Level 1: Pearl Specialist - Education

This level recognizes comprehensive knowledge of pearls.

Pearl Specialist certification is earned by completing the Association’s Pearls As One course. The course provides in-depth, structured education covering all major types of cultured pearls as well as natural pearls, including their history, production, and grading.

Pearl Specialists graduate with a broad and detailed understanding of pearls, including how pearls are formed and evaluated.

Level 2: Pearl Professional - Experience

This level recognizes applied knowledge developed through direct, real-world exposure to pearls.

Pearl Professional certification is earned through a combination of continued education and immersive pearl experiences. These experiences involve seeing, handling, and comparing pearls in environments where they are produced, studied, traded, or historically documented.

Pearl Professionals have moved beyond book knowledge and developed a clearer, more informed eye through firsthand experience. They understand how differences in type, quality, and origin present themselves in actual pearls, not just in images or written descriptions.

Level 3: Pearl Expert - Expertise

This level recognizes depth of understanding developed through extensive, real-world experience with pearls.

Pearl Expert certification is earned through advanced exposure to pearls across multiple settings. This includes working closely with a wide range of pearl types, sizes, qualities, and origins, and developing the ability to compare and assess pearls with consistency and confidence.

Pearl Experts have handled and studied a broad spectrum of pearls and developed a refined eye through repeated observation and comparison. Their understanding reflects depth, range, and familiarity with pearls in real-world contexts.

Certification levels are earned through a combination of education and verified experiences. Points are used to recognize completed activities and to track progress toward each certification level across different learning paths. Each certification level is accompanied by an official Pearl Association of America certificate recognizing that achievement. Pearl Specialist certificates are issued digitally, while Pearl Professional and Pearl Expert certificates are hand-signed and suitable for display.