Candled Natural Pearls

[GemGeek]

Experience must be the key, so keep trying. How you are getting photos without ambient light mystifies me, so I think you've done well for a start. Natural pearls can be weird little things - sometimes they have a completely transparent core and don't build nacre until the outer layers. The centers would light up like Dave's translucent beauties if that were the case.

 

[MSC]

I am also thinking it may not be necessary to have the room completely dark as it is so hard to focus when in the dark and also that I might have too much light hitting the pearls (look at set up above). Then I get these really dark looking pearls with beads. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Dawn, have you tried using a tripod with a remote trigger and prolonged exposure time when taking photos of the pearls in the dark? The prolonged exposure time will allow more light to gather and the tripod with remote trigger will remove the shake component from the photos. Also increasing the iso levels as well! I hope that helps Love seeing these photos, they get me wanting to start candling as well!

 

[Caitlin]

Thank you Dawn. What a great start. Now that we have some candlers, I hope we get pix of EVERYTHING candled. I am thinking we may learn something even from candling the ubiquitous freshwaters, just to see what happens when we have a lot of examples of various candlings- maybe mysterious things or patterns lurk in the freshwaters and as so many of them don't have beads, maybe we can build some expertise on recognizing fw pearls when candled? That kind of turns the whole forum into the data pool for the candling project.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

All of the nucleated pearls have darker translucency graduating from darker in the center then outward to lighter. The symmetry is uniform but otherwise featureless. There are no streaks, blotches or spots. Good examples of views I'd expect to see in cultured pearls.

I'll pull out the light box today (and the blisters Andrea) and get some views of washboard nuclei (the nuke of choice among the big players), even before the results are in, I would expect to occasionally find curved lines from river mussel nuclei.

Holding things up to the light to observe their bling is no new thing, but we've expanded on a new critique of pearls that ought to have some staying power. There was a wide gap between conjecture and the lab, but this seems to have bridged it a little.

Meanwhile, I thought I'd tease everyone with photos of podos.

 

[GemGeek]

Beautiful, Dave.

 

[CharmedOne]

Gorgeous pearls, Wow!!! Dave, Thank you so much for all your help and suggestions!

Thank you Dawn for those and all of your help!

Caitlin has a great idea for sure. This thread, well whole entire forum for that matter has taught me so much and has helped me tremendously.

 

[CharmedOne]

I haven't posted for a bit because all I have is my iphone, but I figured what the heck. I will have better photos soon because I believe after asking for at least 5 years, somebody purchased me a new camera for Christmas

This pearl is about 10MM. Kinda hard to measure in this setting. I haven't figured out what it is yet but it looks pretty good to me. The pictures aren't great so I apologies in advance.

 

[CharmedOne]

Here are some photos of what the pearl looks like. I want to make it into a pendant but haven't decided how to do it yet

 

[CharmedOne]

Thank you for all your help and feedback

 

[MSC]

\
This pearl is about 10MM. Kinda hard to measure in this setting. I haven't figured out what it is yet but it looks pretty good to me. The pictures aren't great so I apologies in advance.

What a great idea, I was thinking about how to candle pearls in settings as well.

 

[MSC]

Meanwhile, I thought I'd tease everyone with photos of podos.

Dave, are those clear ones pearls?!?

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Dave, are those clear ones pearls?!?

Yes, naturals from Rock Oysters, (Pododesmus macrochisma) aka Jingle Shells. Tiny, but fascinating nonetheless.

 

[Marianne]

As a life long beach comber, I still am thrilled on finding a Rock Oyster shell. The colors are so lovely! (just like those little gems, Dave)

 

[CharmedOne]

If it is hard to determine I understand, but I was wondering if there were any thoughts on my pendant. I appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks ~d

 

[Bodecia]

Hello CharmedOne,

I don't think the photos are definitive enough but in my opinion it does look like a natural pearl. Can you candle it from the side? That might give us a better view. But it looks hopeful. Is the back open?

It will make a great pendant. You could try bending the gold stick around but it might break. If that happens you would need to have it completed by a jeweller. Good luck.

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

 

[CharmedOne]

Thanks Dawn Yes it is completely closed in the back. There is a little hole at the top of the stem. I have been looking for a natural strand of small pearls to make a necklace with this as the center. There is a strand I am looking at but I really need to see it to make sure the pearls match.

 

[Bodecia]

I thought it was a stick pin but if it was it has been cut or broken so I doubt you will be able to bend it yourself. Just too short for your to do that. But I LIKE it. Such a pretty and safe setting.

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 did mean to say would it be possible for you to candle it through the back and through the front as well as the side? Hopefully that will tell more about it.

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 wanted to give this whole candling thing a shot so here goes...

 

[CharmedOne]

Thanks Dawn The sides are kinda closed too. I will try again later tonight to get better photos.

Awesome job Andrea!! What kind of pearl is it?