In Reply to: How can u tell pearls from Plastic posted by zapper on Thursday, 8. September 2005 at 21:13 Bali Time:
get the seller to burn a lighter flame under them- if they melt they weren't real!
You can tell the cultured pearls from the genuine pearls by the price... most of the ones you see in Bali are cultured pearls and are a fab price. I got a string of them at Jimbaran Bay for 40, 000rp.
I say to get the seller to light them in case they are strung of cotton and the cotton burns and breaks or if they melt... you'll be able to tell from the sellers reaction when you ask him to light them up what is about to happen either way LOL