Pearl Wholesale

Pearl Wholesale: Everything You Need to Know About Buying Pearls in Bulk

Pearls have been treasured for thousands of years and continue to be a staple in fine jewelry design today. Their timeless elegance and natural beauty make them a top choice for necklaces, earrings, rings, and more. While individual pearl pieces make lovely gifts or additions to a personal collection, buying pearls in bulk quantities opens up wider possibilities for jewelers, designers, and pearl lovers.

Wholesaling pearls enables you to get premium quality pearls at lower prices and gives you an abundant inventory to work with. Whether you want to string together multiple pearl necklaces, create matching pearl sets, or incorporate pearls into your own jewelry designs, buying pearls wholesale is the most cost-effective way to acquire exactly what you need in the quantities you want.

In this complete guide to pearl wholesale, we’ll cover everything you need to know, including:

Let’s dive in and uncover everything you need to know about the rewarding world of pearl wholesale!

Benefits of Buying Pearls Wholesale

Purchasing pearls in bulk offers many advantages, including:

  • Lower per-pearl cost - Buying wholesale means paying a lower per-pearl price. The more pearls you buy, the lower the per-pearl rate will be.
  • Inventory selection - Wholesalers have a large pearl inventory available. You can hand-select the exact size, shape, color, luster, surface quality, and quantity of pearls you need.
  • Volume discounts - Wholesalers offer tiered pricing with increasing discounts at higher quantities. The more pearls you buy, the deeper discounts you receive.
  • Flexibility - Build a inventory of loose pearls to create custom designs or string multiple necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
  • Profit potential - Purchase pearls at wholesale prices significantly below retail cost to maximize profit margins when creating your own jewelry designs.

In short, you’ll get premium quality pearls for less when buying in volume. Building up an inventory of beautiful pearls gives you an abundance of these organic gems to work with in your own designs.

How to Buy Pearls in Bulk

Purchasing pearls wholesale involves finding reputable suppliers, understanding pearl grading, and assessing value based on pearl qualities. Here’s an overview of what’s involved:

Finding Reputable Pearl Suppliers

The key to a successful pearl wholesale purchase starts with choosing an established, ethical supplier. Here are important factors to look for:

  • Industry reputation - Select suppliers with a longstanding presence in the pearl industry and a reputation for fair prices and honest business practices.
  • Quality control - Reputable suppliers have quality control expertise to carefully grade and select pearls based on established grading criteria.
  • Range of inventory - Look for suppliers that carry a wide variety of pearl types, sizes, colors and quality levels to choose from.
  • Direct relationships - Many top suppliers have direct relationships with pearl farms and manufacturers to source high-quality pearls.
  • Customer service - Choose a supplier that provides excellent customer service and is responsive if you have any questions or concerns.

Doing a bit of research will help identify the most recommended pearl wholesalers known for their quality merchandise, industry knowledge and fair wholesale pricing.

Pearl Grading Systems

Pearls are graded based on several visual factors that determine their value. It’s important to understand the grading criteria so you can select the pearl qualities that best suit your needs and budget.

There are a few main grading systems used to evaluate and classify pearls:

The AAAA-A System

This system uses a simple rating from AAAA (highest quality) to A (lowest) based on luster, surface, shape and matched strands.

Grade Description
AAAA Very high quality pearls with excellent luster, nearly flawless surface, and perfectly matched strands
AAA High quality pearls with very good luster, mostly clean surface with very minor flaws, well-matched strands
AA Good quality pearls with decent luster, minor visible flaws on surface, reasonably matched strands
A Average quality pearls with fair luster, visible flaws, moderately matched strands

The Mikimoto Classification

Mikimoto, known for its high-end pearl jewelry, has its own grading system from 1 to 5.

Grade Description
Mikimoto 5 Exceptional quality pearls with intense luster, flawless surface, and excellent shape
Mikimoto 4 Very high quality pearls with excellent luster and nearly perfect surface
Mikimoto 3 Fine quality pearls with very good luster and minimal minor surface flaws
Mikimoto 2 Average quality pearls with fair luster and visible flaws
Mikimoto 1 Low quality pearls with poor luster and significant flaws

U.S. Standard Guidelines

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission established official grading guidelines for pearls that evaluate luster, surface, color, shape, size and matching.

Grade Description
AA Very high quality pearls with no discoloration, excellent luster and surface, symmetrical shape, and precisely matched strands
A High quality pearls, with minor discoloration allowed, good luster and surface, symmetrical shape, and well-matched strands
B Average quality pearls with more visible flaws in luster, surface, and matching

Most reputable pearl suppliers will provide details on what pearl grades they have available based on these standardized criteria above. Understanding the grading scales will help you zero in on the level of pearl quality that fits your specific needs and budget when buying in bulk.

Factors that Determine Pearl Value

Beyond the grading systems, there are several specific factors that affect pearl value:

Luster

Luster refers to the reflective quality of the pearl's surface. High luster gives pearls a mirror-like shine. Premium quality pearls will have excellent luster.

Surface Quality

The surface quality of a pearl relates to cleanliness, smoothness, and the absence of visible flaws. Higher grades have clean surfaces free of spots, bumps or other marks.

Size

Larger pearls are more rare, making them more valuable. Premium sizes range from 9mm to 20mm depending on the pearl type.

Shape

Symmetrical, rounder shapes are generally preferred. Baroque and oval shapes may be lower cost.

Nacre Thickness

Thicker nacre results in higher luster and durability. South Sea and Tahitian pearls will have thicker nacre than freshwater pearls.

Color

Certain natural pearl colors like white, pink, yellow and black are considered more desirable. Non-bodycolor freshwater pearls are often dyed to achieve popular color hues.

Matching

Matched pearls with consistent overtones, size, shape and color coordination increase overall value and beauty.

These are all important aspects that reputable pearl suppliers will evaluate, grade and factor into pearl pricing. Understanding what makes one pearl more valuable than another will assist you in finding the ideal pearl qualities and sizes for your needs.

Types of Pearls and their Characteristics

There are several main types of pearls, each with their own distinctive features, profiles, and wholesale price ranges.

Freshwater Pearls

Freshwater pearl necklace

Freshwater pearls are cultivated in mussels living in lakes and rivers, mainly in China. They are the most common and affordable pearl type.

Sizes: 5mm to 14mm

Colors: White, pink, peach, purple, black

Shape: Rounded to Baroque

Luster: Moderate to excellent

Surface: Moderate flaws to clean

Nacre Quality: Thin to moderate

Wholesale Price Range: $1 to $30 per pearl

Freshwater pearls offer beautiful, affordable options for buying pearls in bulk. Their diversity of shapes and colors make them extremely versatile for any type of jewelry design.

Akoya Pearls

Akoya pearl necklace

Akoya pearls are cultivated in oysters in Japan and China typically in sizes of 6mm to 10mm. They are known for their classic white hue and delicate look.

Sizes: Mainly 6mm to 10mm

Colors: White with rose, cream, or silver overtones

Shape: Symmetrical and round

Luster: Very good to excellent

Surface: Clean to minor flaws

Nacre Quality: Moderate thickness

Wholesale Price Range: $30 to $60 per pearl

Akoya pearls are perfect for creating traditional pearl jewelry. Their classic white color, consistent sizing and round shape make them ideal for necklaces, earrings and bracelets.

Tahitian Pearls

Tahitian pearl necklace

Tahitian pearls originate from French Polynesia and are cultivated in black lip oysters. They are famous for their exotic black color with rainbow overtones.

Sizes: 8mm to 18mm

Colors: Dark green, blue and purple hues

Shape: Rounded to Baroque shapes

Luster: Excellent shine

Surface: Mostly clean

Nacre Quality: Very thick nacre

Wholesale Price Range: $60 to $300 per pearl

Tahitian pearls make breathtaking statement pieces. Their large sizes and shades of black, green and blue offer a dramatic, fashion-forward look.

South Sea Pearls

South sea pearl pendants

South Sea pearls hail from Australia and Indonesia where they grow in massive white lip oysters. Highly sought-after for their size and silvery white sheen.

Sizes: 9mm to 20mm

Colors: White and golden hues

Shape: Mostly spherical

Luster: Excellent shine

Surface: Clean and flawless

Nacre Quality: Very thick nacre

Wholesale Price Range: $150 to $600 per pearl

South Sea pearls are true heirloom jewels valued for their rarity, brilliance, and enormous sizes up to 20mm. Their flawless beauty and color make them perfect for upscale pearl necklaces and earrings.

This overview shows the diversity among pearl types. Considering the unique profiles, wholesale price ranges and purpose of each pearl variety will help guide your buying decisions.

Tips for Buying Pearls in Bulk

Follow these top tips when purchasing pearls at wholesale:

  • Have a budget in mind - Prices can vary widely based on pearl type, size, grade and other factors. Determine your budget beforehand so you can select the best pearls within your price range.

  • Understand your needs - Think about how you want to use the pearls. Will they be for necklaces, earrings, rings? This will help determine ideal sizes, shapes and colors.

  • Request photos/samples - Ask the supplier to provide photos of actual pearls they have in stock and request physical samples to inspect quality.

  • Buy graded strands - Opt for pre-assembled pearl strands that are already graded and matched for consistency.

  • Mix pearl types - Combine different pearl varieties together to create unique multi-pearl designs at affordable prices.

  • Consider loose pearls - Buying individual loose pearls gives the most flexibility for creating custom jewelry or stringing strands.

  • Ask about special deals - Find out about volume discounts or sales promotions to take advantage of the best possible pricing.

  • Inspect shipments thoroughly - Upon receiving your wholesale pearl order, inspect each pearl closely before final acceptance.

Doing a bit of planning, asking questions upfront and inspecting shipments will help ensure you select beautiful, high-quality pearls at fair wholesale prices.

Creative Uses for Wholesale Pearls

The possibilities are endless when you have a large inventory of loose pearls available! Here are some creative ways to put wholesale pearls to use in jewelry designs:

  • Multi-strand necklaces - String together multiple necklace strands of coordinated or alternating pearl colors and sizes for dramatic effect.

  • Pearl bracelet sets - Create entire pearl bracelet sets with matching necklaces in a cohesive theme.

  • Pearl drops - Use loose pearls as drops suspended from crystal pendants, gemstone earrings or decorative chains.

  • Pearl chokers - Short 14′′-16′′ pearl necklaces make glamorous chokers when worn tight around the neck.

  • Pearl rings - Adorn statement cocktail rings with eye-catching freshwater or Tahitian pearls.

  • Scattered pearls - Embellish necklaces, hair clips and brooches by scattering loose pearls throughout the design.

  • Pearl nest pendants - Wire wrap loose pearls together in a nest shape to create floating pearl pendants.

  • Pearl tassel earrings - Dangle strands of small pearls from the bottom of bold earrings for a playful accent.

  • Pearl slides - Insert individual pearls or pearl motifs onto bracelet slider beads for a customizable look.

With a stock of high-quality loose pearls, you’re free to string, wrap, wire and embed these organic gems into an endless array of jewelry creations!

Caring for Your Pearls

To keep pearls looking their absolute best:

  • Avoid harsh chemicals and household cleaners
  • Do not expose to chlorine, perfume or hairspray
  • Wipe gently with soft damp cloth to clean
  • Store pearls separately from harder gems to avoid scratches
  • Keep pearls in soft fabric pouches or lined jewelry boxes
  • Hang pearl necklaces to avoid tangles
  • Take off pearls before intensive activity

By taking basic precautions with cleaning, storage and handling, your pearl wholesale purchase will stay stunning for years to come.

Conclusion

Pearls never go out of style. Their soft, timeless elegance makes them a jewelry staple perfect for any occasion. Buying pearls in bulk from a reputable wholesaler provides high-quality pearls at lower per-pearl prices and gives you abundant design versatility. Understanding the different pearl varieties, grading systems and value factors will ensure you select magnificent pearls matched to your budget and purpose. With the right care, your pearl inventory will retain its beauty over time while allowing you to create endless classic and fashion-forward jewelry designs. The world of pearl wholesale invites new possibilities to adorn yourself and others with these lustrous gifts from the sea.