Freshwater Pearl Grading

Freshwater pearls come in the widest range of shapes, sizes, surface qualities, and colors. Since there is no standard grading system, companies grade and sell freshwater pearls using their own devised or created system. Our grading system for freshwater pearls is as follows:

Top Selected

Loose-grade pearls that were selected individually before drilling and polishing for exceptional quality characteristics. This class of freshwater pearls is sold wholesale as pairs or single pears, undrilled. Their definitive characteristics include:

• High grade freshwater pearl
• Clean surface
• Round
• Excellent matching
• Deeply reflective orient and intense luster
• Comprises Top .01% of freshwater pears currently produced

Grade AAAA

• Highest non-loose pearl grade in the market
• Clean surface
• Round to the eye
• Excellent luster
• Excellent matching
• Top 1% of freshwater pearls currently produced

Grade AAA

• Highest grade of freshwater pearl
• 95-100% Clean Surface
• Near round, and appear perfectly round from a yard away
• Good to strong luster
• Excellent to good matching
• Top 5% of freshwater pearls currently produced

Grade AA

• Good to average luster
• 80-100% Clean Surface
• Near round to off-round
• Good to medium reflection
• Good to moderate matching
• Top 10% of freshwater pearls currently produced

Grade A

The fourth class of freshwater pearls, and defined by the following characteristics:

• Average to low luster
• 70-80% Clean Surface
• Near round to off-round
• Good to moderate matching
• Top 20% of freshwater pearls currently produced

Commercial Grade

• Average to no luster
• Moderate to heavy blemishing
• Near round to off-round