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Wow, that sounds stressful.

I guess "undrilled" is the most valuable. Thanks!

I'm not sure where to put this, so I'll just put it here. I've been tossing around a hypothetical question this evening. I remember when Paspaley grew their massive pearl a few years back. To my recollection, it was undrilled. There are essentially three things that can be done with a pearl...

I've heard that natural pearls can be of greater value if they are of greater weight. Is the same true in any other circumstance?

All this time later, I realized that I need some clarification. When it's said that the nacre is 2 mm to 3 mm in thickness, I'm not sure what is meant by this. If a straight line were drawn through a pearl, is it being said that: Situation 1: The line would pass through 2-3mm of nacre, then...

Great info, thanks. 0.70 mm holes? Are larger pearls of better quality generally drilled a little smaller? I've heard that while most pearls can accommodate 22 gauge wire (0.644 mm), those that are finer accept 24 gauge wire (0.511 gauge). Any thoughts on this? Thanks.

Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

This is a continuation of a closed thread I started a year ago. In the education section of this site, it is stated that a nucleus must have the same density and coefficient of expansion of mother of pearl. However, Galatea pearls use gemstones as nuclei, which are far different in botj...

Regarding paypal and returning the drill, I did buy it from the Chinese manufacturer, not a dealer in the U.S. I'll certainly contact paypal and see what can be done. When purchased, the terms were that returns are acceptable within 30 days, however I must pay return shipping (to China). The...

Thanks for the vid. I purchased a Chinese drill (with the black motor, found on Ebay). It cost me about $100 (including shipping). Knockoffs of the Otto Frei are available on Ebay also for about $300. I assumed either would be just as good as the other, which is why I went with the cheaper...

I'm not planning to do much drilling; I'm just a hobbyist. If I consistently did a dozen per month, I'd be surprised. I would, however, want a drill that drills precisely. Based upon the responses, I'm going with a Chinese drill. What sorts of tips for technique should I familiarize myself...

Another option just occurred to me. I have a full-sized drill press that is very precise, with absolutely no wobble. Does anyone make a jig so that this can be used for drilling pearls? I've looked around online but haven't found anything. thanks.

Pearlescence, So, You're saying that you use an inexpensive drill of $150 or so, and you can drill precise holes? One more question: Is there a hole style that's considered ideal? Straight through? Angled to some degree? I think I'm getting close to buying one! Thanks.

Thanks, great advice. My biggest concern would be accuracy of the hole, i.e., the ability of the drill to stay on center. It is my understanding from the posts that the more expensive drills are more precise than the less expensive ones. Is there likely to be a difference in precision between...

I am thinking of buying a pearl drill. I am talking about the horizontal kind with the holder. I have seen some on ebay for as low as $150. Some by a brand that I can't remember off the top of my head (LOWE, maybe?) sells for over $800. What's the difference? longevity? method of...

I have a question for you all: I'm looking to buy a "shell stand" to hold mussels during implantation. The ideal stand should be able to accommodate large as well as small shells. If this is not possible, then I'll get two. By "large" shells, I mean shells that are typical of adult...

The shells were very old when found. They looked nothing like the shells in the pictures. The nacre (as it is) wasn't visable at all. The interiors of the shells looked like they were entirely covered in chalk. At that point, I didn't know if the shell was even good underneath.

Hi, I have two shells of the same species of freshwater mussel. Both shells were rather old when found, with the interiors entirely covered with a chalk-like layer. I'm guessing that they were lying around the lake shore where I found them for at least a year, if not longer. I cleaned both...

Strack's Pearls has been suggested as a definitive pearl guide. As it's out of print, it's rather expensive. I currently own The Pearl Book: The Definitive Buying Guide by Antoinette Matlins. Owning this, would Pearls be redundant? I'd rather not spend the $150 or so on Pearls but will if...

Sorry it's taken so long for me to thank you for your replies, but I am grateful.