The Ajura Pearl Guide

A cultured pearl is a real pearl. A small nucleus or piece of tissue is placed inside a living mollusc, which coats it in layer upon layer of nacre over months or years. Everything you see and feel, the lustre, the weight, the slight texture, was made by the animal.

An imitation pearl is a glass, plastic or shell bead coated to look like nacre. It is perfectly smooth, often unnaturally uniform, and the coating can wear at the drill hole.

A simple check: rub a pearl gently against the edge of a front tooth. Nacre feels faintly gritty; a coated bead feels glassy. Every Ajura piece uses genuine cultured pearls.

Ajura sells two kinds of cultured pearl.

Freshwater pearls are grown in mussels in lakes and rivers. They come in a wide range of shapes and in soft natural colours such as white, cream, peach and lavender. They are the most versatile pearl for everyday wear and gifting.

Tahitian pearls take their name from the black-lipped oyster farmed in French Polynesia. Their body colour runs from silver and charcoal to deep green and aubergine, often with a coloured overtone that shifts in the light. They are larger and rarer, which is why they sit at the top of our range.

Lustre is the depth of reflection in the surface. Look for a soft, bright glow rather than a flat shine.

Surface is how smooth the nacre is. Small marks, pits and ridges are the natural record of how the pearl grew. Our tagline, the art of natural imperfection, means we treat this character as part of the piece rather than a flaw.

Shape ranges from round and off-round through rice and coin to baroque and keshi. Round is the rarest; baroque and keshi are the most individual.

Colour and overtone. The body colour is the pearl's main tone; the overtone is the tint that sits over it, such as rose over white or peacock over charcoal.

Size is measured in millimetres across the pearl. Larger pearls of the same quality are rarer.

Matching matters in strands and pairs: pearls chosen to sit together in colour, lustre and size.

We describe each piece by pearl type and colour, and by shape and size where those are known.

Pearls are organic and soft compared with gemstones, so a little care keeps them glowing for decades.

• Last on, first off. Put pearls on after make-up, perfume and hairspray, and take them off before you undress.
• Wipe them with a soft, slightly damp cloth after wearing to remove skin oils, then let them dry before storing.
• Keep them away from ultrasonic cleaners, harsh chemicals, chlorine and prolonged sunlight.
• Store them flat in the Ajura gift box or a soft pouch, away from harder jewellery that can scratch the surface.
• Strands worn often may need restringing every few years; knots between pearls protect them from rubbing.

Every Ajura piece is gift-boxed with an authenticity card. The card confirms that the pearls in your piece are genuine cultured pearls, selected and inspected by Ajura before dispatch from Brisbane.

It is our own assurance, not a laboratory report. It does not grade the pearls against an industry scale and is not a certificate from an independent gemological body. If you ever want an independent appraisal, an independent valuer can examine the piece for you.

A first pearl. Freshwater studs or a single-pearl pendant suit almost everyone and sit comfortably with everyday clothes. Browse earrings.

Something for the wrist. A pearl bracelet is an easy gift when you are unsure of necklace length. Browse bracelets.

An occasion. A strand or a Tahitian piece marks a milestone. Browse necklaces.

Within a budget. Our gifts under $100 are all genuine cultured pearls, gift-boxed and dispatched from Brisbane.