Freshwater or South Sea Baroque?

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

The luster on these is so pretty, but are they freshwater or South Sea? Can anyone tell?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I'm going to go with freshwater. I have some with similar bulbous protuberances.

The size, next to the penny, shows they are very much on the small side for SSP. And the necklace is not finished like a valuable strand would be-- no gimp.

 

[CortezPearls]

I would really like to have these pearls in my hand to SEE THEM IN THE NACRE. I zoomed the photos and I simply could not discern those "things" that give me an indication to say they are SSPs or FWPs.
They give me SSP vibes due to shape and coloration, but I really cannot say with any certainty if they are SSPs or FWPs.
They could be lower quality SSPs...it's the overtones that takes me there.

 

[pearlescence]

I agree Douglas. South Sea.

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

10-12mm no gimp, strung in Hong Kong. Not sure if any of that information helps...

 

[CortezPearls]

10-12mm no gimp, strung in Hong Kong. Not sure if any of that information helps...

Not really much help. I mean HK gets ALL kinds of pearls from all over the world (except maybe Fiji and Cortez). Some strands are prepared as temporary strands, so not a lot of effort goes there due to this.
But these do give me SSP vibes.

 

[jshepherd]

I agree with Pearl Dreams. They have some free form shapes we see in South Sea, but the nacre looks like freshwater.

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

I went ahead and ordered them...they were a good price, even for FW. Would you all like me to post more photos...and if so, how do you want me to post them...or post a video?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Yes please, photos or video or both!

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

Yes please, photos or video or both!

Can I post a video on the forum? I wasn't sure I could.

 

[CortezPearls]

Can I post a video on the forum? I wasn't sure I could.

The only issue is that the video must first be posted on one of the many video platforms. Here is the list and a link to the help file, but it is very straight forward.

• Apple Music
• Dailymotion
• Facebook
• Flickr
• Giphy
• Imgur
• Pinterest
• Reddit
• SoundCloud
• Spotify
• TikTok
• Tumblr
• Twitch
• Twitter
• Vimeo
• YouTube

Help

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

Pearls have arrived...I took more photos. Please take a look. I won't post a video unless necessary. Perhaps these pictures can provide additional information. Thank you all for your help. The are truly more beautiful in person than these photos. Some pearls do have a more milky disposition where drilled. I know FW pearls sometimes have this but wasn't sure if South Sea would have milky to luster surfaces. I can take even more close-up photos if necessary.

 

[CortezPearls]

They look just LOVELY!
Great luster! Nice shapes and some "hammering" (that I personally love) and great overtones.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Whatever they are, they have very pretty luster and should be lots of fun to wear!

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

So @Pearl Dreams ...you still think Freshwater...
And @CortezPearls...you still think South Sea...

Anyone else want to weight in?

 

[CatMom]

Not weighing in except to say they have lovely luster!

 

[CortezPearls]

So @Pearl Dreams ...you still think Freshwater...
And @CortezPearls...you still think South Sea...

Anyone else want to weight in?

I still get SSP vibes. The mottling, the overtones are what give me these vibes. Never seen mottling (or "hammering") in freshwater pearls. But I would feel better if I could handle them and look upon them "in the nacre".

 

[jshepherd]

The mottling is pretty common on flattened sides of freshwaters. This is a nice, lustrous strand of baroque freshwater pearls.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I agree about the mottling being common on the flats sides of FWP. I vote FWP.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I can't quite catch the metallic luster or the colors on this strand of FWP I bought 15 years ago but you get the idea: