Pearl Education

How NOT to Buy Pearls: The #1 Mistake Shoppers Make

This is a great find! You know: Everyone - especially for those new to pearl shopping - could use expert this advice in how best to knowledgably shop for pearls. And we usually have these articles or videos about "How to Shop for Pearls" and they are good! But this one ... this one is simply better because NOW we have just the opposite approach: How NOT to Buy Pearls and the biggest mistake pearl shoppers typically make.

I...

My pearl journey begins here, and my guess is that only pearl lovers will care to read this. In my younger years I always loved admired pearls. As a newly employed Legal Secretary (just out of college) I would go on my lunch hours and look at pearls in the downtown high-end jewelry shop. I eventually saved up enough to purchase a nice 5mm 22" strand and 7" bracelet. For many years, this was the ONLY pearl jewelry I owned, and they were reserved for special occasions only. (Why do we do this...

So I used to frequent a forum for another type of item that had a neat thread called "Your **** in Action!" where people could post pictures of their item "working it" in the real world, I always used to enjoy browsing that thread! I thought it might be fun to start one here for those that wanted to post some pictures of "pearls in action" making us look beauteous IRL! Soooo, I'll start, here's some pictures of my pondslime strand and I in the restroom at work today (washing hands, not using...

How to string (or restring) your pearls on doubled Pattye's Serafil, Beaders Secret, and Power Pro

This is not hard-- really! It is harder to describe it than to do it. Anyone can learn to string their own pearls!
If after reading through this, it sounds too daunting, I suggest making a mini-strand for practice first. Make one 12-15 pearls long just so you can practice how to knot the end 3 pearls on each side and attach the clasps; the middle pearls are easy to knot.

To just practice...

I our last two articles we have explored the fantastic inner world of pearl oysters, and how they become not only a mother-of-pearl but also a protective womb for some rare and delicate species of crabs, shrimps and fishes. On this occasion we are going to explore how pearl beds are also responsible for protecting and harboring Life in the ocean.

When examining a live pearl oyster, you will notice it sometimes looks like an ocean rock: it’s covered with algae, tube worms, sponges, other...

SSEF turns 50 in 2022!
Test your knowledge (all the answers can be found on our website) with 10 questions about SSEF and gems and enter the draw to win three fantastic prizes.

First prize: ATC Pearl Course (value 1600 Swiss Francs) on 7-8 November 2022, with economy airfare and three nights hotel in Basel covered by SSEF. We are not responsible for visa or food expenses.
Second prize: A free SSEF report for one loose cut diamond, gemstone or pearl of your choice. Shipping is free if you...