Blue/Silver/Grey Pearls - what type are they?

[Bodecia]

Hi All,

I think these are rather lovely but I don't know exactly which kind of pearls they are. Any ideas? They are 7 mm and supposed to be vintage. Look like they have vintage fluff on them.

 

[Bodecia]

Now these pearls are mine and I know (or think I know) that they are natural Blue Akoya. The natural bit meaning they are not coloured. They are not the best akoyas around but I like them.

Bodecia

 

[Bodecia]

A close up of the blue pearl necklace.

 

[jerin]

Natural coloured Akoyas

Natural coloured Akoyas

Hi Bodecia,

the general look is very nice despite the surface imperfections and by the look at the drill hole you can also determine how thick the nacre is.

Nice luster too, they are very round, that could mean that the nacre could be a bit thin but you have more than just this strand to change

 

[Caitlin]

What did they mean by "vintage"? They can't be very vintage.

 

[Bodecia]

the general look is very nice despite the surface imperfections and by the look at the drill hole you can also determine how thick the nacre is.

Nice luster too, they are very round, that could mean that the nacre could be a bit thin but you have more than just this strand to change

Hi Jerin, I only own the 2nd strand, not the first unfortunately and they have not arrived yet. It is the first strand I am wondering about do you think they are akoya. The don't really look it to me. I do like them but not knowing what they are is a turn off. The seller is calling them Tahitian

What did they mean by "vintage"? They can't be very vintage.

Hi Caitlin,

I think you are talking about the top strand and I think they are plucking that statement out of thin air because the owner was 103 years when she died. Well that means very little They said they "think" they are from the 50s or 60s. I doubt that is true. Sellers on eBay use it as a catch phrase, to pull the punters in.

What type of pearls do you think they are?

Bodecia

 

[jerin]

Hi Jerin, I only own the 2nd strand, not the first unfortunately and they have not arrived yet. It is the first strand I am wondering about do you think they are akoya. The don't really look it to me. I do like them but not knowing what they are is a turn off. The seller is calling them Tahitian



Bodecia

I thought it was a double-row strand. Is the close up of the first or the second strand? If it is of the first one, I think they are definitely Akoyas if you take a look at the drillhole, the nucleus is showing... that?s what I meant when determining the nacre thickness, you can tell if they are unstrung or as here, the hole is "free". I am very puzzled about the colour though.

In theory they could be Tahitians but I don?t think so. They are so round and the nacre looks just too thin. What size are the pearls?

 

[Valeria101]

One vote for fakes - they are too darn perfect, somewhat dull, and far too well color matched for comfort.

If they weren't so darn round I would have said dyed freshwater - the color is typical! But as round as they are, I'd say fakes. Vintage fakes? Maybe.... there's nothing to tell their age. Frankly, I am not familiar with vintage gray simulate pearls - the vast majority are cream or white.

The guess may well be wrong - I've given the reasons for it for your consideration.

And here's an example of the artificial color these things remind me of: LINK.


PS. How do you tell nacre thickness from a picture? I can't... unless it is pealed, or stripes from the nucleus show - i.e. the very worst. And I assume that hammered surface or roundish baroque's might have thicker nacre (think smaller vs. larger . Maxima 'South Sea' pearls)... I cannot see any recognizable features to associate with nacre thickness on these.

PPS. You should see the 'vintage fluff' under my desk, LOL!

 

[Bodecia]

I thought it was a double-row strand. Is the close up of the first or the second strand? If it is of the first one, I think they are definitely Akoyas if you take a look at the drillhole, the nucleus is showing... that?s what I meant when determining the nacre thickness, you can tell if they are unstrung or as here, the hole is "free". I am very puzzled about the colour though.
In theory they could be Tahitians but I don?t think so. They are so round and the nacre looks just too thin. What size are the pearls?

Hi Jerin,

It actually an Opera length just doubled over the display. Sorry for misleading you. I don't know which part the close up is from but they are all 7 mm so doesn't really matter. I looked at the drill hole I think you referring to but not sure if I am seeing nacre or what. Maybe a little peeling back of some nacre on that drill hole but I can't tell.

If they weren't so darn round I would have said dyed freshwater - the color is typical! But as round as they are, I'd say fakes. Vintage fakes? Maybe.... there's nothing to tell their age. Frankly, I am not familiar with vintage gray simulate pearls - the vast majority are cream or white.

The guess may well be wrong - I've given the reasons for it for your consideration.

And here's an example of the artificial color these things remind me of: LINK.

PS. How do you tell nacre thickness from a picture? I can't... unless it is pealed, or stripes from the nucleus show - i.e. the very worst. And I assume that hammered surface or roundish baroque's might have thicker nacre (think smaller vs. larger . Maxima 'South Sea' pearls)... I cannot see any recognizable features to associate with nacre thickness on these.

Hi Valereria101

That link gives me something to think about. They are similiar, so maybe FW dyed. It could be that they are not at all vintage and they are relatively recent FW, given to Grandma when she turned 100

The nacre, lustre look good to me on the doubled up photo but they do look a little lack lustre on the close up. Guess there could be photographic issues for that though but they could have given more and better photos.

Think I will give them a miss. Just too many doubts. My nicely blemished (lower photo) blueish pearls will arrive so I will get my blue pearl fix.

Bodecia

 

[Bodecia]

This is the link to the silver/blue/grey pearls - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem or item no. 370021458426 - have a look but from what has been said they could be FW dyed or imitation or who knows and the price is going up and up on them due to the fact that they have been advertised as Cultured Tahitians and the length of 30 inches.

Anyone want to bid. If anyone does and wins would love to know what they really are.

Bodecia

 

[Caitlin]

The listing was removed by the time I got to it- the Pearl Police most likely.

Colors like that were not popular until the last 3-4 years.

I can see the peeling nacre of which Inge speaks. In my mind they are dyed pearl plated beads. The pearl plating may well be fake. I sincerely doubt they are Tahitians. My guess is low quality akoya--that is if Val101 is not right and they are fakes.

Carolyn Ehret only offers a few strands per year, so they are extremely rare.

And Carolyn's strands are not a marching row of identical round objects-they are usually rather off round to baroque.

The nacre is clearly peeling off the one in the center- so I doubt it would be freshwater, CFWP just don't look like that around the drilll hole. and they are never that round unless gem quality and even then there is a fudge factor in the roundness.

If Tahitian that is the first time I saw peeling nacre around the drill hole. That would be an illegal Tahitian- but I don't think it is one.

 

[jshepherd]

I agree with Valeria. From the photo on the bust they could be akoya treated with cobalt-60, but the close up does not look like nacre - especially vintage nacre. I would say they are probably fakes.