Chinese Freshwater vs. Tahitian: A new threat?

[Slraep]

Hi Caitlin,

They are "supposed" to be sinanodontas. But that is only what Zeide Erskine told me. She is "supposed" to be an expert.

What about your necklace?

Slraep

 

[National Pearl]

luster

luster

Hi Slraep,

How would you describe the luster of those pearls? Orient is notoriously hard to capture via photos, after all.

Its hard to tell from that picture, but the points of reflection look fairly sharp. Hard to judge though unless you can hold them in your hands and in proper lighting.

 

[jshepherd]

My buyer also said that 90% of Tahitian pearls are dyed and this is not generally known because it is a very closely guarded secret. Is that true?
Larry

This figure is way off. A percentage of the pearls going through Japan or China have been treated, yes. But 90% is a gross overstatement.

 

[J. Larry Railey]

Electro-dyed vs. Hydro-dyed

Electro-dyed vs. Hydro-dyed

Hi Zeide and Jeremy,

As always, fascinating info. What my agent told me about dying, Zeide, is that the pearls are put in something like a big pressure cooker with coloring agent for up to six weeks. He said that this forces the dye all the way through 6 mm CFWP?s. He said that last year he just learned about a newer, better process called electro-dying. How does this work, is it better and what are the pros and cons vs. hydro-dying? Almost everything I have believed about pearls has come from him, so it?s great to be able to modify and refine my information.

Larry

 

[National Pearl]

With the new advancements in dyeing techniques for tahitian pearls, is it still practicle to simply look down the drill hole in order to detect dying? What other unsophisticated methods exist to detect such post-treatments?

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Andrew,

If you get the book Black Pearls of Tahiti and carefully look at the pictures of Tahitian pearls that were all made before these processes were applied to them or even known, you will quickly develop an eye for it. Tahitian pearls do not look metallic by nature. The ones in Tahiti still don't.

Zeide

 

[National Pearl]

Thank you Zeide, I will pick that book up. We do not currently deal much with Tahitians and would like to expand more into that area.

 

[silverseajewelry]

Any thing new going on with freshwater blacks?

Any thing new going on with freshwater blacks?

Is anything new happening with freshwater black pearls - treated or not treated?

It used to be you could spot a freshwater being passed off as a tahitan really easily.

But in the last year or so, I am seeing things pop up on ebay that look much larger, rounder and darker with what appears to be tahitian peacock overtones as opposed to the pink/purple/blue tones you usually see on the freshwaters.

These things couldn't be tahitian due to pricing, so what are they?

 

[Slraep]

These things couldn't be tahitian due to pricing, so what are they?

Hi Silversea,

I'm sure they are still freshwaters just with better dye jobs. Having said that, I am seeing lots of Tahitians that have dropped in price substantially. I bought 10 Tahiti baroque full necklaces in very beautiful colours for $1500USD(for the 10 strands) last year from a supplier. I thought I'd never see that again but someone just sent me an opera length Tahiti necklace to check out composed of smooth drops in lovely colours and it is only $900USD. I don't know what to think.

Slraep

 

[mikehrz]

Another possibility is that the pictures on ebay simply aren't of the real item for sale. Silversea, could you provide a link to such an item?

 

[silverseajewelry]

Here are two. The first link is definitely a bit off-round and describes as such. The second one...note suspicious picture of store that's "moving" and a large inventory of necklaces that would ordinarily sell for 10x the ask if as described. I would never bid on either, but the color (if real pictures) indicates that freshwater technology is further along than I thought.

Yes, I also noticed a substantial price decline -- overproduction? I recently read something about tighter governance of production and export activity happening soon in Tahiti that might drive prices back up over the coming years.

Sure hope I uploaded these links right.

http://cgi.ebay.com/4K-AAA-Tahitian-Black-Peacock-Color-Pearl-Necklace-14K_W0QQitemZ230214382214QQihZ013QQcategoryZ43082QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/11mm-Cultured-B...ryZ43082QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[knotty panda]

I know what they aren't: they aren't freshwater, they aren't shell, I don't think they are faux.

What I think: I think they are Tahitian. I think if you buy them, you will not receive that strand.

 

[silverseajewelry]

Check out this photo from seller #1 in above post. Sold a while back. Very similar pearl with lower end pearl clasp billed as peacock colored akoyas...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330077531801

hmm...

 

[Slraep]

Yes, I also noticed a substantial price decline -- overproduction?

Well, seeing as almost every corner jeweller around here has some Tahitians(no matter the quality)for sale, I would agree that there is an overstock or overproduction. You open any magazine and they keep plugging Tahitians as a "must have" rare exotic luxury when in reality they are everywhere.

Slraep

 

[Caitlin]

Tahitian Black/Peacock Color Pearl Necklace/14K

Above number one link is a color: "Tahitian black". It is used every day by eBayers and the like esp from China. Another link says the pearls are 10x11mm. That does not sound like a cultured Tahitian. If it isn't, it is even more deceptive than the first one.

 

[Slraep]

What I think: I think they are Tahitian. I think if you buy them, you will not receive that strand.

That's what I think too, Knotty. The buyer will receive Tahitians but a low grade. If you read the feedback there is one buyer that says exactly that.

Slraep

 

[jshepherd]

I disagree strongly. The photo in the picture is of a dyed freshwater pearl strand, not a low-quality tahitian strand.

This same seller used the phrase "tahitian black" to sell low-grade button pearl rings set in 925 Platinum. He is actually selling junk "fashion" rings from China set with dyed-black button pearls on some cheap base metal that cost 50 cents to a dollar depending on the seller.


In fact this seller is one of the very rare sellers you find on eBay with relatively high prices yet the product (mostly akoya in this sellers case) is low-commercial grade

 

[Slraep]

I thought I'd post the seller's pic because like in some other threads, when the seller's pic has disappeared from eBay, nobody knows what we are talking about.

Mind you, we are speculating because the seller can, of course, put up a pic and write up a description of whatever he/she fancies, and then send whatever he wants to the buyer.

So this is freshwaters(the first pic)? They look very Tahiti. They are graduated and not the same pearls as in the second pic.

The second pic looks like freshwater, that's true.

 

[Sueki]

Hi Slraep,
I must admit my first thought on seeing those pearls was dyed freshwater. They honestly don't look like Tahitians to me.

 

[Slraep]

Hi Slraep,

I must admit my first thought on seeing those pearls was dyed freshwater. They honestly don't look like Tahitians to me.

Really? The first pic too? Hmmm....I think I must get some glasses. In my first response I did say that they are probably freshwaters with better dye jobs but then I clicked on the link and the first pic didn't look like it to me. But Jeremy sees much more pearls than I do(I see more in my dreams though), so freshwater it is.

That "cultured Tahiti colour" thing pretty much implies you will get a dyed freshwater strand but not always. I did also once receive a 13.4mm Tahitian necklace from Chinese vendor on eBay Japan for the equivalent of $360Can. It was very dark low grade and quite a few pits---but it was Tahiti(or P. margaritifera from somewhere) and kindda cute. I was sure I was going to get big misshapen dyed 12mm freshwater lumps of coal.

Slraep