When it comes to pearls, the first thing you’ll notice is how many different sizes are now available. Pearls can be as small as 3 mm in size or as large as 15 mm. The thing is, not all pearls look good in all pieces of jewelry.
You have to take certain factors into consideration when buying your jewelry in order for the piece to look good on you. But don’t worry because it isn’t complicated. Below are a few things to think about before you buy that next piece of pearl jewelry.
Table of Contents
- Small or Medium-Sized Pearls (up to 7.5 mm)
- Medium to Large Pearls (8 mm to 10 mm)
- Very Large Pearls (11 mm to 15 mm)
Small or Medium-Sized Pearls (up to 7.5 mm)
If you love pearls that look dainty but aren’t too small, pearls that are between 5 mm and 6 mm in size will likely work best for you. For petite women and young girls, this is a good size, but it’s also good for many older women who don’t want to wear large pearls but prefer something less conspicuous.
If you find pearls this size and they look too small for your tastes, try to find ones that are 6 mm to 7 mm in size. Brides, new mothers, and women in their 30s and 40s often prefer medium-sized pearls, which means pearls that are 7 mm to 7.5 mm in size. Anything bigger than 7.5 mm is considered a medium-sized pearl.
Medium to Large Pearls (8 mm to 10 mm)
Medium to large pearls make a statement, so if this is something you want to do when you’re wearing your pearls, this is the size you should consider. Pearls that are 7.5 mm to 8 mm in size are very popular, especially with people who are simply unsure what will look best on them.
In fact, pearls in the 7- to 8-mm range are great pearls for nearly everyone, regardless of their preferences and tastes. If you wish to make an even bolder statement, you can do like style icon Jacqueline Kennedy and choose pearls that are 8.5 mm in size. She did love her pearls!
Pearls that are bigger than 9 mm are very difficult to find because they are both rare and expensive. In addition, it is often difficult for manufacturers to find enough pearls of this size to make a necklace that looks like it goes together well. You might be better off trying to find earrings or rings with pearls that are this large.
Very Large Pearls (11 mm to 15 mm)
If you purchase a pearl necklace, there is often a pearl this size smack dab in the center, but again, large pearls are very rare and very expensive. This is especially true if you’re looking for natural pearls and not cultured pearls, but even the latter can be quite pricey. Indeed, you’ll find it rather difficult to find pearls of any type in this size, although if you look for Tahitian, freshwater, or South Sea pearls, you’ll have better luck finding them.
While Tahitian and South Sea pearls usually have rough edges, the edges of freshwater pearls are usually round and very smooth.
First Lady Barbara Bush and others favored larger pearls in the 9.5- to 10-mm range. Pearls of this size are definitely very glamorous, but again, they are usually very difficult to find.
