Calling pearl pros - Strange baroque SSP

[Adeline Leigh]

I can't resist a baroque pearl so the moment I saw these, I bit.



Now that they are in my possession, they definitely aren't as light-coloured as advertised. The mauve-green oil-slick hue in the seller's picture is still evident (though less pronounced) but the pearls are a dark slate grey with a hammered texture (welts and bumps included). The pearls are large though - 18mm. IMO, the pearls in my palm are the truest to life.

I'm asking you guys because I don't own many south sea baroque/ freeform pearls and I've certainly haven't seen many of these around here on PG.

Have I been fleeced? Are these really south sea pearls?

 

[pattye]

Drilled or not drilled? Have you checked with a loupe looking for dye marks? 20X? Are these from someone we trust as a reputable dealer? They seem a bit dark for blue-silver SS. Really nice luster, though.

 

[Caitlin]

They sure are pretty, but I have seen fewer SS pearls than any other kind.

 

[waimeamomi]

How heavy are they? I've seen SS that look something like that with wrinkly skin. I also had a "mystery" pearl that was suppose to be Tahitian that shattered when I drilled it. The bead nuc was at the bottom of the pearl and the entire top part was hollow, and probably gaseous. Gassy pearls are often quite unusual in color like that, but are tricky. I think Sarah C. told me that the color will also fade on a gassy pearl after it is drilled. They could also be dyed or treated.

 

[Agustus-Collection]

Judging from the photos, they are genuine bluish gray SSP with and stunning rainbow orient. A very lovely and hard to find matching baroque pair!

Even though, a bit too much orange skin for my taste but absolutely nothing unusual for those kind of pearls.

Another special characteristic of them you will find out as soon as they drilled, lets just say you will smell the ocean A LOT.
It is also very common that the nucleus gets loose while drilling on this kind of pearls.

The blue gray's are our all-time favorite!

Below two photos to compare, if that is even possible:

 

[Katbran]

Well they are really pretty whatever they are...and they look really similar to Agustus' photos... I love em!

 

[Caitlin]

Yes, Thank you Augustus Collection for the words and photos. I learned something!

 

[GemGeek]

How nice to have comparison photos!

 

[DerekJ]

First time I've ever seen that.

 

[pearlescence]

tip for loose nucleus if you suspect that is going to happen ...as you take out the drill immediately slide in a headpin or the like to keep the nucleus in place.
You might find that you have a loose nucleus only when it has spun of course. Once you have spent a couple of hours poking in the pearl skin to try to 'find' the drill hole you will re-drill and then catch the hole immediately.
Occasionally you will be able to feel or hear the nucleus rattle before you do anything and then you have the little blighter!

 

[Adeline Leigh]

The questions are coming fast and furious; here's the lowdown which might help to explain how I have come into possession of such a pair. Sven, my pearls are nowhere near the quality of your wonderous pearls; where can one find such beauties on sale?

My 'cellulite' dimpled baroques:
- are undrilled, so I'm preparing myself for the pong should I decide to set them into earrings and there's a chance I won't given the loose nucleus issues discussed here (is it surmountable, Wendy and Sven, you think?)
- 17mm each combined weight 28.5 carats (drop-shaped = 12.5 cts , bullet-shaped = 16 cts)
- are (now that you said it, Sven and Pattye) a strange blue-grey-green-mauve hue with rainbow orient under good lighting conditions
- have no evidence of dye pooling at the pearls' welts, nacre irregularities (a dimpled 1mm hole of sorts) or blemishes including a 2mm wing-like flap or protrusion on the drop-shaped pearl evident in the pictures below
- have a spot of nacre that seems thin on the base of one of the pearls; it appears as a mottled patch in the left pearl in the picture under this sentence.



Sven, you think these are 'gassy' (how cute is that) pearls like what Sheryl has said? Will the colour fade if these are indeed drilled? Oh what a shame

My other questions include:
(1) What is the origin of these south sea pearls?
(2) What species produces such pearls?
(3) Why is it most SSP we see are goldens, creams, whites and light pigeon-greys, not these? Are they deemed less desirable therefore are less commercial?

Excuse the poor pictures (got home too late for natural lighting) but despite their flaws, I'm getting curiouser and curiouser about these otherworldly pearls.

 

[Agustus-Collection]

Hi Adeline,

i am very certain that those pearls are from the Maluku Island here in Indonesia, in all our years we only know one island which has this kind of colors occasional 'available'.
They are 'normal' baroque south sea pearls, but because of the pristine and mineral rich saltwater this rare and unusual lustrous colors are produced by the oyster.

There is no reason that the color will fade, however like i said it is very possible that they will be smelly. What you could do, if that indeed happen you can read here:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/agustus-collection/smelly-pearls/154072568006532

Those dots/imperfections occur very often on this blue gray pearls, usually many of them have one or more dark or you could say open spots. Usually they are easily covered when making them into jewelry.

You are lucky believe me to have a matching pair in your hand, i only can recall that we only found one on the past 10 years!

Sven

 

[Agustus-Collection]

Just to add regarding your question where we find/ on sale etc. Usually any blue gray pearl we list is sold within one day

From any visit to the farm we may only bring back one or two which are good quality, after all we hand select any of our pearls.. which is the biggest fun of all!!

 

[perlinda]

My auntie has huge baroque pendant with loose nucleus, however she is convinced that there was another pearl inside

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Oh wow, Sven, gone in a day!! I'll be keeping a continual lookout in your shops You have the most fabulous stuff!

 

[KarinK]

Adeline, how will you keep up your standard of amazing finds when your project is done?

- Karin

 

[R&B]

Gidday everyone

We get a fair bit of the gray but i've not seen the oil slik like the one on the right.

With South Sea's, the greyer they get the lower the grade. That's a farmers view from a commercial reality.

They are beautiful in their own right however. I don't think the colour will fade but as already suggested, be ready for the PONG when you drill.

Some of our shell have a very light but gorgeous rainbowey look. I've not captured it in our pearls at this point though.

Well done Sven if you are getting it.

How about some pic's of your earrings when finished Adeline?

 

[Amrita]

What a uniquely beautiful luster on those two pearls, Adeline! Amazing!

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Thanks Amrita, Perlinda and Karin. I am now convinced these are the real deal. Thanks to all the PG seniors and experts who chimed in with their opinions.

Rusty, as my newest shots do show, what you said, "the greyer they get, the lower the quality" is sadly true. The flaws, welts and nacre irregularities are on full display together with the intriguing blue-grey colour and rainbow orient. My pearls are nothing like the flawless ones Sven has shown. He (Augustus-Collection) has first dibs on the very best

Just for the sake of comparison, I took my 'cellulite' pearls for a photography session with others (south sea, baroque tahitians, natural abalones and blue mabes) in my collection. My verdict - they really are blue-grey and seem to be derived from the same material as the B-grade mabes (obtained in Jakarta, Indonesia). And from what I remember from my conversation with the supplier, he said they were from the Pteria Penguin species.

As for setting them, I will, in time. I keep busting my budget collecting more and more pearls instead of setting them into jewellery. You guys know how it is

 

[Agustus-Collection]

I am loving the handful of Paua's, Adeline!

Regarding the Mabe's yes that is correct they are cultured in the Penguin Wind Oyster ( Pteria pengiun ) and they way the blue mabes are treated is a Indonesian developed process, the implanted nucleus is painted with a special ink which will slowly release the color during the cultivation process inside the live oyster, which will enhance the undertones of the color seen on the surface. The color penetrates into the nacre and gives a rather natural appearance in comparison to any other treatment (chemical dyes which are sometimes used to color mabe look always very artificial).

All that, assuming if you are purchased them in Jakarta, they are probably from the same farm in Sumbawa.

Regarding the baroque's as i said before and Rusty is correct, besides that we are probably the most 'picky ones' when it comes to selecting pearls, the blue babies are very difficult and from many kilos we usually not take more than a handful home, which may includes one or two of the very dark bluish ones.