Expert opinions needed. Tahitians?

[MsT]

Hi everyone,

I have an opportunity to buy these from a reputable person. They are being sold as Tahitians. They range in size from 7.5 to 8mm and have fabulous silver-gray-blue coloring which is consistent from pearl to pearl, and most pearls are blemish free. 18? on a white gold clasp.

I am personal friends with the seller and I do know that she bought the strand at a high end jewelry store, but I have never seen Tahitians this small, so I do question the strand.

I have them in my possession, so more pictures are possible for ID.

Any opinions would be wonderful!

 

[jshepherd]

They don't look like Tahitian. They look like freshwater, unfortunately. If you can take a closer shot it would be possible to make an absolute determination, but I am very near positive.

 

[waimeamomi]

How consistent is the color? Perfect? What type of blemishes? There are strands that small, but not usual. I think more pictures please.

 

[Nerida]

I am glad Jeremy said it first... they sadly look FW to me too. Still pretty though, and nice and even... a closer shot would be useful.

 

[airdancer]

may I suggest that you bring the strand to a jewellery store to look at Tahitians? I had purchased a FW earring that was made to look like Tahitians (okay, not idea what it's called - it's not dyed, its blasted with light? to change the color of the pearl). I still think it looks like one until I tried to wear it with my tahitian strand.

 

[MsT]

It would be too bad if they were FW (not for me but for the original purchaser), but on a positive note that would leave some of my funds on the table for a PP sale strand, lol.

Waimeamomi, the blemishes are mostly little pin pricks as I tried to show in the photos. There are just a few pearls with slight wrinkles. They aren't perfectly matched- some are more rose and some are more green.

I appreciate all the comments so far. Do you need closer photos?

 

[MsT]

I need to get out DH's Nikon d-700 if you need closer!

 

[MsT]

One more...

This one really shows the color variation.

 

[waimeamomi]

I defer to Jeremy as the expert, but I also agree with him. Sorry, the shapes also look freshwater to me, and the small Tahitians that I've come in contact have been very strong and definite colors of Tahitian (if that makes any sense). Do you have a strand of freshwaters that are a similar size? I believe the Tahitians should be heavier. I wouldn't pay Tahitian prices for them, unless you can verify.

 

[MsT]

I don't know if it makes any difference, but the pearls are all either perfectly round or very near round. A couple of the pearls may vary from 7.9 to 8.1 when measuring at every angle with my digital calipers.

From my photos, it looks like some of them are more oval. Definitely not in real life.

 

[laurenb]

Oh dear, that's unfortunate. But they are very lovely-- might your friend keep them?

Do you know and would you be willing to disclose what your friend paid for them?

 

[MsT]

She paid around 5,000 USD. Ouch! She doesn't want to keep them.. they are too closely related to her recent divorce.

 

[laurenb]

Oh yiiikes.

Was she Greek at university/college, by any chance? Even if she wasn't, all sororities (I mention them because they're thought of as pearl-wearing women) do philanthropic work and that necklace would be a stellar donation for an auction.

Perhaps some good karma would help ease the sting of not being able to recoup the purchasing price. I wonder what the tax guidelines are for donating something when the market value/paid price disparity is so great? Definitely a question for a good accountant, should she choose that route.

 

[Nerida]

Wow, that really is ouch!, isn't it? They look like very nice freshwaters to me.

 

[pattye]

Hi Annie,

I am inclined to go with the freshwater idea also. Tahitians that small would be first harvest, and seems like they would be greener in color, top lustre and more variation in overtones. It's a really pretty strand, though--------

 

[MsT]

At this point I am going to pass on the strand, or offer her a much smaller amount appropriate to FW strand pricing.

I had a sneaking suspicion, and that is why I posted.

 

[pattye]

Just a thought--if she has her original papers describing it as a Tahitian, and it truly isn't, a reputable store should make it right, if she makes a big enough noise--

 

[Valeria101]

Color in first picture looks very freshwater - would have guessed they were a darker, natural bluish lavender strand photographed kindly. The rest of the pictures make me wonder: if freshwater, then dyed - not natural color as the first guess. Puzzling.

But even if the claimed ID pans out... In theory, the smallest ones have the best chance to come in exciting colors, fine surface etc. The pictures must be leaving much of that to the imagination, don't they?

For the record, the highest quote I found for a similar strand of cultured freshwater was a barely GBP 1k. Those were properly labeled. Can't imagine that a place where an even lesser item would have sold four four times higher, was a pleasant and reputable one. Still holding on to some illusions here...

If the strand is Tahitian, the current asking price has these to beat.

 

[pearlescence]

I agree with Pattye - if your friend has the paperwork then she needs to get back to the shop because it looks like there has been a false trade description/fraud. I'm not sure of American law but I'm guessing there would be consumer civil liability and/or criminal if they are indeed freshwater.
I have always followed the rule 'don't get mad, get money'
?1,000 would be steep for any freshwater here. I'm asking not much more for bigger silver Kamokas.

 

[Valeria101]

?1,000 would be steep for any freshwater here.

No disagreement. The quote comes from a New Bond Street locale, last summer.