Freshwater Barogue's - expensive?

[Bethann]

I have been wanting a strand of Baroque's, large and chunky, white to off-white.
Just how much is something like that and would it be difficult to get?
Curious at this point.

 

[pattye]

Hi Bethann,

Some members of this forum with online stores have offered these and no doubt will in the future (we hope real soon) after a big show of interest--as I recall prices were around $200 and up, really good size and great orient, yes, most of us love baroques also!!! So in my mind, very affordable. Some whites were also untreated, weren't they, Jeremy??!! Somehow there weren't quite enough to go 'round----

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Casey.R]

Jeremy was talking about having white baroques as a special at PP this month. I'm not sure if thats happening or not though. many of us here were lucky enough to get some untreated colored baroques about a month ago and they were beautiful and at great prices too!

 

[Bethann]

I just remember seeing a strand at the blue box store that was way into double digits.
"All" I want is a 15-16" strand, large size, very noticeably barogue and beautiful luster. One thing I'm not crazy about is a baroque pearl with heavy rings on it.
Oh, and a stunning clasp.

 

[Perle]

Hi Bethann, and welcome!

You might want to check with Jeremy.

Perle

 

[Casey.R]

i didn't even know he had put the white ones up yet. How long have they been there?

 

[Susan]

I found them last Friday, but didn't like to say anything unless Jeremy was keeping them for this month special offer. Bought strand 254.

Susan

 

[WeeGem]

Okay, who bought strand 274???? It's GORGeous!!

 

[Susan]

Ha Ha, so I wasn't the only one who found them then!

Susan

 

[Casey.R]

So the whites here are treated? Untreated? Just bleached? Not bleached?
This is the first I've seen of them.
TIA

 

[jshepherd]

The new white strands are bleached. The colors are untreated. Yes, it was not yet public as we have been trying to get the section completely developed (our monthlies rarely run month to month) before going live, but several people have found our sections under construction.

 

[Perle]

Sorry, Jeremy!

Perle

 

[WeeGem]

Yes, I bought strand #274. It does look gorgeous!

Oooooo! Lol, welcome to the forum!

Jeremy, sorry about that....I'll be better next time

 

[jshepherd]

It is not a big deal, really, as long as the page does not get overrun like it did just before Mother's Day. We have several parts to still finish, and about another 200 strands to photoshop into position.

 

[Bethann]

So, just how will we know when the baroques are public?

(drooling !)

 

[xeresana]

How does a pearl get bleached? What do they look like before being bleached? Are naturally white pearls rare? What color is the "common" pearl?

 

[jshepherd]

It is a chemical bleaching treatment. It is the next step after maeshori, and the step all akoya and freshwater go through. If it is done well you pearls will be fine. If the pearls are over-bleached they will be chalky and start to oxidize after about 6 months.

The pearls were a little off white before bleaching. This is a creamy color that may have a hint in the direction of lavender or peach, but no real color other than off white. This is the most common color in all freshwater and akoya, and considered non-marketable until bleached.

 

[xeresana]

Does anyone have a picture of an unbleached pearl? I'm curious what one looks like that it would not have a market. They don't sound so bad. Do unbleached pearls lose any qualities (luster, orient) when bleached?

 

[jshepherd]

The few white strands on our mother's day special were unbleached. The whites in the multi color strands are unbleached as well.

Bleached pearls do not lose any luster or orient, in fact the luster is usually better because after bleaching the pearls go through a luster treatment. But this can fade with the oxidation.

 

[Casey.R]

I keep hearing about this luster treatment and I read the info on it in the pearl articles section. Do 100% of freshwater pearls always go through a luster treatment after being bleached? Or just the ones that don't have good luster?

The pearls we got during the mothers day special seem to have great luster as is.