Our FAQs
Our Pearls
Pearls of Australia boast a rare combination of both Australian South Sea pearls born from the Australia Pinctada maxima oyster, and the Akoya pearls born from the sub-tropical species of pearl shell known as Pinctada fucata.
Our Australian South Sea pearls are cultured and harvested in the pristine waters of our Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm on the Kimberley Coast of WA, while our Akoya pearls are located within the stunning estuaries of our Broken Bay Pearl Farm on the Central Coast of NSW.
With each purchase of Pearls of Australia jewellery, you will be provided with a Certificate of Authenticity to guarantee the provenance and quality of the pearls.
The Pinctada maxima oyster is the largest of all pearl-producing oysters in the world, thus our Australian South Sea pearls have the thickest nacre and a lustre, colour and size to rival any other.
Australian South Sea pearls require a huge amount of time and effort to cultivate and are world renowned for their beauty and value. These pearls account for 1% of the World’s production, but due to their incredible quality and demand they result in a 25% of total sales. This demand highlights the prestige of Australian South Sea pearls.
At Pearls of Australia, we hand select only the most premium quality pearls to elegantly craft our jewellery.
Australian South Sea pearls grow over a 2 year period, whereas the Akoya can take an average of take on average 18 months to produce a single pearl.
Annually from May to September.
Australian South Sea Pearls are grown in Cygnet Bay in northern Australia. Our Akoya pearl oysters are grown in Broken Bay in NSW.
Our Australian Saltwater oysters usually produce only 1 Pearl every 1.5 to 2 years and are not treated, dyed or enhanced in any way.
Freshwater oysters may produce 30-50 pearls at a time, and they are usually dyed, bleached and treated to improve their appearance. For more information, read our blog.
Pearls are the only gem produced by a living organism. The minor blemishes and marks found on a pearl are the natural birth marks of that pearl. No two pearls are alike, making your pearl jewellery totally exclusive and unique. Learn more about choosing your pearl.
‘Keshi’ is a Japanese term for poppy seed and are small seedless pearls that are perfectly unique in shape. Often confused for natural pearls, Keshi pearls are a result of the culturing process and are often not discovered until the very end of the pearling process. Australian South Sea Keshi pearls are admired for their superior quality, remarkable lustre and organic appearance.
Like snowflakes, no two pearls are exactly alike, therefore some pearls may appear different in shape or colour to those pictured on our website. Learn more about choosing your pearl.
Production
Our jewellery is conceptualised, designed, prototyped and hand-crafted in Australia. Our Australian South Sea and Akoya pearls are hand fitted to every piece of jewellery we produce in our Perth based studio.
No. We only produce designs unique to Pearls of Australia.
When grading pearls, the following values are considered: Lustre, Complexion, Shape, Size, Colour. These values determine the “grade” of the pearl, and ranks pearls from A1, A2, A3, B1 & B2, with A1 being the highest.
Use our pearl grading guide to assist in your selection process. To learn more about choosing your pearl visit here.
Pearls of Australia website features an extensive range of jewellery online; however a more extensive range can be viewed at any of our boutiques or at an online consultation with one of our incredible team members.
Our pearl jewellery is available for viewing at your nearest Pearls of Australia boutique, our Subiaco studio and office and some authorised stockists. You can also arrange a private in-person consultation at our Subiaco studio by booking here.
Sizing
We recommend visiting your nearest Pearls of Australia boutique, or local jeweller to have your ring size accurately measured. Alternatively, use our sizing guide to assist in selecting the correct ring size.
In most cases it is possible to have your yellow, rose or white gold ring resized at a cost. Please contact our customer care team to learn more about ring resizing.
When ordering a Pearls of Australia ring, please bear in mind that we are unable to exchange or provide a refund for a ring that has been altered from its original size from an external vendor. If you find that you have ordered the wrong size online, it is possible to have your ring resized.
We do not resize sterling silver rings.
We have created a dedicated size guide for all our pearl jewellery and the difference in sizes between our Akoya and South Sea pearls. You can read all about it here.
Product Care
Although made from high quality materials, our Pearls of Australia jewellery are delicate by nature. Here are some tips to care for your pearls:
Avoid spraying perfume, hairspray, make-up or other chemicals on your pearl jewellery.
Wash your pearls in fresh water and pay fry with a soft cloth. You don’t need to use any soap or detergents. Prolonged exposure to saltwater can affect your pearl’s shine.
Our gift boxes are not suitable for long term storage. Humidity and other factors can cause jewellery to tarnish over time.
Store your pearls separate from other jewellery or abrasive surfaces to avoid scratching.
Wear your pearls, they will soak up your skin’s natural oils and stay shiny for years to come.
For a more in-depth guide visit our Product Care page to learn more.
To organise a repair or restringing of items purchased please contact us or visit your nearest Pearls of Australia boutique and we will assist you with this process.
Unless otherwise stated, the standard time frame for a Pearls of Australia repair or restring is 5-10 business day from receipt of the item.
Orders
Yes. To keep your jewellery in excellent condition we offer a complimentary cleaning service. Please drop your items into any Pearls of Australia location or contact us to arrange your jewellery to be cleaned.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and PayPal payment options using a secure gateway. If you would like us to process your payment over the phone, please contact us.
Orders will be dispatched within 2 business days, unless otherwise stated. Although we cannot make any guarantees, if you need your order urgently, please contact us and we will do our best to fulfil your order as soon as possible.
Yes. We offer complimentary gift wrapping on all orders.
Our pearl jewellery is available in all Pearls of Australia boutiques, our Subiaco office and studio and some authorised stockists. You can also arrange to purchase these items online or over the phone by contacting us. If you wish to see any of our pearl jewellery in person, you can arrange a private online and in-person consultation at one of our locations by booking here.
We ship both internationally and nationally. Free registered express shipping is applicable for orders over $100 within Australia. A flat rate of $15 AUD applies for registered shipping within Australia.
A flat rate of $50 AUD applies for international orders to the following countries: Africa, Asia, Europe, South Africa, China, Hong Kong, Iraq, and Japan. If you are located outside of these countries, please contact our team to place your order.
Learn more about our shipping here.
Australian orders are dispatched within 1 to 3 business days, unless the item ordered needs to be resized or altered. Please allow up to 6 business days for your order to be delivered.
International orders are dispatched within 3 to 7 days. Please allow 10 to 25 business days for your order to be delivered.
Once your item has been dispatched, we will notify you via email with your tracking number. Please check your spam/junk mail folders for order confirmations and tracking information.
All international purchases are exempt from Australian taxes. The listed RRP price does not include overseas custom duties or taxes, please refer to your local customs office for specific information. Costs and liabilities relating importation and any subsequent duties, taxes and customs clearance fees are the responsibility of the customer.
Your shipping confirmation email will advise you of your parcel’s tracking number. To check the status of your Australian shipment, simply click on the link provided by Auspost and enter your tracking number. Shipments to the USA or UK are sent via FedEx. Shipments sent to countries outside of these regions are handled via third party couriers, but all shipments may be tracked on the respective courier’s online tracking service.
Please review our shipping information, if your order has not arrived within our estimated delivery times, please contact us.
All domestic and international orders are fully insured when posted and require a signature upon delivery.
At the discretion of Pearl’s of Australia, we can accept items for an exchange, refund or credit note if returned within 28 days of the original purchase date.
If the item you have received is defective, please notify Pearls of Australia promptly and return the item. Pearls of Australia will, for any products deemed defective, provide a full refund. The provisions set forth herein do not limit any applicable statutory rights.
If you have received an incorrect item, or an item that does not match the description of what was ordered, Pearls of Australia are able to replace it with the correct item or issue a refund subject to the item meeting the Quality Control Assessment and availability.
When ordering a Pearls of Australia ring, please bear in mind that we are unable to exchange or provide a refund for a ring that has been altered from its original size from an external vendor. If you find that you have ordered the wrong ring size online, it is possible to have your ring resized if you have ordered a 9ct or 18ct gold ring. Ring resizing is not applicable for sterling silver pieces.
Costs and liabilities relating to the return shipping of exchange items are the responsibility of the customer unless Pearls of Australia has made an error.
Please note: returns or refunds are not applicable to free gifts.
Warranty
All Pearls of Australia jewellery is created with the utmost care and attention to detail, to ensure the highest level of quality of each piece. We are passionate about creating high quality jewellery which, when cared for properly, can be passed down through generations.
We recommend having your jewellery serviced regularly by our Pearls of Australia Jeweller to maintain the life of your item. General wear and tear or damage from trauma is not covered by our manufacturer’s warranty. We encourage you to look after your jewellery. If you do not get your Pearls of Australia jewellery serviced within a five year period or if any repairs are done by external jewellers your warranty is void.
You can visit us in store or send your repairs to Pearls of Australia (Tenancy 7, 1b Hood Street, Subiaco) at your own cost and we will deliver it back to you at a cost of approximately $30. When we send it back to you with our courier provider it will be covered by our insurance policy.
If you believe the goods to be faulty after wearing them, the item can be sent back for appraisal. You must adhere to all care instructions or we will not honour a refund if the item has been damaged due to negligence on your part.
You must notify us of your intention to return the faulty item. You can do this by emailing [email protected] where the returns procedure will take effect.
Once we receive the item, we will investigate and consider the claim to deem if it is faulty. If the return reason is valid we will offer you a refund, exchange or credit. If the return reason is not valid, we will contact you to discuss the outcome.
We aim to process all returns as soon as possible, and will send an email when your parcel has been received and your refund processed where applicable. Your refund will be credited to the original payment method used for purchase. Some refunds may take a further few days to show up in your account depending on your financial institution.
Please note: warranties are not applicable to free gifts.
