The art of the pearl

The choosing, and the document that goes with it.

Etching by Rembrandt of 1650 showing a Conus marmoreus shell in half-light — **The *Conus marmoreus* shell**The only still life in Rembrandt's etched work: the shell laid on a surface, with the light gliding over its pattern. Rembrandt van Rijn, 1650, etching, drypoint and burin. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, RP-P-1962-63. Public domain.

Before the measuring comes the choosing. The maison buys directly from the producers, at the places of harvest, before the pearls leave for the great international centres. Lustre and orient are looked at first, then shape, colour, size, surface, nacre quality and the harmony with which the gems sit beside one another. Lustre is the light the surface sends back; orient is the iridescence that surfaces from beneath. Every pearl is accepted only when nacre quality, lustre and structural integrity correspond to the MIMÍ master pearls.

Three Ceylon pearl divers seated, wearing nose clips — **Three Ceylon pearl divers with nose clips**Anonymous, late nineteenth century, photograph · Wellcome Collection, London, 578842i · Public Domain Mark

Woodblock print of 1853: the diver Tamatori surfaces clutching the pearl, pursued by the Dragon King's retinue — **Tamatori recovers the pearl from the Dragon King**Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1853, polychrome woodblock print · The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, JP1564 · public domain

Composing a strand is a second craft. Pearls are matched by likeness of lustre and orient, even before size. A well-made strand can be recognised from afar: every pearl in it occupies the place that belongs to it.

Portrait of a woman, probably Maria Trip, painted by Rembrandt in 1639, with a lace collar and strands of pearls — **Portrait of a woman, probably Maria Trip**Lace collar, matching brooch and earrings, pearls at the wrists, at the neck and in the hair. Rembrandt van Rijn, 1639, oil on panel. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, SK-C-597. Public domain.

The document that accompanies the gem

Every jewel comes with its own certificate, dedicated to the type of pearl it carries. The document attests that the gems are genuine, selected and verified, and records their characteristics, so that whoever owns the jewel can consult them over the years.

Line	What it records
Date of purchase · code · description · place of purchase	the details of the purchase
Pearl type · colour · size	the values specific to the specimen

Alongside the pearl certificate comes the certificate of guarantee. Exceptional pearls also receive an individual gemmological certificate, issued by one of the most authoritative international laboratories and referring to the actual characteristics of the specimen.

The seven factors by which a pearl is read, the difference between lustre and orient, and the MIMÍ Pearl Standard that applies them, are found in How a pearl is judged. What determines the value of a gem: What determines the price of a pearl.

Text by the MIMÍ Milano gemmologists · updated 9 September 2026

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