Can Someone Please Identify My Pearls

[NirvanaGirl]

Hi,

I have two strings of pearls that I have had x-rayed and I wondered if someone was able to read the X-rays for me please and tell me what they are.

These are the two strings in question. The dark pearls have significant flaws and are strung with a 14ct Gold clasp. The other string have no clasp and are opera length

I’ll post the two x-rays in the comments

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

No xrays needed-- they are freshwater pearls. The black ones are dyed.

These are solid nacre and durable! But not valuable.

 

[NirvanaGirl]

No xrays needed-- they are freshwater pearls. The black ones are dyed.

These are solid nacre and durable! But not valuable.

Even the grey ones? A high class jewellery told me the pink coloured ones were probably Chinese freshwater pearls and that the grey ones were probably natural saltwater

 

[Pearl Dreams]

The gray ones may be dyed or they may be a natural lavender color-- I assumed from the photo they were the naturally colored lavender. They are all cultured freshwater pearls from China. The shapes are very telltale.

Many jewelers don't know pearls.

 

[NirvanaGirl]

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I don't see anything that makes me change my opinion....

 

[pattye]

NirvanaGirl,

I completely agree with Pearl Dreams assessment of your pearls as cultured freshwater pearls from China without bead nucleus. Both necklaces are much in style!

The dark necklace on my monitor appears to be dyed; I am not seeing natural purple shades. Again the shapes indicate freshwater pearls, not saltwater.

 

[lilliefuzzysocks]

Interesting xrays. Did a dentist do it for you? Can I ask what they charged?

 

[LVLanghanke]

Yup, both are definitely CFW. Doesn't mean they're not pretty! The lighter ones look like natural colors (although could be dyed) and the darker ones are most definitely dyed since CFW do not come in such colors naturally. I'm also curious as to where you got them x-rayed and the cost.

 

[Katbran]

I agree..freshwater. Not valuable but nice enough. The jeweler didn't know what he was looking at - using the term 'natural' to mean they are real pearls not plastic is misleading. He should have said cultured pearls. Natural means wild pearls-no human involvement.

Also - not sure why you x-rayed them. I'm pretty sure from a GIA lecture I attended that normal X-rays aren't reliable for pearls. They use special equipment to sort out the natural from cultured.

 

[NirvanaGirl]

I x-rayed them since I have access to the x-ray machine free of charge, and because the jeweller told me that only an x-ray could tell for sure.

I accept your opinions on my two strings, although it would appear that the jeweller who told me that the pastel coloured string were Chinese fresh water pearls and they grey ones ‘probably natural pearls but of low value due to the flaws’, and who are high class dealers in pearls in my city with over 70 years of trading, have infuriatingly led me astray somewhat.

 

[pattye]

Sadly, your experience echos that of many who've come here with your pearl id questions. Many reputable jewelry stores aren't current with what's going on in pearls. Hopefully, over time the excellent course offered by the CPAA will change this. We can also take this course free, info here Many forum members here have already received their certification! You will read how this course was conceived and developed by our forum leaders!

Pearl sales generally represent a small, single digit percentage of a jewelry store's profit.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

The CPAA course is excellent (use the code to take it free), and I also highly recommend Renee Newman's book, Pearl Buying Guide (6th edition-- the most current with all the new info on Chinese FWP improvements.) Here it is on Amazon but other vendors sell it as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Buying-Guide-Identify-Evaluate/dp/0929975529

 

[LVLanghanke]

Ooh, good book recommendation! I'm going to see if I can find it at the library.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Many libraries carry this book's older editions. There have been significant improvements in the cultivation of freshwater pearls over the past 10-20 years and some older editions are behind the times in this area.

Here is a description of the 6th edition from Renee Newmans' website:
http://reneenewman.com/pearl.htm

Changes in the NEW 6th Edition:​

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* 186 new photographs of pearls, pearl jewelry, neck pieces and pearl x-radiographs​

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* Updated information on pearl types, geographic sources and freshwater pearls
* Expanded chapter on natural pearls​

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* Expanded chapter on "Creating Unique Pearl Jewelry with Colored Gems."
* New pearls and pearl jewelry styles

 

[Katbran]

We could all probably post photos of similar multi coloured Freshwater pearls. Most jewellers don't have a clue when it comes to pearls. They are like 10% of their sales and they just buy from reps. from wholesalers. Round white pearls... for the most part. Natural pearls is not my field but I'd have to guess that if those pearls, in that size and condition, were actually natural they would not be cheap..so he still didn't know what he was talking about.

I've had so many high end jewellers tell me incorrect information about pearls...even stores that have a lot of pearls. I 've posted this story elsewhere, but an extremely high end jeweler mistook a strand of Freshwater baroque pearls for south Sea. Only a difference of about 15,000.

 

[nnguye20]

I'm not from the US (i'm studying here tho), but I went on a pearl tour in a town famous for culturing pearls in Vietnam. We went to 3 national famous pearl brands. One sold me dyed black akoya claiming to me it was "natural color" (I didn't know anything about pearls back then), one has some sale reps who didn't even know what "tahitian" pearls were, and only one actually put some effort in educating customers about different pearl types and sold me real tahitian pearls. I think when it comes to pearls, you have to do your research and learn from mistakes, and only trust 40% what the jeweller told you.

 

[lisa c]

The lighter pearls, with purple and green grape colors intermingled we call Cultured freshwater , affectionately nicknamed Pond Slime. Many of us love them, I do! Under different light many different colors seem to pop out of the greens and purples. They're amazing.