Can you please clarify regarding dimensions offered on pearl drops? Is this for the drop? If so what is the width

-Iwona

Pearls are always measured at 90 degrees (at right angles) to the drill hole if there is one, so for a drop pearl the measurement is indeed the width.

Ah-ha I hear you say. What about undrilled pearls?  Well, my best answer would be that with round pearls you can’t tell and for anything else it is where the drill hole will be if there was one, if that makes sense.

Pearls are usually measured with accurate calipers.  We use these neat and very accurate electronic ones when measuring pearls for uploading to the website

We measure everything in metric- it’s easier and more accurate. Even when pearl strand lengths are given in inches pearls are measured in mm. That isn’t logical but it is what happens!!

When pearls are being measured en masse to be made into strands or in lots of one specific size they are usually sieved. It took me a while to work out what the pervasive and distinctive rattly noise of pearl sieving was when I first heard it. But it is very accurate too as a way of measuring pearls.

calipers

but purely mechanical ones are fine too and are most often used in Hong Kong and China.

Our measurements are accurate to fractions of a millimeter, which is pretty small , but you need to be aware that pearls are organic and will vary a little between strands.

(Many auction etc sellers just copy over the wholesalers size description but these can be inaccurate by a mm or more.)