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.
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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.
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Every term
Showing 25 to 48 of 120
Choker Length
A necklace of about 14 to 16 inches, sitting snugly at the base of the throat.
94 in stock · from ₹2,700
Clasp
The fastening that closes a necklace or bracelet. The most common point of failure and the most overlooked part of a purchase.
Coin
A flat, round disc. Large surface area for the weight, so it makes bold pieces that stay light.
6 in stock · from ₹3,750
Collar Length
The shortest classic length, around 12 to 13 inches, worn tight against the middle of the neck.
Coral
A red to orange organic gem formed from marine coral skeleton. Paired with pearls in traditional Indian sets, and worn as moonga in astrology.
26 in stock · from ₹1,200
Cubic Zirconia
A hard, brilliant lab-made stone used as a diamond substitute. Called American diamond throughout the Indian trade.
35 in stock · from ₹1,200
Cultured Pearl
A real pearl grown in a farmed mollusc after a technician places an irritant inside it. Essentially every pearl on the market is cultured.
Dosham-Free Pearl
A pearl free of the specific flaws that Vedic astrology considers inauspicious — cracks, pits, spots and irregular colour.
16 in stock · from ₹7,700
Drop
Tapered at one end and rounded at the other, like a teardrop. Highly valued when the taper is symmetrical.
9 in stock · from ₹7,700
Dyed Pearl
A real pearl whose colour has been added after harvest. Standard practice, and entirely fine when it is disclosed.
97 in stock · from ₹400
Ear Wire
The hook that passes through the piercing on a hanging earring.
Exotic Pearl Colours
Pearls outside the white and cream range — pink, peach, lavender, grey, golden, blue, green and multi-shaded strands.
70 in stock · from ₹3,300
Finger Ring
A ring set with a pearl, usually a single dome-backed or button pearl in a protective setting.
24 in stock · from ₹400
Flat
Deliberately flattened pearls, including squares, pentagons and irregular tablets.
3 in stock · from ₹3,750
Freshwater Pearl
A pearl grown inside a mussel in a river or lake, rather than an oyster in the sea. Most pearl jewellery sold today is freshwater.
910 in stock · from ₹400
Full-Drilled
A pearl drilled all the way through so thread can pass. How every strand pearl is prepared.
Gemstone
Any mineral or organic material cut for jewellery. Traditionally split into precious (diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald) and semi-precious.
15 in stock · from ₹1,600
Gold Plating
A thin layer of gold deposited over a base metal. Gives the colour of gold at a fraction of the cost, and wears off over time.
Graduated
A strand where pearls increase in size from the clasp to the centre — small at the neck, largest at the throat.
34 in stock · from ₹4,900
Guttapusalu
A South Indian necklace where clusters of small pearls hang in bunches from a metal frame, said to resemble a fish's roe.
Half-Drilled
A pearl drilled only partway through, so it can be cemented onto a post. How pearls are mounted in studs and rings.
Hallmark
An official stamp certifying precious metal purity. In India, BIS hallmarking is mandatory for gold jewellery.
Hangings
Earrings that hang below the lobe, as opposed to studs that sit on it. The everyday Indian term for drop earrings.
111 in stock · from ₹1,200
Hypoallergenic
Metal unlikely to cause a skin reaction. In practice it means nickel-free, since nickel causes most jewellery allergies.
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