Pure Pearls Glossary
Know exactly what you are buying
120 pearl and jewellery terms in plain English — and every one of them linked to the pieces we actually have.
Decode a listing
Paste a description from anywhere. We will tell you what it actually says, what to be wary of, and what the same thing costs here.
Browse by subject
Freshwater, saltwater, South Sea, keshi, and how to tell a real pearl from a coated bead.
Round, baroque, drop, coin and the rest, and what each one is worth paying for.
What AAA actually means, plus lustre, nacre, orient and the claims to be sceptical of.
Millimetres, choker to rope, bangle sizing, and which length suits which neckline.
Jhumka, mangalsutra, kundan, polki, temple work and the rest of the Indian vocabulary.
925 silver, plating thickness, American diamond, coral, hallmarks and karat versus carat.
Clasps, knotting, drilling and settings — the parts that decide whether a piece survives.
Storing pearls, the tooth test, restringing, and the astrological terms buyers ask about.
Or by letter
Every term
Showing 1 to 24 of 120
925 Sterling Silver
An alloy of 92.5% silver with 7.5% other metals, usually copper. The international standard for silver jewellery.
33 in stock · from ₹1,800
AA Grade
Good lustre with visible but minor surface marking. The everyday-wear grade, and where most sensible value sits.
AAA Grade
The top of the standard pearl scale: sharp lustre, near-clean surface, well matched, and shape true to its type.
186 in stock · from ₹9,500
Adjustable
A necklace or bracelet with an extension chain, letting the wearer add an inch or two.
2 in stock · from ₹11,200
Akoya Pearl
The classic small round white saltwater pearl from Japan and China, usually 5mm to 9mm. The pearl in a traditional single-strand necklace.
14 in stock · from ₹8,680
Anklet
A chain worn around the ankle, called payal in the north and kolusu in the south.
4 in stock · from ₹1,500
Bail
The loop connecting a pendant to its chain. Its inner width caps what chain the pendant will fit.
Bangle
A rigid closed circle worn on the wrist, sized by internal diameter rather than length.
16 in stock · from ₹1,200
Bangle Size
The Indian bangle sizing system, from about 2x4 (small) to 2x10 (large), measured as internal diameter.
13 in stock · from ₹1,200
Baroque
Any pearl with no axis of symmetry. Once treated as a reject, now the shape most associated with contemporary pearl design.
40 in stock · from ₹1,500
Basra Pearl
Natural pearls historically fished from the Persian Gulf. The name is now used far more often than the pearls exist.
Bead Nucleated
Grown around a round shell bead, so the pearl is a nacre shell over a core. The saltwater method, and how roundness is achieved.
Bezel Setting
A metal rim wrapped around the edge of a stone or pearl to hold it. The most protective setting there is.
Biwa Pearl
A long, flat, stick-shaped freshwater pearl, originally from Lake Biwa in Japan. Now a shape name more than an origin.
25 in stock · from ₹3,500
Body Colour
A pearl's dominant underlying colour, before any overtone is considered.
Box Clasp
A folded metal tongue that clicks into a box. The traditional fine-jewellery clasp, usually with a safety catch.
Bracelet Length
Usually 7 to 8 inches. Should be about half an inch longer than the wrist so the piece moves rather than grips.
77 in stock · from ₹1,200
Brass
A copper and zinc alloy with a warm gold tone. Strong and inexpensive, but it tarnishes and can react with skin.
14 in stock · from ₹3,000
Bridal Set
A matched group of pieces worn together for a wedding — typically necklace, earrings, and often a maang tikka.
78 in stock · from ₹12,350
Brooch
A pinned ornament. In Indian wear, most often a saree pin holding the pallu in place at the shoulder.
40 in stock · from ₹1,800
Button
Round from the front, flattened from the side. The standard shape for stud earrings.
20 in stock · from ₹1,500
Certificate of Authenticity
A document stating what a pearl is. Useful in proportion to who issued it and what it actually tests.
Chain
Linked metal forming a flexible necklace or bracelet, sold by length, gauge and link pattern.
Choker
A necklace that sits high and close around the neck. Both a length and, in Indian jewellery, a distinct style.
41 in stock · from ₹4,200
Still deciding?
Every term here links to what we actually have in stock. Or start from the collection and filter your way in.