Recent content by MotherOfPearlTrumpet

Take them into a jewelry store and have the metal tested.

What is the make-up of the metal? Is it marked on the earring post anywhere? They appear to be either lower-end Tahitians (the greenish gray color and the way the pearls are grooved). I could be wrong and they are actually FW pearls...but I am definitely leaning lower-quality Tahitians. I'm sure...

Good for you!

Hummm, I'm seeing $37-$53 for a small to medium size filagree 14K pearl clasp (on EBay, Etsy and Bellafindigns.com...usually with free shipping (if you order enough from Bella it's free shipping). I have about 15 of these in various sizes and styles in a box of findings from all the necklaces I...

Today I'm wearing my blue Akoya pearls (hard to believe these were considered "rejects" at one point...Mr. Mikimoto just didn't know how valuable they would become one day), worn with my Mother's "Bluebonnets" (sapphire/diamond necklace Daddy purchased for her on one of their European trips)...

I actually help my local charity thrift store evaluate their pearls so they don't confuse the costume jewelry pearls with the real ones. Most of the real pearls that are donated are very simple, older Akoya strands and those aren't worth much more than $80-$150, unless they are Mikimoto or...

You can post pictures of your pearls on this site to obtain information on them. Many people do this when finding pearls at thrift stores or estate sales, or inheriting them from relatives. Be sure to include the clasp front and back, some "inside" views of where the pearls attach to the knot of...

How about this one for a delicious Tahitian strand...a bit out of my price range but definitely Tahitian!

And here is another strand, also advertised as "Tahitian" with authentication, but this one is CLEARLY Freshwater...just look at the potato shapes and color. This seller also isn't aware that these are FW.

This is a nice Tahitian strand...look at the color tones, roundness, and the quality of the clasp. Comes with an appraisal and is double what you paid (for the starting bid). No comparison in shape, color. These are the real deal. Save for a better deal.

This is so helpful for comparison.

Unfortunately most jewelers are not well versed in pearls...that's why there is this forum! Your jeweler might not be well versed either, but many are. I had to learn so very, very much and paid way too much for some of my early strands too, and mine were directly from China so there was no...

I also found this on EBay's Authentication of Pearls: So, what this means is that the EBay authentication is just saying that your strand is "some kind of" actual pearl. Their authenticators cannot determine "what kind" of pearl it is. So...if someone says it is Tahitian or South Sea or Akoya...

Here is a photo of Chinese pearls that are advertised to be "Tahitian" but are actually freshwater. True Tahitian Pearls cannot be offered for anything close to this price. And these have that classic potato shape, even if they are not dyed, as many FW pearls do grow in these bluish/purple color...

And, of course, you can also look at lots of other different shaped Tahitians on this forum.