Faux Graduated Pearls...and Misnomers

View a funny photo of faux graduated pearls. Learn about misnomers concerning fake or artificial pearls....don't be tricked into buying simulated pearls.

Learn about misnomers concerning fake or artificial pearls....don't be tricked into buying simulated pearls.

Is “faux” the only name which means “fake”?

Wise buyers will recognize these terms and know their meanings and learn about misnomers concerning fake or artificial pearls.

Don't be tricked into buying simulated pearls.

Here is a list of misnomers

Thanks to by pearl expert, Antoinette L. Matlins, and her book, The Pearl Book—the Definitive Buying Guide for these terms and meanings.

…..words that can be used which often mislead an undiscerning public into thinking that they are buying genuine cultured or real natural pearls.

1. Atlas pearls: Imitation; satinspar type gypsum beads.

2. Cave pearls: Imitation, water-polished objects of calcium carbonate found in limestone caves.

3. Kultured pearls: Imitation

4. Laguna pearls: Imitation

5. La Tausca pearls: Imitation

6. Majorica (Mallorca) pearls: Imitation

7. Nautilus mabe pearls: Cut and polished shell from the chamber of the nautilus mollusk

8. Red Sea pearls: Coral beads

9. River strands: Imitation pearls with mother-of-pearl core

10.Shell mabe: Cut and polished shell from the chamber of the nautilus mollusk

11.South ocean pearls: Imitation pearls with mother-of-pearl core

12.Semi-cultured pearls: Imitation made from cultured pearls with very poor nacre coating, over which pearlessence has been added.

Enjoy this silly photo of our sheep wearing faux graduated pearls again.

I don’t think anyone would really put a necklace on a sheep, but did you know that Queen Elizabeth I had a pet ermine which wore a pearl collar?

There’s nothing wrong with wearing imitation pearls

…they can be lovely and a great deal of fun

...just don’t be tricked into thinking they are real cultured or real natural pearls.