Blue grey akoya pearls

[Marnie]

Oh, good--thank you! I forgot to mention, in addition to these being the first blue pearls I've ever seen, these earrings are at least 3 mm bigger than any of my other pearl earrings. That in itself is a big treat for me!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Ah, those are very pretty! Congratulations!

 

[GemGeek]

Those are wonderful - and big, eh? Sounds like fun!

 

[Amrita]

Ah - can see them now - really pretty! Congratulations Marnie!

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Wow, some quality pearls you got there, Marnie. Congrats!

As for the dyed job, I think it was the lot in my first post #1.. I saw some evidence of it in the drill hole but then again, like what Pearl Dreams has said, there were also some that seemed perfectly au naturel.

As for the spots, I couldnt wrap my brain around it so for investigative reasons I had to go buy them. I am praying I wont recoil in horror when I open the package. Lol.

 

[Caitlin]

I remember a lecture Elisabeth Strack gave at the Tucson AGTA show, several years ago. She specifically mentioned several ways to tell if pearls were dyed, SS goldens was what she was discussing, but in any case, a close look for that kind of pooling of color means they are dyed. The examples she gave were more subtle than that strand though! That strand seems to have a terrible dye job!

 

[The Pearl Outlet]

Blue-Gray Akoya

Blue-Gray Akoya

As for the akoya pearls with the spots, I simply cannot fathom them. Any ideas anyone? Something in the water? Ill oysters? Or random beauty marks like freckles?

These are the ones that are dyed and the spots are concentrations of dye. I'd shy away from purchasing these myself, the luster doesn't really "jump out" at you and the dye isn't well done, but let us know what they look like in person.

I think the pearls you sold though, in post #1, were quite lovely and worth more, even though they were baroque.

The reason these pearls in post #1 can be so expensive is because the demand for them is low, so few are imported and sold, thus making them unique and rare on the market.

 

[Adeline Leigh]

It's really interesting, Terry. Thanks for adding on and thanks for your views, everyone. I keep re-reading this thread and it it me or is there some disagreement on which are dyed and which arent? Sorry if I wasnt too clear with the pics.

When the spotted freaks arrive, I will do a good close-up of them with the rest of the "blue" akoyas I have (dyed or not) and we'll decide.

 

[jshepherd]

It's really interesting, Terry. Thanks for adding on and thanks for your views, everyone. I keep re-reading this thread and it it me or is there some disagreement on which are dyed and which arent? Sorry if I wasnt too clear with the pics.

I don't think there is a disagreement. The round pearls with the concentration of dye in the pits are the dyed ones. The baroque ones are natural color.

 

[Alex]

Hi Marnie - they look fantastic !

did you get the 8.5-9.0 ones then ? (or the 8.0-8.5, which the necklace is)

Adeline - the pearls in your first post look amazing - not too sure about the 'Dalmatian' ones further down though

 

[Marnie]

Hi Alex - Thank you! Yes, I got the 8.5-9.0. Couldn't resist the way they shined in the picture.

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Thanks for clarifying again, Jeremy. It's just me who got muddle-headed then. Ahh this thread's interesting, Alex, because we see the whole spectrum.

There's Marnie's glorious ones from PP here and, at the other end, the 'dalmations'. I had to buy them because I was spending so many nights wondering what the heck they were. Dyed or diseased? The vendor claims undyed... Lol. I'm like my dad in that aspect. He's a retired banker who is so insatiably curious; he's recently gotten a ticket having stopped the car on the highway's emergency lane to fondle some strange fungi growing on the trunk of the tree. Not recommending it, but in defense of the old man, he just had to cop a feel.

I can't wait to ask the experts what the spots on the akoyas are and if the blue is too blue to be true.

 

[Alex]

that's great Marnie - if you ever get the necklace (never-say-never) the larger studs will accentuate the set !

love the story about the fungi Adeline

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Blue grey akoyas are my latest obsession. Allow me to share.

In my collection of blue grey akoyas, soem are undyed and others are dyed. I guess what I have learnt is to inspect carefully for evidence of dye especially if you have paid for au naturel blue greys. Here are my observations:

(1) The 6-8mm rounds are an 'earl grey creme' colour that I bought from a jeweller going out of business on Collins Street in Melbourne 7-8 years ago. Then I was still into petite and round pearls, and though i could scarcely tell a faux pearl from a freshwater, something told me to buy them. These appear undyed.

(2) The baroques 8-11mm in the pictures were collected over the years; I have inspected the strands and they mostly appear undyed. Having said that, when I cut the strands or pulled the necklaces apart, I realised that 10-20% of the pearls have tell-tale signs of dye (drillhole, dye in nacre folds) though the vendors swear on them being undyed. Any such experiences too?

(3) Some dye jobs are so appalling it screams "Dye!" without the help of a loupe. Such was the mysterious spotted strand I had asked about in an earlier post in this same thread. Obviously dyed and not a great job at that but, strangely, some customers loved it?!? Go figure.

Happy to hear or see what others have or know about such pearls!

 

[Amanda]

Those ones you describe as "Earl Grey" are really lovely, such a gorgeous shimmery-silver.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I really appreciate the photos in this thread. They helped me distinguish between some dyed and undyed blue baroque akoyas recently.

 

[KarinK]

Thank you for taking the time to post about the akoyas, Adeline! My only experience is with a resent strand from Strachura. Not at all in your league, but clearly not dyed as the color shifts on each pearl the way it does on pond slime pearls.

- Karin