Pearl beads are a gorgeous material for constructing beaded jewellery, especially something like a necklace or a bangle. However if you want to use real pearls for your jewellery rather than copies you need to know how to identify the difference so you do not get cheated as the cost of genuine pearl beads is much more than fake pearl beads.

These are some easy ways in which you can check if the pearls you are purchasing are real or fake.

Rub the pearls together. This is the best method of testing the genuineness of the pearls. Real pearls will feel rough when rubbed together as they have texture. If it is smooth then it is likely to be fake as this would indicate that the beads have been coated with a pearl imitation veneer.

The tooth rubbing test on a pearl bead is an alternate way of testing if it is genuine or not. Simply rub the pearl against your tooth; it should feel like it is grainy, if it does not then it is not a real pearl.

The scrape test; if the bead is made from real pearls then you should be able to gently scrape them with a sharp edged blade like a pair of scissors. If the pearl is genuine then it will not scratch the surface of it as the lustre of a genuine pearl goes right through all of the pearl and not just on the surface. This test is only recommended for fresh water pearls as sea pearls do not have the same density of lustre as fresh water pearls. If the pearl is not real this test will damage it so take care with this test if you plan on returning the pearl beads to the seller for a refund.Shell beads that are sold as pearl beads can pass the rub test as they also have texture but they do not have the lustre that a real pearl bead does so will fail the scrape test. If you’re scared about doing the scrape test on a bead it may be an idea to ask a pearl bead expert as they can identify a genuine pearl bead from a fake often just by looking at it.

Hopefully this article will help you identify the difference between real and fake pearl beads.

Siffion Quaid has had an interest in bead jewelry for a long while and where to buy beads. On his web site are plenty of articles about beads and lots of tips like identifying real pearl beads.