This blog entry is made possible thanks to the direct request of one of my readers. About a month ago, “Carolina” asked me:
"Hello! Somebody in there? …How does the body heat test work? ‘Cause I was told that if I touched my face with an imitation pearl and a real pearl would be able to tell which one is real or fake because the real one is a gemstone and stones are cold. Is this true? I ask because Majorca pearls are made with glass beads and glass is cold…so?"
And I answered her back and I did come to realize that she was right: there is a much needed answer. But I do have to say that this method is not very reliable and there are many factors that can hinder your success rate at identifying pearls…but this is a fun method so let us Just Do It!
And I will also share with you 2 additional methods –just as unreliable as the “body heat test”- but that you may also find interesting: the “Fluidity Test” and the “Sound Test”.
For this blog post I would like to use the Vlog or Video-Blog system to show you how these tests work. For this particular set of tests I will employ 3 different pearl necklaces:
- A Cortez Pearl Necklace, made with 8 mm round pearls,
- an imitation pearl necklace from Mallorca Pearls and
- an imitation strand made with mother-of-pearl (MOP) beads; I have to thank my very good friend Michael Rivers for supplying me with this strand.
Besides these necklaces we require an adequate environmental temperature. What do I mean by this? That for optimum results we require the best environmental conditions for this test: we need a cold & dry environment. Humidity interferes with your abilities and a very warm weather will definitively not help. So try it our during fall, winter and even springtime or inside an air conditioned place.
Now, once you have the necklaces and the adequate conditions you need to know how to use these methods which are based 100% on your sense of TOUCH: you will have to feel textures, viscosity and –of course- heat. There are parts of your body that are more sensitive than others and some people are more sensitive than others too! So don’t expect these methods to work the same way for everyone. I recommend that you master these tests by using different parts of your body –such as your forehead, cheeks and lips- at different times of the day or week because you might discover you are much more sensitive at different times or moments.
Very well then, let’s get our hands dirty! Pun intended.
I recommend you start by comparing two different strands at a time and that you allow some time (at least 3-5 minutes) between tests to “clear” your system from the previous experience. Also, avoid placing your necklaces near any heat source (TV, computer, ovens, etc.).
Finally, the details…
Pearl Fluidity/Viscosity.
It’s not that pearl necklaces are “viscous” but they do slide or flow when you gently slide them against your skin. Pearls are soft and silky, and mostly without sharp edges so they flow very naturally.
On the other hand, imitation pearls (also called fake or faux perles) are coated with plastic and are far less fluid and feel “sticky” when in your hands and are warmed.
Use your lips to slide the pearls in a sensuous manner: bearded men please avoid this or if you feel you do have to this...it please don’t post any pictures. 
The Body Heat Method
Pearls are made of Nacre and Nacre is made out of Calcium Carbonate. And it so happens that Calcium Carbonate is not such a great heat nor energy conductor and is quite thermo-stable (remains with its own temperature for some time). You need to leave a shell or pearl exposed to a continued source of heat for it to absorb heat…or you may mechanically heat them by polishing or drilling them.
Under a normal body temperature (between 35-37 Celsius or 95-98.6 Fahrenheit) there is not enough heat to noticeably increase the temperature of the pearls (the real ones) and they will quickly cool down…whereas plastic and glass absorb and conserve heat much better than nacre/pearl.
The Pearl Sound (Clinking) Test
There are some that say you can easily id pearls just by the mere sound they produce when the pearls touch each other, when they fall on a given surface or they slither against each other. They produce their own “music”…but I am unfortunate to say I don’t have a very musical ear.
I would not recommend this method but it is quite up to you to use it. Pearls do have a different sound from imitation pearls and other beads but I can’t really distinguish it unless I have the source pearls for comparison.
Final Thoughts
I do hope you have enjoyed this new Vlog format for this Pearl blog, so it becomes much more dynamic and useful for you.
Please do send in your comments!
