Pearls - the gems of ancient history

[chiyochan]

Originally posted by mel171103kev
No idea, but if your mikimoto was not the top-grade ones (the ones in their studs, pendants etc are top-grade while full-strand lower grade), or subject to wear and tear (lustre is the 1st thing that fades on regular wear, especially if on ears/ fingers/ wrists compared to mounted on metal on a pendant).

Also note that plastic ie. faux pearls are shiniest too.

Can't think of other reasons, can always bring both to mikimoto and question :note: them hehe. I would!

My mikimoto's were ear studs, so i believe it should be the highest grade.

That was what i thought about the one i bought from DFS, cause its a fraction of the price of Mikimoto's, but i can't believe that DFS sells fakes?? :huh:

Will mikimoto entertain me my queries if i should bring a pair of earrings not bought from them?

[kare2711]

Originally posted by chiyochan
My mikimoto's were ear studs, so i believe it should be the highest grade.

That was what i thought about the one i bought from DFS, cause its a fraction of the price of Mikimoto's, but i can't believe that DFS sells fakes?? :huh:

Will mikimoto entertain me my queries if i should bring a pair of earrings not bought from them?

Is there such a thing as fake pearls? Could the pearls be of a lower grade but added sheen to make it more attractive?

I'm sure the staff at Mikimoto will be delighted to help

[chiyochan]

Originally posted by kare2711
Is there such a thing as fake pearls? Could the pearls be of a lower grade but added sheen to make it more attractive?

I'm sure the staff at Mikimoto will be delighted to help

hmm.. instead of wondering at home, mayb its best to do what u helpful cotters have suggested - bring it to mikimoto's and let them solve the mystery!!

thanks kare2711 and mel171103kev for your helpful response

[dolphin]

PEARL BUYERS GUIDE AND MARKET ANALYSIS

By Michael B. Lawyer
Palawan Pearl Farms, Ltd.
Mike@PearlJewels.com


This is not intended to be an exhaustive, all-inclusive treatise on
pearl buying that will immediately transform the neophyte into an expert
pearl buyer. But my intent is to provide for the average shopper a few
simple tips and hints on avoiding common pitfalls that can be
encountered when purchasing pearls. Some of this information I have gleaned
from a great little book called "The Pearl Buying Guide" by Renee Newman,
International Jewelry Publications, P.O. Box 13384, Los Angeles, CA
90013. I strongly recommend the book to anyone who has a serious interest
in pearls.

"Unlike other gems, the pearl comes to us perfect and beautiful, direct
from the hand of nature. Other precious stones receive careful
treatment from the lapidary, and owe much to his art. The pearl, however,
owes nothing to man...It is absolutely a gift of nature, on which man
cannot improve. We turn from the brilliant, dazzling ornament of diamonds
or emeralds to a necklace of pearls with a sense of relief, and the eye
rests upon it with quiet, satisfied repose and is delighted with its
modest splendor, its soft gleam, borrowed from its home in the depths of
the sea. It seems truly to typify steady and abiding affection, which
needs no accessory or adornment to make it more attractive. And there
is a purity and sweetness about it which make it especially suitable
for the maiden." -- Stevenson, Charles, The Book of the Pearl, page 305,
1908


ARE THE PEARLS REAL OR FAKE?

There are several types of imitation, simulated, or faux pearls:
* Hollow glass beads containing wax, coated.
* Solid glass beads, sometimes coated with pearl essence.
* Plastic beads with coating.
* Mother-of-pearl shell beads, coated.
* Mother-of-pearl beads, uncoated.

How can I tell a fake pearl from a real one?
* The Tooth Test. Rub the pearls lightly along the biting edge of your
upper front teeth. If they feel sandy or gritty, they are probably
cultured or natural pearls. If they feel smooth, they are most likely
imitation.
* Surface Magnification Test. View the surface of the pearl with a
10-power loupe. If it looks grainy, it is probably an imitation. Pearls
normally look unusually fine-grained. Occasionally freshwater and
South Sea pearls look a little grainy. Other surface characteristics,
below, can prove they are not an imitation.
* If the surface, under magnification, has tiny crooked lines so that
it has a scaly, maze-like appearance, it is probably a cultured or
natural pearl. Shining a strong, bare, direct light on the surface from
different angles will help bring out the surface lines.
* If, looking at the drill hole area under magnification, there is no
dark dividing line between the nacre and the nucleus, it is probably an
imitation.
* The coating around the drill holes tends to flake in imitations.
* The drill holes of imitations may angle outward at the surface of the
pearl.
* The coating on imitation pearls may look like a thin coat of paint.
* Round ridges sometimes form around the drill holes in imitation
pearls.
* If the bead is made of glass, the glassy luster may be visible.
* If the pearls appear flawless, that is a sign they are imitation.
* Imitation pearls frequently have no overtone colors.
* Imitation pearls often are perfectly matched. Cultured or natural
pearls will have variations.
* Imitation pearls are usually lighter weight than real pearls. Bounce
them in your hand to see if they feel extra light. Glass beads,
however, may weigh about the same as real pearls.
* Is the price unbelievably low? If so, they may have hardly any pearl
nacre or be imitation.

PEARL COLOR: Pearl color is complex and is made up of three elements,
body color, overtones and iridescence.

Body color is the predominant basic color of the pearl. Lay pearls on
a white surface and you will see the body color on the outer edge of
the pearl.

Overtone is the one or more colors that overlie the body color. Lay
the pearls on a white surface under midday sun or under a strong, direct
light. By looking closely, you should see a slight pink, blue-silver
or blue color in the middle dark areas of the pearls. This is the
overtone. Usually you will see more than one overtone color in a strand of
pearls. You may even see more than one overtone color on the same
pearl.

Iridescence or Orient is a display of lustrous colors. They may be
rainbow-like, or they may be a subtle combination of colors. Iridescence
or Orient may be a combination of violet, blue, red green, yellow - all
the colors of the rainbow.

How can I judge pearl color?
* Your primary concern should be what looks best on you. But you will
also want to know how color affects price.
* Light Pink is usually the highest price.
* White is equal to or less than pearls with light pink body color.
* Light Cream is usually less costly than white.
* Dark Cream, Yellow or Golden may be about 40% lower than white.
* Pink overtones increase price.
* Silver overtones usually have no effect.
* Green overtones may decrease the price slightly.
* Look at the color of pearls against a non-reflective white
background.
* Place the pearls around your neck or on your hand to see how they
look on you.
* If possible, look at the pearls under a variety of different light
sources because you'll probably be wearing them under a variety of
different lights.
* Take along some other pearls for comparison. It is a lot easier to
compare than to remember color.
* Compare strands slightly separated from one another to eliminate
blending of the two or more strands.
* Periodically look away from the pearls at other objects and colors so
your color perception does not become distorted.
* Look to see how evenly the color is distributed on the pearl.
Uniform color is of higher value than blotchy color.
* Look for dying by examining the drill holes with a 10-power loupe to
look for dye stains or a colored line between the nacre and the
nucleus.


NACRE THICKINESS: Nacre thickness directly affects the beauty and
durability of pearls. Luster is very much affected by nacre. Nacre
thickness, therefore, affects the price of the pearls. It naturally costs a
farmer more to culture pearls for 1 1/2 to 2 years than it does for a
mere 6 months. That additional cost must be passed on to buyers.

"The most important quality of a cultured pearl is the thickness of the
nacre. It gives color, luster, and appearance. Pearls are among the
softest of all gems, and normal body fluids, as well as contact with
perfumes, hair sprays and acids reduce nacre. A thinly coated pearl won't
last many years. " --Shigeru Mike, National Geographic, August 1985

How can I judge nacre thickness?
* Thin nacre pearls usually have a low or very low luster and may even
look milky.
* Look for cracks in thin nacre coating.
* Look for areas where nacre has peeled off.
* Hold the pearls up to a bright light and turn them. Layers of the
shell beads are slightly visible when light shines through them. The
layers look like wood grain stripes. The thinner the nacre, the easier it
is to see the lines.
* As the beads are rolled with bright light behind them, some may look
light and then dark as the light shines through. This is because the
shell beads may have mother-of-pearl layers blocking the light. This is
called "blinking" and can sometimes be seen in thinly coated pearls.
* Examine the drill holes of the pearls with a 10-power hand loupe. If
the nacre thickness is acceptable, you should be able to see a dividing
line between the nacre and the darker nucleus. The nacre should be at
least 0.35 mm thick. Thicker is better.

FLAWS: The judging of flaws is usually done without magnification.
Some of the more common flaws are listed below.
* Bumps and welts
* Discolorations.
* Chips, holes and patches of missing nacre.
* Pits and pinpoints.
* Dimples.
* Dull spots.
* Cracks.
* Scratches.

How can I judge flaws? Which are acceptable and which aren't?
* Cracks in the pearls. Thick nacre doesn't crack easily. Thin nacre
does.
* Prominent flaws in a single pearl. Flaws are less noticeable in a
necklace than in a featured pearl of another jewelry piece. If you are
buying a large expensive pearl and want to economize, select one whose
flaws can be hidden in the setting.
* Patches of missing nacre. Pearls with chunks of missing nacre are
unacceptable.
* Discolorations. Try to select pearls with a uniform color.
* Avoid pearls with flaws that cover the majority of the pearl surface.
* Also look at pearls against a dark background to look for additional
flaws.
* Hold the pearls in the air to examine them for flaws. But do not
judge color this way.
* Examine them under strong and varied light sources. Different kinds
of light bring out different flaws.
* Roll the pearls to determine what percentage of the pearls is flawed.
Don't let a dealer show you only their "good" side.
* Keep in mind that it is normal for pearls to have a few flaws. It
would be abnormal for all pearls to be flawless. If all the pearls are
flawless, they are probably imitations.
* South Sea pearls are graded for flaws with much greater leniency than
Akoya pearls because of their thicker nacre.

If you have to choose between heavily flawed lustrous pearls and near
flawless pearls with very thin nacre and low luster, you will be better
off with the flawed ones.

MAKE is a combination of three factors.
* How well do the pearls match or blend together in terms of color,
shape, luster, size and surface perfection?
* How centered are the drill holes?
* How smooth is the size increase of graduated pearls?

SHAPE
The more round a pearl is, the greater is its value. But round South
Sea pearls are very rare because of their thicker nacre. Be willing to
compromise on shape with South Sea pearls, because perfectly round
South Sea pearls are extremely rare.

SALTWATER vs. FRESHWATER PEARLS
Saltwater pearls generally sell for a higher price than freshwater
pearls.

BUYERS BEWARE!
* Beware of jewelry salespeople you don't know or who may not be
trustworthy.
* It is advisable to use a loupe to check for flaws, thin nacre, dye
and imitations.
* The better the lighting, the better you can judge quality.
* Deal with merchants who consider nacre thickness to be important.
* When buying top quality pearls, a quick look through a loupe could
help you make a better choice.
* If the price seems too good to be true, use a loupe to find the
catch.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LENGTHS, SIZES AND STYLES OF PEARL NECKLACES

Pearl Necklaces are traditionally made in the following approximate
lengths and are known by the names listed below. In the jewelry industry
there are no standard or exact lengths for each style of Pearl
Necklace.

Approximate Lengths of Necklaces:

Name Length in inches Length in cm

Choker 14 to 16" 35 to 40 cm
Princess 16 to 20" 40 to 50 cm
Matinee 20 to 26" 50 to 66 cm
Opera 28 to 36" 70 to 90 cm
Rope 40" or more 1 meter/longer

DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF NECKLACE STYLES:

Choker: Central pearl normally lies just below or in the hollow of
the throat. Looks especially attractive with V-neck blouses and
dresses.

Princess: Slightly longer than a choker, it is well suited for
detachable pendants and can slenderize the neck.

Matinee: Sometimes worn along with a choker. Or it can be strung with
two hidden clasps so it can also be worn as a shorter necklace or a
bracelet.

Opera: About twice the size of a choker.

Rope: A necklace longer than opera length. The length can vary
according to the jeweler.

Bib: Three or more concentric strands. The lowest strand does not
normally fall below Matinee length.

Dog Collar: Multi-strand choker length. Strands may be clasped
together with a single clasp. Dog Collars help conceal neck wrinkles.

Torsade: Multi-strand necklace formed by twisting strands around each
other. Especially popular with freshwater pearl strands.

Uniform Strand: All pearls in the strand are about the same size.

Graduated: Strand with pearls of different sizes that get larger
toward the center of the strand and taper in size toward the clasp. Gives
the appearance of large pearls but at a lower price than uniform strands.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ANALYSIS OF THE PEARL MARKET FOR INVESTORS

by Adam Lawyer
Palawan Pearl Farms, Ltd.
Adam@PearlJewels.com

South Sea Pearls. The white or gold-lipped Pinctada Maxima shell used
to grow South Sea Pearls is very difficult to gather; it's very
difficult to grow. That increases its value.

Tahitian Black Pearls. The black lipped Pinctada Margueritifera shell
is very easy to grow; you can't kill it with a stick. It grows in
shallow waters on its own in Tahiti. Literally hundreds of mom and pop
operations can grow these. The shells are very tough, so they have a very
large production of black pearls.

Consequently, the value of the black pearl is substantially less than
the South Sea Pearls grown in the white or gold-lipped Pinctada Maxima
shell.

A man by the name of Robert Wan pretty much controls the black pearl
market out of Tahiti. He alone, along with his consortium, has done a
fabulous job of marketing the black pearl. Therefore the price is kept
higher than it would be otherwise, considering it is easier to make and
they are so ubiquitous.

South Sea Pearls have been dropping in price. With the new pearl farms
coming on in Asia, the Australians becoming better and better at
producing larger quantities, and in spite of better quality pearls, the price
of the South Sea Pearl has been dropping. Also, the Japanese used to be
big buyers of South Sea Pearl, but when their bubble burst, they
stopped buying.

I estimate the breakeven for South Sea Pearls in Australia is around
18,000 Yen per momme. Currently South Sea Pearls are selling for anywhere
from 25,000 Yen to 30,000 Yen per momme and they have been as high as
40,000 Yen or 50,000 Yen per momme in auctions from Paspaley. The
average price has dropped from 35,000 Yen. I guess they are down to around
25,000 Yen per momme. The Australian breakeven of 18,000 Yen per momme is
substantially higher than our breakeven, which I estimate to be around
5,000 Yen per momme.

The Pearl Industry is labor intensive. Pearl producers in Asia, places
like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand can produce at a lot
lower cost than places like Australia. Although the quality of the
Australian South Sea Pearl has historically been much better, as the hatcheries
come on and we get greater hatchery production, we are able to produce
increasingly better quality South Sea Pearls from third world
countries. So the quality difference is disappearing.

I believe that the South Sea Pearl market price will continue to drop.
I believe it will drop below the breakeven point of Australian pearl
producers as more pearl hatcheries come into production and the
quantities of the shells increase. Traditionally the Pinctada Maxima shells had
to be procured by sending divers down to the ocean bottom to gather
them. In most of the third world countries the oyster beds have been
pretty well decimated. Australia, on the other hand, has a good government
program where they have quotas and limits. And they police their limits
to restrict the number of shells any one pearl farm can gather.
Consequently these sources of the Pinctada Maxima continue to thrive.

But as hatcheries are developed and the production from hatchery bed
shells increases, then the shell procurement will no longer be such an
expensive item and more quantities will be available, so consequently, I
think that there will be more pearls available and the price of South
Sea Pearls will continue to drop. I think that is good.

As a third world producer, we will always continue to make a profit. We
can produce at a lower cost than anyone else, and our quality continues
to improve. But as a producer at a lower breakeven, we don't really
care how much the price drops as long as it is above our breakeven. As the
pearl farms bring on more and more hatcheries they produce more pearl
shells so they don't have to dive, and they are also better quality. The
quality is increasing from the third world countries.

So, even if the price drops over time, I don't think it matters, as
long as our production continues. As our production increases it makes it
more affordable for more people. That's what I forecast for the South
Sea.

The Akoya market has taken kind of an interesting direction. Due to
pollution and increased labor cost in Japan, Japanese pearl farms are
having a lot of trouble - going out of business. The quality of Akoya
Pearls in Japan is higher than in China, but people still buy them from the
Chinese and they make good money. The price is around $43 per momme
compared to the South Sea Pearls at around $200 per momme. But even if the
prices drop, what do we care? It only makes them more affordable for
more people. People won't stop buying South Sea Pearls. They will still
buy them because a 10-11-14 mm South Sea Pearl is much prettier, much
more beautiful, much more elegant than a 5 -7-8 mm Akoya pearl.

There are a lot of pearl farms going into business in China at a
substantially lower cost because the labor cost is much lower in China and
they don't have the same pollution problems. The quality of the Chinese
Akoya is not yet as good as the Japanese, but it is getting better
because, as the pearl producers in Japan are going out of business, a lot of
the pearl producers are going to China for production.

The Japanese have been incredibly secretive with their pearl
technology. Out of necessity, they are now having to transfer it to China, and I
predict that, in the future, the Chinese will probably take over the
Akoya market. In the process, they don't really care to have quotas and
things like that, they always produce a lot and the price of the Akoya
will probably either just remain flat or drop even more over time. I
would expect that the quality of the Chinese Akoya should continue to
increase. The quality now is nice - and steadily improving.

INVESTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS:

No one can accurately predict what will happen to the pearl market in
the future, and we make no claims or guarantees here. Pearl investments,
like other investments, have inherent risks. But we believe that the
low cost of production of our South Sea Pearls and the resultant low
prices at which we sell them to you makes them the greatest, safest value
and the best investment of all pearls.

The old adage, "Invest in something you can use," applies here. Pearl
Jewelry will probably always hold its value, or increase in value,
better than loose pearls. To increase your leverage, buy loose South Sea
Pearls, because the "loose" price is so much less than jewelry, and have
your jeweler create pearl jewelry for you.
Or, have us drill and string your pearls into necklaces, bracelets,
etc. Questions? Contact us at: info@pearljewels.com.


Copyright 2001, Michael B. Lawyer, All Rights Reserved.
PearlJewels.com * Orem, Utah 84097
Fax: (801) 226-8643

Extracted from the internet

[elita]

hi girls!

i dont usually wear accessories,
but i have a soft spot for pearls.

while shopping that day i saw this pretty pearl necklace, and i had to get it.



the photo's not very clear, but it's actually pinkish-violetish pearls with a pink flower diamente pendent.
i it
BUT
i don't know what to wear it with without looking too..jappy or 'auntie'..
im clueless when it comes to dressing up.

can advise?
thanks!

[Dimples]

Threads merged. Hope the ladies here can provide you with an answer.

[Dorothy]

does anyone know if pearls need regular restringing? e.g. in case the threads age over time and break?

also, some of the pearls on my necklace seem to have 'faded' -almost like the top layer has worn off.

Is this normal wear and tear or am I not doing something I should?

thanks, any advice is much appreciated!!

[saresha]

Peals are pretty fragile compared to other gemstones. And yes, they should be restrung regularly. Here are a couple of pearl care guides I found through google:
http://www.mikimoto.com/uk/about_jew...earl_care.html
http://jewelry.about.com/cs/pearls/a...ing_pearls.htm

[Dorothy]

hi, thanks v much for the advice...luckily i did not wear them out..i will probably go by mikimoto to see if they can help me restring!

[Dimples]

Threads merged. Here's some more information on Pearl care for you, Dorothy.

[Sym]

Hi all, I love pearls too! Sadly my friends dont share the same interest.. Are mikimoto pearls really worth the price? Someone pls advise.

[chiyochan]

I think there is an existing topic on pearls.

http://www.forums.cozycot.com/showth...957#post397957

As for whether Mikimoto is worth it, i think this is very subjective.

It's like asking if Tiffany silver is worth the price. To some it certainly is. To others, it's simply not justified.

My

[icequeenn]

other than Chomel, where can I get a gd pearl necklace? I dun mind even if it's not real pearls as long it looks ok.

[tinkerbell]

i think large departmental stores ike isetan are selling it, its just costume jewellery
HTHs

[Galileo]

other than Chomel, where can I get a gd pearl necklace? I dun mind even if it's not real pearls as long it looks ok.

Have you tried www.ameliasgems.com? They've got pearl pieces as well as crystal and semi-precious stones pieces. I bought four earrings from them, but cos I'm not really into "wearing" pearls..dunno why, I jus like looking at them but I feel I dun look nice wearing them...hmm..probably I dun have a "pearly" neck