matching is really an art in itself. It requires a good eye, good judgment, and a great deal of time and effort to match pearls effectively. Indeed, a strand made completely from natural pearls (rather than from cultured pearls) can require years to collect a well-matched set of pearls! Clearly, good matching greatly adds to the quality and value of any piece of multi-pearl jewelry.

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