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Pearl rings are absolutely stunning in the right setting. The best thing about pearls, in my opinion, is that they enhance rather than overpower the beauty of their wearer – and that’s exactly as it should be. However, as much as I love them, I have to admit that pearl rings do have some disadvantages when compared to other gems. This shouldn’t stop you from buying one if you truly love pearls, but it’s wise to be fully informed before you make your purchase. There are ways to negate or compensate for all of the negatives.
Interestingly enough, even though pearls in general are less expensive than, say, diamonds, pearl rings can be much more expensive because they are fragile and therefore difficult to set. It’s important to choose the right setting so that your initial expense won’t go to waste. There are two options that are generally considered safe for pearls: a bezel or a cup. Bezel settings will hold your pearl securely in place; however, you may find that this is a drawback if you need to replace the pearl down the road (and you most likely will). A cup will make replacement easier but you need to make sure that it has a secure grip. If you buy online, reputable dealers will often show pictures of their pearls and/or settings to buyers on request, and will also offer advice. Don’t hesitate to ask them for more information! This applies to brick-and-mortar jewelers as well.
While a pearl necklace can be worn everyday with little risk, rings and bracelets are much more likely to suffer from daily wear and tear. If you work with your hands, please don’t wear your ring to work! Pearls are between 2.5-4.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, meaning they are fairly delicate. While they won’t actually break or crack easily, they will scratch and scuff if you bump them. To minimize damage simply be careful, take them off by handling only the metal part of the ring, and avoid cleansers or chemicals. Pearls also tend to take on a more gold or creamy color as they age – there is nothing you can do about this, unfortunately.
Who could resist this beauty?
I hope the disadvantages don’t discourage you too much. I really do love pearl rings! As I mentioned above, I like them more than diamonds. If I were to buy a ring, I would make sure to choose a type of pearl with a thicker layer of nacre so that the pearl won’t be so quickly damaged. This means choosing freshwater (because they are all nacre), Tahitian, or South Sea pearls. I don’t necessarily recommend Akoya for these because they aren’t as durable and are more expensive. I would also get more than one pearl for your ring so that you can replace the original when you need to. Finally, remember that many retailers will sell you the pearl and ring setting separately so you can hunt down the perfect combination for you.
photo credit: NATALIA PHOTOS
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