Damaged or natural

[intvep00]

Hi,

I would really appreciate some help.

I have just purchased a necklace and at closer inspection, each pearl in the necklace has a blemish on it. It is either a line that looks pushed into it or a couple of dots or both.

It almost looks as if they were held too tightly when drilled?

Could some one advise me?



Many thanks!
Petra

 

[Lindaphillipsbong]

Hello Petra: the photos are a bit too "far away" for us to see clearly. If your camera has a "flower" setting, maybe you can take a photo closer to the pearls.
Most pearls have some type of imperfections; lines or spots. Pearls which are perfect are very rare, and very expensive. Your pearls have probably not been damaged, but instead have normal imperfections, imperfections which formed when the pearl was growing. Have a nice day.
Linda.

 

[intvep00]

Hi Linda,

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to have a look. I really appreciate it. It was a anniversary present from my husband this weekend and we would feel really bad if it was was not natural.

Initially I thought the same as you. But it was the straight lines several times in a row and in multiple places on the necklace that made me doubt if it was natural.

Of course I can appreciate a natural blemish, which is part of the charm of a natural product. They are saltwater pearls.

I have inserted some close ups from different parts of the necklace below and would appreciate it if you could have another look?

many thanks,
Petra

 

[DerekJ]

They appear to be natural blemishes.

 

[pearlescence]

I'm not an akoya expert but those look like very odd marks for akoya...
They do indeed look more like cuts (especially the last one)

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Were these bought as akoya pearls or south sea pearls? (Both are saltwater pearls.) What is the size, if you hold a pearl next to a ruler with millimeters?

To me they look more like the natural blemishes I've seen on photos of south sea pearls than akoya pearls. But the cut-shaped marks are odd. And there are a lot of blemishes. In any case they would be cultured, not natural, as natural pearls form wild in nature without any human intervention other than harvesting them.

Here's the thing: If you don't like the blemishes, can you exchange for another strand?

 

[KarinK]

I would think the edges would be sharper if it was cuts. That being said, you should feel comfortable that the price you paid reflects the amount of blemishes. These pearls should not have been sold as top grade. I would check with the vendor about their particular grading system (there is no standard) to make sure you feel you got what you paid for.

- Karin

 

[intvep00]

Hi Everyone,

Thank you so much for reviewing my post it is really appreciated.

Unfortunately I only know that they are saltwater pearls, being quite the uninformed customer, I have not really judged from a professional perspective. I just was not going in with the thought of buying a particular kind of pearl.

We bought them in Guernsey. I don't really want to reveal the seller as I still need to go back an negotiate with this person. And there is no indication that this was intentionally sold with the aim to conceal the imperfections. It was just not been made obvious and only when at home looking at them in bright daylight I discovered the indents. That is what it looks like to me, indents from holding them for drilling maybe?

The size is 6mm.

If it turns out that they are natural blemishes I will most probably keep them, but at the moment I feel a bit deceived and want to make sure there is no damage that could progress with time... like peeling or discolouration etc. linked to these blemishes.

Thanks again,
Petra

 

[Pearl Dreams]

They do not look to me like damage that could have happened from drilling. The people who drill pearls do a lot of them, with machines that drill simultaneously from both sides-- really I can't see how you could get those marks in the nacre from that process. Which leaves natural blemishes.

At 6 mm they would have to be akoyas, not South Sea, which are much larger.

Only you can decide what to do about them, but if you did not spend a great deal, you might just keep them. They are a dainty size and if they are lustrous, the blemishes are probably not so easy to see. Luster is primary-- what is a pearl if it isn't lustrous, after all? I can forgive a lot of flaws if a pearl is lustrous. I have some baroque freshwater pearls from China that have unbelievable flaws-- but the colors are so iridescent and interesting that I overlook the flaws.

 

[KarinK]

Hi Petra,

I've seen pearls being drilled. You fix the pearl in a kind of holder, keeping it completely tight. Then you push the drill to the pearl, going halfway, turn the holder with the pearl around and drill from the other side. I can't see how the drilling process could possibly scratch the pearl as it cannot move a fraction and nor can the drill. Everything is fixed in place as accuracy is the only way the drill holes would meet in the middle.

- Karin

 

[Cyril Roger Brossard]

...really I can't see how you could get those marks in the nacre from that process. Which leaves natural blemishes...

If I may and doing abstraction to the size reference.
The blemishes as seen in the picture do appear to confirm the "cultured" provenance.
Those deep line do appear way after the pearl sac formation. Usually those are found on pearls that are quite close to the adductor and retractor muscles, they could be the resultant of a strain caused by the byssal gland.
In other words, those pearls are real... let me rephrase, the blemishes as seen in the pictures are natural, the pearls were just in the wrong position during their cultivation...
Got confused by the title of the thread... damaged or natural... they are naturally damaged by the oyster...

 

[pearlescence]

I drill pearls every day. That is not drill damage. Drill damage tends to be a layer of nacre cracking off in a circle around the drill hole and stuff like that.
Those marks are very deep - very low graded pearls, never mind how good the lustre.

 

[intvep00]

Thank everyone for responding. Even though they are low grade, they are lustrous to me. The comments around the lustre reminded me why we liked them in the shop and we have decided to keep them.

It is comforting to know that the damage is from natural causes and therefore it will be unlikely that there will be progressing of anything.

You guys (and girls) have been a great help in setting my mind at ease. Maybe they are not the best pearls in the world, I now know what I have and I am happy with it.

Again thank you it has really been appreciated!
Petra

 

[KarinK]

Hi Petra,

I think it's also worth remembering that you didn't notice the marks until quite a bit later. Enjoy wearing them

- Karin