Though they are one of our oldest known gems, pearls are probably the least understood jewelry category among consumers and sales associates

by Devin Macnow, executive director of the Cultured Pearl Information Center

Cultured pearl jewelry sales have reached record heights and offer some of the highest profit margins in the industry. But most of these sales have occurred because of consumer interest rather than aggressive salesmanship. In fact, many salespeople turn a blind eye to pearls out of fear and confusion.

While a typical sales associate may be able to rattle off a slick sales presentation on the 4Cs of diamonds, research conducted by the Cultured Pearl Information Center indicates these same sales professionals are poorly equipped to discuss the finer points of cultured pearl quality, which ultimately decide the outcome of a cultured pearl jewelry sale. A recent poll of consumers conducted by CPIC revealed 40% had difficulty finding a retail salesperson who could properly explain pearl's quality factors.

Keeping this in mind, CPIC advises jewelry sales professionals to integrate the following pearl basics into their customer presentations to capture bigger and better sales in this category. The criteria for judging and selling pearl quality are luster, surface, shape, size and color (see "A Pearl Primer" for definitions.)

Fine luster, by far, is the most important quality factor that affects the price of fine cultured pearls. Because it is rarely evident in low-quality, low-priced pearls offered by discount competitors, fine luster is the best way to combat these retailers.

Totally Versatile Pearl

It's important for the sales professional to be able to discuss intelligently the benefits of cultured pearl jewelry. Benefits include ease of wear and versatility - pearls go with everything! They also lend themselves to numerous gift opportunities (they're the classic gift for brides, bridesmaids and girls celebrating a grown-up birthday). Today, with the popularity of South Sea and black pearls, this category is fast becoming a gift of choice for the mature woman celebrating a big anniversary or birthday because these large and luxurious pearls are the ne plus ultra gift of love for a life well lived.

Touch of Luxury
It takes a great deal of finesse to handle pearls properly at the counter and give the potential customer a sense of value for the product. High-quality pearls are a costly treasure and should be presented with a sense of awe for their specialness and rarity. Always present them on a neutral-colored felt pad to give the impression of luxury. It has a more practical reason: the pad helps to showcase the finer aspects of color and luster. And when making the sales presentation, use a poor-quality strand as comparison to show the beauty and value of a better-quality strand.

Tall Tales
Nothing sells better than romance. Memorize short anecdotes about pearl history and symbolism to give the customer a romantic and metaphysical appreciation for the sea-grown gems. The ancient Greeks, for example, believed that wearing pearls would promote marital bliss and prevent newlyweds from crying.

Wear and Care

It's important to tell the customer pearls require more attention than other gems - they're almost like living matter. Be aware of all the do's and don'ts involved in keeping a pearl happy and healthy and beautiful for years to come. For example, they should never be cleaned in traditional jewelry cleaning solutions. Wearers should apply perfume and lotion sparingly - or not at all - to skin the pearls will touch; such substances can damage the nacre (outer covering) of a pearl.

Though it's been said pearls sell themselves, it's ultimately the person standing behind the counter who is responsible for the sale. A sales professional properly armed with the knowledge and confidence to sell pearls, can always make the world his or her oyster.

A Pearl Primer

Know Thy Product
Because consumers know little about cultured pearls, they appreciate an education on where pearls come from, how difficult they are to grow, the different pearl varieties available and how to assess value.

Salespeople should be able to demonstrate how the prices of cultured pearls can be affected by the following factors:

Luster: The mirror-like reflection on the surface of pearls viewed in normal light.

Surface: This should be smooth and even. The fewer the blemishes and pock marks, the greater the value.

Shape: Rounds tend to be the most valuable, but baroque and irregular shapes have gained popularity.

Color: Pink overtones on white pearls are traditional and most prized in the U.S. But current styles favor other spectacular colors, such as black and peacock.

Size: Larger pearls usually are more valuable, but many small pearls with finer luster can equal the cost of larger, dull pearls.

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