I realize I'm rooting up an old thread, which I apologize for, (and I realize worse yet, it's a zeide thread, which I apologize even more profusely for), but could I ask a quick question?
Daughter received a pearl necklace and bracelet set tonight. I've read enough here over the last few months that I have no problem seeing they're off-round/potato, many are circled, dyed-black, freshwater pearls. Of no serious monetary value, I know, so believe me, I'm not asking or hoping for any wild estimates. These things are probably, like, a dollar a strand ... don't worry, there are absolutely no bubbles to burst or anything.
My question has nothing to do with monetary value. They're loosely strung, and I intend to take them to our mom-pop jeweler to have them properly knotted and with gold clasps added.
What I need to ask rather, is something about where these freshwaters would be coming from. Although they're of extremely low monetary value, they are instantly of high sentimental value because it's her Philipino godfather who gave them to her. You have to understand ---- 1) daughter is Chinese (adopted from China), 2) her godfather is Philipino (and is extremely special to daughter as he traveled with my husband to China to bring her home), 3) it's very possible that daughter herself has some Philipino blood in her, based on some details of her appearance, her actual birth area in China, plus the fact that we did put on our adoption dossiere that the child would have a Philipino godfather to maintain a close Asian influence in her life. It's the kind of detail that could play a significant role in which child is matched with which new parents.
I say these things simply to explain why I couldn't care less how 'valuable' the pearls are. The fact that her godfather gave her these pearls, which he actually brought back from a trip to the Philippines --- that is where the high sentimental value lies.
My question is -- these are probably from China, even though they were purchased in the Phlilipines, is that correct? China and the Philippines are both very important countries in this household, as you can understand from what I said above, so please understand that I don't realy care which of the two countries these pearls may have been birthed inhave no attachment to them being 'birthed' in. But considering that these are also her first pearls, and who they come from, where they were purchased, and our daughter's heritage, I would like to have the best expert opinion possible, on what the history of the perals probably is.
I know the Philippines does farm golden south seas, but do they do freshwaters as well? Or would these more likely have been farmed and dyed in China, then exported and sold in the Philipines?
(No pictures, but I can show what they look like through this link:
http://www.pearlstrings.com/acatalog/watches.html
See the black freshwaters on the watch? Yeah, like those. Like I said, no illusions on what they are, don't worry. I just really, really, want to have a best guess of what to tell six-year-old daughter as to their probable Chinese/Philipino history.)
Thank you thank you.
--Pearl A.
