Rub the pearls lightly along the biting edge of your upper front teeth. If they feel gritty or sandy, they are real pearls. If they feel smooth, they are probably imitations.
- Friction Test
Take two pearls then lightly rub one against the other. If they feel gritty or sandy, they are real pearls. If they feel smooth, they are not real.
- Surface Magnification
Magnify the surfaces of the pearls with a magnifier. If they look grainy, the beads are imitation pearls. If they look scaly, maze-like, they are real pearls. (Under 64-power magnification)