South sea or larger baroque Akoya?

[jshepherd]

Those are akoya. Akoya have those clumps and protruding waves of nacre.

 

[Supernova]

Those are akoya. Akoya have those clumps and protruding waves of nacre.

Oooo. So larger Akoya then? I was going to sell but now I’m thinking about making into bracelet. The strand is only 14” and no French wire so one of the end pearls has suffered as a result. Thank you! I couldn’t make up my mind so you truly are helpful.

 

[Supernova]

And the south sea pearls have the wing like things if not round? Or how does that work?

 

[jshepherd]

You can get similar features, like this piece. But the thickness of the nacre creates larger, more rounded clumps of nacre, and the waves are thicker into the crest. The luster is also different. You'll tend to see more orient with baroque akoya, and even larger ones - like yours - are smaller than most available South Sea free forms.

Chunky South Sea Pearl Necklace with Freeform Baroque Pearls

Offers Tahitian pearl jewelry and South Sea pearls with golden South Sea pearls, black tahitian pearls, white south sea pearl, black pearls and akoya pearl jewelry.

www.tahitianpearls.biz

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Yes, baroque akoyas, not south sea-- I actually have a baroque SSP strand with smaller pearls.

 

[jshepherd]

That is the perfect shape, size, luster and even color comparison

 

[Supernova]

You can get similar features, like this piece. But the thickness of the nacre creates larger, more rounded clumps of nacre, and the waves are thicker into the crest. The luster is also different. You'll tend to see more orient with baroque akoya, and even larger ones - like yours - are smaller than most available South Sea free forms.

View attachment 463833

Chunky South Sea Pearl Necklace with Freeform Baroque Pearls

Offers Tahitian pearl jewelry and South Sea pearls with golden South Sea pearls, black tahitian pearls, white south sea pearl, black pearls and akoya pearl jewelry.

www.tahitianpearls.biz

What makes the Akoya pearl look like this? I always thought akoyas were round until recently.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

That is the perfect shape, size, luster and even color comparison

Thank you Jeremy. I got them from Rolay/pearl_society back in 2019...the last pearls I bought. These days money goes to home repairs!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Supernova,

Have a look at the photos in my thread about the thick-nacre baroque akoyas I bought from Pearl Paradise back in 2015.
Others posted the strands they bought as well.
Mine were 9.5-10.0mm. People sometimes mistake them for SSP.

Baroque Akoyas from PP April 2015 special

I received my white baroque akoyas today and immediately went outside to take advantage of the overcast day. Second photo was taken next to my front door just inside where the light seems to be best. I love them! They display orient, too! I hope others will also post their photos here!

www.pearl-guide.com

 

[Pearl Dreams]

What makes the Akoya pearl look like this? I always thought akoyas were round until recently.

Round pearls are the goal of pearl farmers, because that is what the market desires, but many imperfect pearls are still harvested.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I just grabbed this shot of some small, really baroque akoyas I got years ago.
I'll try to get a shot some other time in natural light; this is under my desk daylight spectrum lamp.

The farmers want round pearls but the oysters do their thing!

 

[jshepherd]

What makes the Akoya pearl look like this? I always thought akoyas were round until recently.

A lot of things can happen after a bead is implanted and during the grow-out of a pearl.

If, for example, the incision doesn't heal correctly after grafting, a condition called "mal nucleus" can occur. The mollusk will "bleed" a brownish organic substance onto the surface of the nucleus. These pearls will typically grow baroque, and the brown secretion appears blue or silver blue through the nacre. The incision healing incorrectly leads to baroque, silver-blue akoya pearls.

A lot of other things can happen as well. The process involves human intervention, but in the end it's left up to the pearl oyster and Mother Nature.

 

[jshepherd]

I just came across an old thread from 2007. I can't believe it's been 16 years!

These were the first baroque akoya strands we brought back to the US. They caused quite a stir. Before then, baroques like these were withheld from the market. A couple years later, producers and processors started offering them as a new type of akoya pearl.

Guess?

Another fun strand. Any ideas? It is about 8-11mm... completely untreated, even a telltale bit of shell smell left...

www.pearl-guide.com

 

[CortezPearls]

I just came across an old thread from 2007. I can't believe it's been 16 years!

These were the first baroque akoya strands we brought back to the US. They caused quite a stir. Before then, baroques like these were withheld from the market. A couple years later, producers and processors started offering them as a new type of akoya pearl.

Guess?

Another fun strand. Any ideas? It is about 8-11mm... completely untreated, even a telltale bit of shell smell left...

www.pearl-guide.com

Those pearls are still gorgeous!

 

[Gloriahahja]

Yes, baroque akoyas, not south sea-- I actually have a baroque SSP strand with smaller pearls.

View attachment 463834

View attachment 463835

These look like edison pearls

 

[Pearl Dreams]

These look like edison pearls

Edisons are freshwater pearls. These are saltwater pearls, specifically south sea.

 

[jeg]

I just came across an old thread from 2007. I can't believe it's been 16 years!

These were the first baroque akoya strands we brought back to the US. They caused quite a stir. Before then, baroques like these were withheld from the market. A couple years later, producers and processors started offering them as a new type of akoya pearl.

Guess?

Another fun strand. Any ideas? It is about 8-11mm... completely untreated, even a telltale bit of shell smell left...

www.pearl-guide.com

This made me go back and look through my notebook! My first strand of blue baroque Akoya from PP was in 2009.

 

[Gloriahahja]

I just grabbed this shot of some small, really baroque akoyas I got years ago.
I'll try to get a shot some other time in natural light; this is under my desk daylight spectrum lamp.

The farmers want round pearls but the oysters do their thing!

View attachment 463836

These also look nothing like baroque akoyas. That tail, is edison. Who is selling you these pearls?

 

[Gloriahahja]

Edisons are freshwater pearls. These are saltwater pearls, specifically south sea.

Says who?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

These also look nothing like baroque akoyas. That tail, is edison. Who is selling you these pearls?

They are very baroque! But definitely akoyas. They are small-- 7-7.5 mm or so. Edisons are large!

Also, Edisons (brand) don't have a tail. They are round, and high end. Flameballs have a tail, but those are also quite a lot larger than my pearls and have an iridescence that these lack.
There are lower-end bead nucleated FWP (not Edison brand) but those also are not what I have.