Recent content by Pearl Dreams

Dyed freshwater pearls.

GIA could certify them as naturals but would not give you a valuation. You would need an appraiser for that-- but the appraiser would need the certification to state a replacement value. Perhaps it is worth it, if you intend to insure them.

Very pretty!

Thank you! I had to go measure them-- I couldn't recall. :) And yes, they are really lustrous. More than my other pearls. This one is just over 26 and 1/2". I love necklaces that are 26-28". Easy to throw on, and not so long they hang into everything or swing around a lot. BTW, those are...

The first strand is baroque pearls from Rikitea, 8.2-11.3mm. The luster is high, probably the highest luster of any of my non-white pearls. The second is the one we bought from PP for our daughter's 21st birthday, but she didn't want them (!) So my husband wears them. He loves them. They are...

My most lustrous and colorful Tahitian pearls are the smaller ones.

For more eye candy, see these threads: https://www.pearl-guide.com/threads/fiji-pearls.10449/ https://www.pearl-guide.com/threads/more-fiji-pearls.11432/

Try a mini strand first just to get the feel of it. No clasp-- just make a knot or use a bead stopper, string on a pearl, make an overhand knot, string another, make another overhand knot, etc. Just a bit of practice. When you feel like you have the hang of it, cut them apart. It's just...

Definitely dyed FW.

Great find! A wonderful length-- easy to double-- and the luster more than makes up for the surface blemishes. Once you clean and restring it, it will be even better.

I wrote instructions on how I do it in my stringing tutorial, beginning with this post: https://www.pearl-guide.com/threads/stringing-tutorial-with-photos-stringing-on-serafil-beaders-secret-power-pro.6604/page-3#post-156125 I embedded this YouTube video in my post, which is slightly different:

It's been years but I also used tube style crimps for leather cord. The tube has to be just a smidge larger than the cord-- it has to fit inside the tube. I seem to recall I used a bit of glue on the leather, before inserting it into the tube and crimping the tube. Perhaps there is a how-to...

Yes, I see it now. Baroque akoyas. Cataract surgery can't come soon enough! One very blurry eye. December.

These appear to be some of the earlier Chinese bead nucleated pearls, from around 2010 or so. If you wish to wear them, then yes, you should restring them. But you don't have to pay someone to do that-- that can be expensive. You can restring them yourself. Many of us do-- it isn't hard. If...