Faceted Tahitian Pearl? Check this...

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silverseajewelry

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I've seen and held a faceted tahitian pearl at a jeweler in CT who has unusual gemstones. The facets are flat but look convex! Gorgeous. It was about $6000. Not in my budget!
 
Faceted pearls are carved pearls, they have to have very thick nacre so that can be done. We have some thread with a lot of posts about one of our members, he is doing a very high end line with carved pearls and diamonds and other gem stones in them.

I found it: Chi Huynh from Vietnam is the one who is making these jewels in a company called Galatea and if you search for Diamond in a Pearl or Galatea there is an article by Modern Jeweler.com that is very interesting.
One of his really lovely carved pearls is called the "Mercy Pearl with a Turquoise in the nucleus of a carved Tahitian!


Unfortunately I can?t see the picture you posted here but it should be something like it, perhaps.
 
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Hummm--interesting. They have been faceting freshwaters for quite a while; they are inexpensive. It is a way of making less desirable and flawed pearls marketable. Often they are dyed. Personally, I like them. I would think that Tahitians would need thick nacre, and very small facets, but it could be done. Also could probably use Tahitians with some surface flaws also. I can't imagine paying four figures for one!

Although I sure would (if I could afford it) for one of Chi's carved creations with the gem nucleus!! LOVE!!!

Let me know if you would like to see a photo of the fw--I could "attempt" one!!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time
 
Oh Pattye, please! I'll trade you photo wishes and pearl dreams :)
 
Ok, here you go--remember these are freshwaters, so are basically all nacre---


faceted pearl 2.JPG

faceted pearl 3.JPG[/ATTACH]


The white pearls are about 8.5mm, The funky oval pearls larger, but difficult to actually measure. The "black peacock" do show a lot of colors. ***ALL FRESHWATERS*** but posted here to show faceting. These are likely not done with the same amount of care one would have to take with a Tahitian!

pattye
so many pearls, so little time
 
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The facets show up nicely on the black ones. I have a couple of pink faceted freshwaters somehere...meant to be accent beads...never used them but I meant to do them up with rose quartz. Thanks for posting the pictures.

I never thought about faceting tahitians and didn't realize until tonight that people were doing this. I need to get out more.
 
I gotta say, I do like the carved Tahitians but the is it just me or does the "faceting" just look like horrible??
 
I must say I prefer carving to faceting. TPO has some pretty good deals on the Galatea so it's not that unaffordable.
 
The first faceted Tahitian pearl I saw was at a display at GIA Headquarters. It was shimmering silver, at least 18mm, and absolutely perfect. At first, I wasn't sure I liked it, but they grow on you. I didn't like the idea of messing with perfection - they have to be good to begin with, to turn out well. And it's true, the faceting plays tricks on your eyes by looking convex instead of flat. And this pearl had hundreds of facets - think geodesic dome...

I saw a fabulous large faceted golden south sea pearl set in jewelry in Tucson, but I didn't get around as much as I would have liked, so I didn't see any faceted freshwaters and, in fact, I haven't seen them for quite a while. Pattye's real faceted freshwaters are great. Most of what I saw a couple of years ago were freshwaters nucleated with faceted beads - a thinly-nacred attempt at looking like faceted pearls.

Pattye, did you see any faceted pearls in Tucson? ;)
 
The faceted Tahitian that I saw was a gray color and the faceting was beautiful. I'm not so sure it would have been so attractive in a blacker pearl.
 
Hi Blaire and all,

At the gem show saw only a few faceted pearls, dyed, they were probably under $10 per strand. Did not see any of the top quality like you did, Blaire. Darn. I think faceting would be interesting done evenly on a very fine pearl. I think it will remain a novelty, and never be very popular.

My faceted pearls were purchased a few years ago, and about $10-20 strand at the most. Certainly not great pearls! ;) It is true, the faceting tends to look convex.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time
 
I think you're right. I doubt that faceted pearls will ever be a big phenomenon. I wish I could have had the Pattye Tucson shopping experience! I'll bet you had a lot of fun. ;)
 
Hi everyone,

it seems I was too tired yesterday when posting as I mixed carving and facetting...sorry.

However, I think the Galatea products are really lovely and the one facetted Tahitian on the photo was certainly made by an artist.

If I had the spare money I could think of one of the Galateas, the facetted pearls are not to my taste,however.

Thanks for the pics, everyone.
 
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