Late Georgian Seed Pearl Earrings. Photo Courtesy of Lang Antiques

Seed pearls are very small; less that a one-quarter grain in weight, less than 2mm in size and off-round in shape. Historically, in jewelry, they were used as a border, singly as tiny accents or clusters of them were woven together to make up an entire piece of jewelry.

Gemological information

Gemological Information for Seed Pearls
Color	White, Pink, Cream and Black
Crystal Structure	Crystalline Layers
Refractive Index	1.53 to 1.685
Durability	Good to Fair, can be scratched, will crush.
Hardness	2.5 to 4.5
Similar Stones	Cultured Pearls, Imitation Pearls
Treatments	Bleaching and Dyeing
Country of Origin	Sri Lanka, Australia, Central America
Seed Pearl Care
Ultrasonic Cleaning	Never
Steam Cleaning	Never
Warm Soapy Water	Safe - Dry String before Wearing
Chemical Attack	Attacked by Acids and Perfume
Light Sensitivity	Stable
Heat Sensitivity	Will Burn with Extreme Heat

Gemology Sources

Gem Reference Guide, Los Angeles: Gemological Institute of America, 1988. Pp. 169-171.

Newman, Harold. An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, New York: Thames and Hudson, 1981. Pp. 274.

Schumann, Walter. Gemstones of the World, New York: Sterling Publishing, Co., 1977. Pp. 222-231.