Pearl Guide

I was reading an article about people not wanting to inherit their parent's or grandparent's furnishings and keepsakes. There is a growing distaste for "brown furniture", the kind of beautifully ornate dining sets I wanted to inherit when I was a little girl. I have to admit that I prefer the clean lined furniture I have now, but still, it makes one stop and think about how helpful it would be to clean out the clutter now so that others won't have a hard time of things when your time is up...

Conch pearls are just the thing for this luxurious golden butterfly presented by Tara Pearls and Rawat Gems. The wings sparkle with flush set gems and embedded conch pearls.



You can see their other Pearls of the Week here.

Contact:
www.rawatgems.com
www.tarapearls.com

Blaire Beavers
Managing Editor
Pearl Guide News

If you can't visit the Tucson Gem Shows, you can live vicariously through this roundup of pearls and people. You won't even need the most important accessory in Tucson -- a good pair of walking shoes!

First stop was the NAJA booth to see author Renee Newman and pick up the terrific new edition of her Pearl book. Renee's books are full of wonderful photos and her clear writing style makes gems easy to understand and appreciate. For those who want to branch out, the Exotic Gems series is...

Feeling the love that emanates from the talented heart of Hisano Shepherd!



Go to Facebook and show her some lurve by like-ing, love-ing and commenting!

https://www.facebook.com/littlehjewelry/

Blaire Beavers
Managing Editor
Pearl Guide News

For those who love gems and pearls, this book is a must-have addition to your library. The chapter on natural pearls is brand new and includes this photo of a conch pearl from a Monili bracelet that was featured in a previous Pearl Guide News article.


Photo: Blaire Beavers

I wrote a book review for the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers. Having said what I felt about this book from the standpoint of a gemologist and appraiser, I then had a very hard time writing a different review...

When pearl farmers open a mollusk to culture a pearl, they sometimes discover a pearl that has occurred naturally. While some insist that any pearl found in a farming operation is cultured, natural pearls do form in mollusks before they are opened for the first time.

This is not the same as keshi, small baroque pearls that form after mollusks have been grafted. These small treasures can't be counted as natural.



This Pteria sterna, or "Rainbow Lip" oyster is held in a grafting clamp...