Candled Natural Pearls

[Caitlin]

Those i-phones! I burst out laughing! I would love to see the results! I guess you need a second i-phone to do that,lol.

 

[FrenchPearl]

Those i-phones! I burst out laughing! I would love to see the results! I guess you need a second i-phone to do that,lol.

LOL this is exactely what I did for regular photos and I got the best pearls close ups I ever took (will post in another thread)
Following Dawn's example, I'll hire an assistant (my son!) tomorrow to try to take a picture of pearl candling with another Iphone.

But think of this scenario: "you are in a thrift shop and see pearls that look "interesting" , you can do a candling right there on the go .". At least it's a great tool for me as I don't have the eye or the years of experience for pearls..... yet

Now, I just need to go to a thrift shop !

 

[GemGeek]

Hysterical, but useful!

 

[Bodecia]

Thank you Dave, all your information is great and very information. I am sure it will help all of us. You are not being a spoil sport, just the contrary. When I first saw these pearls my first impression was that they were good quality old akoyas. With the drill holes that is what I thought I was seeing but I preferred you to tell us

I have been taking a few photos myself today. Once I started I am finding it hard to stop. This time it is of naturals which are loads more fun and I will add some photos later today. What I want to do is to confirm my impressions of them then put them safely away until ready to use.

What I think is if I really need to ask, it is because I am just being hopeful as I am a optimist, but deep in my heart and brain know I they are cultured. The more photos we have taken and now myself I have confirmed this. This was confirmed again today with the first candling photo I took and I could tell while taking the photos without having to look closely on the monitor. I was "hoping" it was a natural but when I looked at it in daylight I thought it was all wrong and so it proved.

This thread is the most informative and also entertaining for so many. I am sure we are all learning loads from it. Thank you Dave. I wish I knew how to give Reputation comments. Caitlin help us here, please!!! Received 3 myself today which was very pleasing and I thank the givers.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.

 

[Bodecia]

I went to two thrift shops on Thursday. As far as jewellery went it was all rubbish. Disappointing but I ended up buying stuffed toys and blankets for the kids and 3 pieces of cheap wear as home clothes for myself. Also picked up a few books for Barry. Toys cost a couple of dollars each, blankets $1.50 each. Books cost the most being $4 to $5 each and my clothes cost $1 each.

I was hoping for beautiful pearls and had put my strong glasses on the top of my head (sneaky) and wore my reading glasses in so I could see properly. But no luck. Maybe the thrift shop staff have wised up. It sure looked like it. But it was fun as it is first time I have been shopping in a long time. But I was so exhausted I couldn't even walk into the chemist.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.

 

[Bodecia]

Some of my latest photos. These hopefully all of natural pearls. They look it to me although I need to ask about the ones that are completely or virtually translucent. I really don't understand why so please do tell me. I am sure they are not cultured but why translucent?

I have been taking (myself) photos for hours but took a lot to dismiss as cultured too, so will not include those.

Still have plenty of candling photos to take but that might have to be tomorrow. Getting a little exhausted.

Will add two lots of photos for now.


Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.

 

[MSC]

I agree and will do that often as possible.

Looking forward to more

 

[Bodecia]

This pearl is large and flat bottomed. It measures 7.60mm high x 8.32mm wide. A silver white on top and blue near the bottom. A beautiful, unusual specimen I will be keeping, I hope.

Will try to take photos of the pearl tomorrow in daylight. Didn't think to do that earlier.

For now I will try to stop taking photos until tomorrow. This is addictive. Took about 300 today but I need to read my camera manual. I am doing something wrong as my close up photos are generally not good. Might be that I have it on automatic. I realised tonight that Barry had the lenses on the wrong way so that didn't help either.


Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.

 

[CharmedOne]

Dawn , that pearl is amazing! I hope you can keep it. I am hoping to come across a pearl like that. I have a beautiful setting that kind of pearl like beautiful in. Do you plan on making something with it?

 

[Bodecia]

Hi CharmedOne,
It is a 4 carat pearl I believe. Not a bad size but I do not have any rings that it would be suitable for and although I think it is lovely, as I do all naturals I will probably end up listing it on eBay or selling it privately. I must take some photos of it that actually show its beauty instead of its many types of inclusions. I actually don't know what it is worth but one never gets what a pearl is actually worth. Just what the market can pay. I love it be bi-coloured. It is a great look.

I have had it for years now so guess it is ready to move to a new home.

I went to take more candling photos of some of my loose naturals and guess what. Forgotten where I have put some of them. I am a hopeless case. They are around somewhere and I have been doing a clean up hoping they would show up but no luck so far. They are not lost just missing!!!

I still have some that I haven't "lost" to take photos of though. Just so tired I am not sure how many photos I will be able to take. Overdid it yesterday and then was thinking of photos and the thread so only got a few hours sleep. Not enough.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.

 

[FrenchPearl]

I really don't understand why so please do tell me. I am sure they are not cultured but why translucent

Hi Dawn ,
Could your translucent pearls be majolica ?
I don't have any to candle for comparison, but i did candle some fake pearls, and there are 100% translucent too. The light is somewhat diffrent in your pearl, but may be the comparison will help ?
I think i read somewhere in the forum that majolica pearls are gritty, so it could be an hypothesis ?..

 

[FrenchPearl]

I finally succeed in candling my silver/blue pearl with my 2 iphones setup ! Yeahhh !
And if i learned the teaching of this thread well, it supports the case for it being a natural pearl .
No geometrical lines or shapes indicative od a bead nuclei, random patches of conchiolin at different depth within the pearl, the translucency in between the conchiolin layers, and cherry on the cake, the nuclei at the heart of the pearl . How cool is this last picture !!!

 

[Bodecia]

Hi FrenchPearl, I suppose it is something that has to be considered. I truly hope not though. I have seen others though such as smaller Arabian Gulf pearls which the light shines right through so maybe it is because I have the 3 little lights and it is too much. Not sure though. I do have a necklace which does the same thing. Didn't candle them all though.

Will be interesting to see what Dave has to say. I wish I could find the pearls I put away in a safe place, again !!! Found a couple more but not the ones I was looking for. If I can keep my eyes open long enough I might take some more photos tonight. Just been a really busy day, eBay possible customers wise. Wish I had gotten a decent nights sleep, old brain and eyes are a bit of a mess today.

Nice job on your candling. Which photos do you mean is cool, from the top. You will need to show a photo of how it looks without candling. I have to get around to that too. Meant to today but it didn't happen.


Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.

 

[FrenchPearl]

I can't remove the last pic that is a duplicate. The one I think is cool is the one before last. Look like an eye ball with the nuclei as the pupil. The setting on top makes it look like a vikking helmet ;-) i'll add a pic without candling in the previous post.

 

[Bodecia]

Oh boy, just saw the horns on that. LOL that is one a COOL photo.

I am trying to candle some rings at the moment and they can be so hard sometimes. The fancier the setting the harder to take decent photos.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi FrenchPearl,

I was just taking some candling photos of a necklace I know are really good Akoya and when I did not have the pearls in focus I got that total translucence so I am thinking we are making photography mistakes. It is a top camera but we haven't had it long and I believe we have it set incorrectly.

I need to go through my manual. Pronto.

Still be great to hear from Dave.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.

 

[FrenchPearl]

Yep, I'm challenged at the camera level too ! The pictures looks sharper on my phone than when I post them ..... I might put a USB microscope on my list for santa... But i don't have much natural pearls to candle.... So which one come first ? ;-)

 

[Bodecia]

These are photos of a pearl set in a ring and it is so hard to focus let alone get a decent candling photos but here they are for what they are worth.

I was thinking I could recognise natural versus cultured pearls but I think that is only with Akoya and other ones easy to take photos of. So opinions gratefully accepted. It looks like a natural pearl and the back (shown) looks lumpy with blemishes but I just don't know.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.

 

[Bodecia]

This is of a beautiful pendant and I believe it is most likely cultured. If not that would be great or if better photos needed I will try again. Had to go back to using Blu Tack to stop the light escaping too much and a low light and very low light. We keep trying different methods. Once again feedback would be much appreciated. But I am not hopeful

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.

 

[Caitlin]

I know it is a tough process to look for natural pearls, and find some that aren't! You have always been able to face it when you have a pearl that isn't natural. I call that real "Pearl Courage"! Fortunately, you have been able to score a lot of naturals too. I wonder about the future of finding old natural pearls.... It seems to be getting tougher.

After coming to know you so well over the years, I buy in complete confidence from you, knowing that you stand behind your naturals. In, fact, I think you should sell at prices just under a fair retail with just enough discounted to pay to get a pearl or a few more, if it is a necklace, tested. As far as I can tell, there does not seem to be a GIA in Australia and you have to send out of the country to get tested. that adds all the extra postage and insurance for testing, to your price. It seems just as fair to discount enough to let the new owner do it.

I want you get as much value as you can, because I think it will get harder and harder to keep finding them, and turning them, at such low prices as you have in the past. Though I have benefited from your largess in the past, I am now feeling I probably got too good a deal.....!

Has anyone knowingly got any South Sea maxima shell jewelry carvings to candle? Some of those carvings made from the shells for rings and pendants are as beautiful in luster as the pearls themselves, and it is hard to tell it is shell from the outside. They are translucent, but maybe they have striations or something inside, if candled. My best friend from college wears a cabochon style ring of carved SS shell in the shape of a good abalone blister pearl. It is as beautiful as the best SS pearl. Only the fact you can see it was carved into that shape, gives it away on close inspection.