Round pearls can be anywhere from 2mm to 20mm in diameter. Baroque or irregualr shaped pearlscan be as large as 50mm, see our Article on the Hope Pearl.
Bigger is better. A large pearl is a rare pearl. The more rare things are the more pearl's cost. However size is not the only value factor.
The other thing about size as a value factor is that it is relative to the type of pearl. Akoya Pearls, Tahitian Pearls, South Sea Pearls and freshwater pearls are generally different in size. However due to the different practices used by different cultivators, there may be an overlap in sizes. The sizes are usually, akoyas are the smallest, with sizes from 6mm up to 9mm or 9.5mm, these larger being very rare. Freshwater pearls are generally similar in size to akoyas. Tahitian pearls and South Sea pearls start at 10mm and up to a rare size in the 20mm range.
The importance of size with respect to value depends on the type of pearl. So a pearl that is relatively large compared to others in its type will be more rare and more valuable.
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