Pure Pearls Glossary
AAA Grade
The top of the standard pearl scale: sharp lustre, near-clean surface, well matched, and shape true to its type.
An AAA pearl reflects a defined image rather than a soft glow, shows blemishes on no more than a small fraction of its surface, and sits in a piece where its neighbours match it closely for colour and size.
AAA does not mean flawless. Pearls are grown, and a completely unmarked surface is close to unobtainable at any price. Faint growth marks near the drill hole are normal at every grade.
In a well-run catalogue, AAA is the top band and AAA (Best) marks the strongest examples within it.
When you are buying
AAA is worth the premium in anything worn near the face, where lustre is read directly: necklaces, chokers and studs. In a busy multi-line piece or a heavily set temple design, the difference is much harder to see.
AAA-grade pieces
186 pieces in the collection right now, from ₹9,500.
One of a Kind - Pearl Strand in Peacock Hues
Lustrous Peach Semi-Round Pearl 19Inch Two-Row Necklace With AD Spacers
Striking Double Knotted 18 Inch Long Necklace With White Round Pearls & Sandstone Beads
Classy 18 Inch Double Layer Black Pearl Necklace Set
Radiant 6mm 3Line White Semi-Round Pearls Choker With CZ & SP Ruby Pendant
Dainty 4mm White Round Pearls Choker With CZ Pendant & Black Onyx
Divine White Pearls Necklace With Golden Matt Lakshmi Pendant
Ravishing White Pearl Necklace With Pearl Studded Dholak Beads
Read next
Pearl Grading
The A to AAA scale used to rate a pearl on lustre, surface, shape, colour matching and nacre. There is no global standards body enforcing it.
AA Grade
Good lustre with visible but minor surface marking. The everyday-wear grade, and where most sensible value sits.
Lustre
How sharply a pearl reflects light. The single most important quality factor, and the one you can judge without any training.
Surface Blemish
Pits, bumps, creases and dull patches on a pearl's surface. Some marking is present on essentially every pearl.
Not sure what you are being sold?
Paste any pearl description — another shop’s listing, a message from a jeweller, an old certificate — and we will break it down term by term.