Pearl rings in solid 14K yellow and white gold, and .925 sterling silver. The pearls are freshwater cultured pearl, shell pearl and simulated pearl, in white and black, set on their own or with diamond or cubic zirconia accents. Finger sizes are listed on each product page.
See also white pearl rings, black pearl rings, cultured pearl rings and shell pearl rings. Pearl in other pieces: pearl earrings, pearl necklaces, pearl bracelets and pearl jewelry sets. Browse everything in Rings.
More about pearl rings
A ring is the hardest place on the body to wear a pearl
Pearl sits at about 2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. A diamond sits at 10, quartz at 7, and ordinary household dust contains quartz. A pendant hangs still against fabric; a ring goes into pockets, door handles, steering wheels and washing-up water, and it meets every surface your hand meets. That single fact explains most of what follows: why pearls set in rings are generally smaller than the ones set in earrings, why so many of them sit in a raised bezel or between shoulders of metal rather than on bare prongs, and why the standard advice is to take a pearl ring off for the gym, the garden and the kitchen sink. None of this makes a pearl ring fragile. It makes it a piece you put on deliberately.
The kinds of pearl on this page, and how they differ
A freshwater cultured pearl is a real pearl: a mussel is given a small implant and lays down nacre around it over several years, exactly as it would around a natural irritant. Nacre is the substance that gives a pearl its depth — light enters it and comes back, which is why a good pearl glows rather than shines. A shell pearl is not a pearl at all in that sense: mother-of-pearl shell is ground, formed into a bead and finished with a pearl coating. It buys a deeper, more even color than most natural pearls at a far lower price, and it takes knocks better. A simulated pearl is a bead with a pearl-like finish and nothing organic in it. All three are honest products at honest prices; the mistake is paying for one and receiving another. Every product page here states which it is.
Pearl color against the metal it sits in
A white pearl reads warm and soft against yellow gold and crisp and cool against white gold or sterling silver. A black pearl is the reverse: it needs a pale metal behind it to show its shape, and against yellow gold it tends to flatten into a dark spot. This is why black pearls are so often set in white metal and white pearls appear in everything. Size works the same way — a larger pearl on a slim band is a statement and will catch on things; a smaller one sitting close to the finger is the one that gets worn on a Tuesday.
Sizing, and why a pearl ring is not an ordinary resize
Some styles here are stocked in a range of finger sizes and ship from the warehouse in whatever size you order. Others are made to the size you choose and take a few business days before they ship; the product page says which. The reason it matters more with pearl than with a plain band is heat. Resizing a ring means cutting the shank and soldering it, and a pearl will not survive a torch — a jeweler has to unset the pearl, work the metal and reset it, which costs more than sizing a plain ring and is not always possible on a tension or glued setting. Order the size you actually wear.
Why two pearl rings that look alike are not priced alike
Five things move the price and only one of them is obvious. Pearl type comes first: a cultured pearl costs a multiple of a shell bead of the same diameter. Then diameter itself, since a mussel takes years longer to add the last millimetre. Then nacre and surface — a thick-nacred pearl with a clean skin and a sharp reflection is a different object from a thin one with blemishes, even in the same photograph. Then the accents, where a diamond-set shoulder adds a stone cost of its own. Last, the weight of metal, which is why a substantial 14K gold mount costs more than a rhodium-finished sterling one carrying the same pearl.
Common questions
Are these real pearls?
Most are. A freshwater cultured pearl is a real pearl grown in a mussel around a small implant. A shell pearl is a formed bead made from mother-of-pearl shell and coated, and a simulated pearl is a bead with a pearl finish — neither is a grown pearl. Each product page states which one it is.
Can I wear a pearl ring every day?
You can, with one habit. Pearl is soft, around 2.5 on the Mohs scale, and a ring takes more knocks than any other piece of jewelry. Take it off for washing up, gardening, the gym and the pool, and it will stay good for decades.
How do I clean a pearl ring?
Wipe it with a soft damp cloth after wearing and dry it. Nothing else is needed. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner, a steam cleaner, a silver dip or anything containing ammonia, vinegar or bleach — all of them attack nacre, and a silver dip will also strip a rhodium finish.
Does perfume or hand cream damage a pearl?
Over time, yes. Pearl is porous and takes up whatever it is soaked in, and alcohol and acids dull the surface. The rule is simple: put the ring on last, after perfume, hairspray and lotion have dried, and take it off first.
Can a pearl ring be resized?
Often, but not as cheaply as a plain band. Soldering a shank needs heat a pearl cannot take, so the jeweler must unset the pearl, size the ring and reset it. On some settings it is not practical at all. Order your actual finger size rather than planning to alter it.
White pearl or black pearl?
White suits either metal and reads warm against yellow gold. Black needs a pale metal behind it — white gold or sterling silver — to show its shape, and tends to disappear against yellow gold. If the ring is for daily wear rather than occasions, a smaller pearl sitting close to the finger is the practical choice.
Will the pearl come loose?
A well-made setting holds for years, but pearl is set differently from a faceted stone — frequently on a post with adhesive rather than in prongs — so it is worth checking. If the pearl rocks, rattles or turns under light finger pressure, stop wearing it and have it reset before it is lost.
