Pearl Education (Warning: Somewhat of a Rant)

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#436
You can get smaller sized South Seas- in fact just saw them at JCK Vegas Show last week.

I disslike correcting or disparaging a seller but price & the surface to me looks like freshwater and so do her other "South Sea" listings. She may just not know or been told otherwise by an unscruptulous dealer. To me the difference is dead obvious on 95% of pearls but not everyone may know.
For example, these look like dyed freshwater. They have an almost chalky hue and the color is that of dyed pearls I see:
http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.63992446.jpg

She is from Singapore, so maybe they do not realize the FTC regulations on usage of "South Sea Cultured Pearls"

dmitchell15 said:
Okay: What is the average size of South Sea pearls? Also, is it possible to have a 7 mm South Sea pearl? I am looking at a listing on Etsy and I was wondering what you all think.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23040810
Click to expand...
 
#438
Those are FW pearls without any doubt.


One more reason I like to turn buyers away from the interwebs and towards a real face-to-face deal with an independant jeweler.
 
#441
Japster said:
You can get smaller sized South Seas- in fact just saw them at JCK Vegas Show last week.

I disslike correcting or disparaging a seller but price & the surface to me looks like freshwater and so do her other "South Sea" listings. She may just not know or been told otherwise by an unscruptulous dealer. To me the difference is dead obvious on 95% of pearls but not everyone may know.
For example, these look like dyed freshwater. They have an almost chalky hue and the color is that of dyed pearls I see:
http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.63992446.jpg

She is from Singapore, so maybe they do not realize the FTC regulations on usage of "South Sea Cultured Pearls"
Click to expand...

Is there a hint of loftiness in the last comment? I am from Singapore and as a consumer, I can tell that those are not south seas. I believe many others from Singapore (consumers or sellers) could tell their akoyas apart from their south seas, much less from dyed freshwater. There are sellers on ebay and/or etsy who may not be as scrupulous or as informed as serious jewelers with a reputation to protect, regardless of where they are from.
 
#442
simplysplendid said:
Is there a hint of loftiness in the last comment? I am from Singapore and as a consumer, I can tell that those are not south seas. I believe many others from Singapore (consumers or sellers) could tell their akoyas apart from their south seas, much less from dyed freshwater. There are sellers on ebay and/or etsy who may not be as scrupulous or as informed as serious jewelers with a reputation to protect, regardless of where they are from.
Click to expand...

Not even in the slightest- Some of my dearest friends live in Singapore. I perhaps should have clarified, I was giving her the benefit of the doubt in the first part saying that maybe she just truly didn't know or was told differently by a dealer. I further stated that because she lives in Singapore she may not be familar with the American term standards that should be followed (many American Jewelers are oblivious or unfamiliar with pearls enough to follow them)- I've seen designers call pearls South Sea not realizing it should specifically refer to pearls from a marine mollusk. For example, the terminology allowed is very specific: Link to FTC terminology and accepted usage

I hope that makes sense. I was not trying in any way to be derisory
 
#443
Japster said:
You can get smaller sized South Seas- in fact just saw them at JCK Vegas Show last week.
Click to expand...


I wanted to follow up on the tiny South Seas I mentioned earlier in the above comment with a bit more info. A dealer I'm friendly with was showing me at JCK Vegas last week. His family has a long history in perliculture. The little/mini South Seas were around 7mm-8mmish and they were from an Indonesian Pearl Farm. When they are training grafters they use smaller (4mm) sized nuclei to teach and hence smaller South Seas are produced.
 
#444
Just to share, my strand of platinum baroque SSPs which came last week...I have to strand them up with the clasp, and I'm waiting for a few more pearl items to arrive :yahoo:

Pearl Professor, thank you for your help as well!

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#449
dreamdoll said:
Thank you pazt! :flowers:
They are more silvery than white (being platinum) with some blemishes but I'm happy with them for the price I paid :smile1:
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i love the imperfections of the baroques. i just find it more organic and unique -- and the silvery blue just stands out! love it!

these are huge - what sizes are they?
 
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