20mm x 13mm BEAUTY!! What is this pearl?

[SpaceNeedle]

I found this amazing pearl on eBay. I am not going to tell you the name of the store ..yet . Can you guess what this pearl is? The size is *** 20mm X 13mm***.

 

[nlerner]

Is it Kasumi?

 

[Pearlgully]

Could it be an "in-body" bead nucleated Chinese freshwater pearl (i.e. Chinese Kasumi)?
It's gorgeous.

Gail

 

[pattye]

Ah, yes, I saw that one too! It is truly amazing!! I know you will reveal all soon, Spaceneedle-----

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Valeria101]

Nucleated freshwater from somewhere. Know the shop too... good one

 

[SpaceNeedle]

I knew this was going to be an easy one. Here's the info about this pearl http://cgi.ebay.com/COLOSSAL-CHINES...ryZ36587QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem.

A question to all experts out there... besides the origin, what are other differences between a kasumi pearl and a similar chinese FW to this one? I will have to search this forum for more info on "in-body nucleation process". Do kasumi pearls tend to display deeper colors?

 

[Heidi]

I knew this was going to be an easy one. Here's the info about this pearl http://cgi.ebay.com/COLOSSAL-CHINES...ryZ36587QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem.

A question to all experts out there... besides the origin, what are other differences between a kasumi pearl and a similar chinese FW to this one? I will have to search this forum for more info on "in-body nucleation process". Do kasumi pearls tend to display deeper colors?

I'm not an expert, but I've been reading up on Kasumi pearls lately... They display a number of colors ranging from creamy white to pink and lavender to bronze. My understanding from Sarah (Kojima) is that the deeper colors are the more valued. I am not yet totally clear on the mollusk part of things, but of course that influences what colors appear.

 

[kojimapearl]

Hello fellow pearls,
Here is a link to a Gem Profile in the April 2008 issue of Modern Jeweler Magazine;

http://modernjeweler.epubxpress.com/mj1

The article short but sweet, begins on page 41...
I think it raises an interesting question about how pearls like these may have the power (or size) to impact the cultured pearl industry.
I hope you enjoy it. We are very excited about these pearls!
Please feel free if you have any more questions..
Many blessings, Fuji and Sarah

 

[KAC]

now thats an intersting pearl - but I doubt these pearls will have much of an impact on the industry. The average consumer probably won't find this appealing in my experience.

I love it BTW

 

[Sueki]

I love it too.
It's got everything I look for in pearls.

 

[Heidi]

Thanks for the info! There might be a good niche with earrings, depending on price. Every time I wear my Kasumi earrings I get tons of questions and compliments...including from complete strangers.

 

[airdancer]

While I do find them interesting as a concept but I still don't get it.
*ducks for cover*

 

[Nerida]

In Shanghai, I found one particularly interesting trader, and I bought quite a few bits and pieces from her. She ended up digging out all her "special" strands once she realised I liked unusual pearls. We ended up talking about Kasumis - she said that in all her time trading, I was the first person to ever bring them up/know what they were etc. Her stand was unique amongst the usual Shanghai market traders, she had a very strong expat clientele, and still says she mostly sells run of the mill pearls - the "average" customer just doesn't get them, either!

Sarah - I LOVE this pearl!! It is just unbelievable.

 

[Nerida]

PS This was the trader from whom I bought my "klonks" that some of you have seen on another thread.

 

[Hanaleimom]

It has lovely color. I wonder once the technique has been refined, will the colors ever get deeper and more saturated like Kasumis? I like the purple in the Kasumis.

 

[jerin]

Nerida,
how about telling us who the seller is? Does she have an Internet site so we could look at her pearls?

 

[pattye]

Hi Inge and All,

If you missed the link, the seller is our own Sarah, of Kojimapearl. She has recently started an ebay store kojimapearl, with some very lovely finished items, and also some unfinished strands so nice for us "beaders" Her regular website is www.kojimapearl.com, which is currently "under construction."

Sarah partners with Fuji Voll of Pacific Pearls, both are experienced and well known and trusted within the pearl business. I bought from them in Tucson, and recently purchased a strand of Josh's keshi from Sarah. She also had an amazing hand picked multicolor strand of freshwater 11mm listed on ebay (unfinished) for about 15 minutes before it was purchased.

I do have a nice collection of Kasumi pearls, but speaking for myself only, would not say they are the "height of beauty in pearls"----just another lovely variation, for us who enjoy beauty in irregularity, unusual color. Their charm is very hard to understand from a photo.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

p.s. At my body's age, it is good to learn to love wrinkles!!

 

[nlerner]

Hi All,

This discussion about Kasumis and the "average consumer" reminds me of when I was teaching art history. I was always repeating that the most important thing was to understand the character, the background, and the place of each piece in the art history. It wasn't important to me as a teacher what anyone prefers because each of us has a different taste and comes from a different place. I can understand those who adore Renaissance (I don't), I love Greek art and the 'ugly' art of medieval times and contemporary art.

As Pattye wrote, Kasumi's beauty is in the variation of colors and irregularity. Kasumi has a character and I'm still waiting for 'the' one for a pendant. Hopefully Sarah or Care will have it one day.

Inge, you should try the Jewish style artichoke when you visit Rome next time, - delicious........

 

[Heidi]

Hi All,

This discussion about Kasumis and the "average consumer" reminds me of when I was teaching art history. I was always repeating that the most important thing was to understand the character, the background, and the place of each piece in the art history. It wasn't important to me as a teacher what anyone prefers because each of us has a different taste and comes from a different place. I can understand those who adore Renaissance (I don't), I love Greek art and the 'ugly' art of medieval times and contemporary art.

As Pattye wrote, Kasumi's beauty is in the variation of colors and irregularity. Kasumi has a character and I'm still waiting for 'the' one for a pendant. Hopefully Sara or Care will have it one day.

Inge, you should try the Jewish style artichoke when you visit Rome next time, - delicious........

This is an excellent point. There is always a context and understanding it, and each of our own, helps to explain how value gets assigned to a particular aesthetic and how or why certain things may be popular. Kasumis are certainly not the same aesthetic or appeal as a round cultured pearl or smoother skinned baroques, even. It's definitely a niche and I completely understand not being enamored of them. (Even though I am)

Free-associating off of that, I wonder how the specialty market would receive Kasumis if it hadn't been introduced to other non-traditional shapes and textures of pearls like numerous, high quality keishis over the last 30-ish years in popular/wearable styles and if Biwa pearls had never been introduced, sold and then extinct (so rare and by extension eve more valuable than during their cultivation).

 

[jerin]

Hi Nora,

Inge, you should try the Jewish style artichoke when you visit Rome next time, - delicious........

If I ever come to Rome I will do that.

Thanks
Inge